Mahesh Vaman Manjrekar is an Indian film director, actor, screenwriter and producer who works primarily in Marathi and Hindi cinema. Active since the 1990s, he is known for directing socially themed films such as Vaastav: The Reality (1999) and Astitva (2000), and for his acting roles in films including Kaante, Viruddh... Family Comes First and the Tamil-Hindi production 2.0.
| Born | 16 August 1958, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Director, actor, screenwriter, producer |
| Years active | 1990s – present |
| Languages | Marathi, Hindi |
| Notable as director | Vaastav (1999), Astitva (2000), Me Shivajiraje Bhosale Boltoy (2009), Kaksparsh (2012), Natsamrat (2016) |
| Notable as actor | Kaante (2002), Viruddh (2005), Wanted (2009), 2.0 (2018), Antim (2021) |
| Awards | National Film Award; multiple Filmfare Marathi and Maharashtra State Film Awards |
Background
Manjrekar was born in Mumbai into a Marathi-speaking family with roots in Konkan, Maharashtra. He began his career in Marathi theatre and television before moving to films. His early work in theatre exposed him to writing and direction, which later shaped his approach to cinema.
Career
Direction
Manjrekar made his Hindi directorial debut with Vaastav: The Reality (1999), a crime drama starring Sanjay Dutt that depicted the descent of a young man into the Mumbai underworld. The film won Sanjay Dutt the Filmfare Best Actor (Critics) Award and is widely cited among the defining gangster films of Hindi cinema in that period.
He followed it with Astitva (2000), made simultaneously in Hindi and Marathi, which examined gender, marriage and patriarchy through the story of a middle-class housewife played by Tabu. The film received a National Film Award and brought him critical recognition as a writer-director.
Other Hindi films he directed include Kurukshetra (2000), Tera Mera Saath Rahen (2001), Pran Jaye Par Shaan Na Jaye (2003), Viruddh... Family Comes First (2005) starring Amitabh Bachchan, and City of Gold (2010), based on the decline of Mumbai's textile mills.
In Marathi cinema he directed Me Shivajiraje Bhosale Boltoy (2009), a commercial success that addressed Marathi identity in contemporary Mumbai; Mee Sindhutai Sapkal (2010), based on the life of social worker Sindhutai Sapkal; Kaksparsh (2012), set in pre-Independence Konkan; Natsamrat (2016), an adaptation of V. V. Shirwadkar's play starring Nana Patekar; and Panghrun (2022), among others.
Acting
As an actor, Manjrekar has appeared in Hindi, Marathi and Tamil films. His Hindi roles include the antagonist Andheri Ka Anna in Sanjay Gupta's Kaante (2002), supporting parts in Viruddh (2005), Wanted (2009) and Dabangg 2 (2012), and the role of Dharmendra Bohra in S. Shankar's bilingual science-fiction film 2.0 (2018). He played significant parts in Salman Khan's productions Antim: The Final Truth (2021) and others.
Television and other work
Manjrekar has hosted the Marathi-language version of Kaun Banega Crorepati (titled Kon Honaar Crorepati) on Star Pravah and has been associated with reality and talent shows on Marathi television. He has also produced films through his own banner.
Themes and significance
Manjrekar's directorial work is associated with hard-edged urban realism, family dramas and explorations of Marathi cultural identity. Vaastav and City of Gold drew on the social history of Mumbai's working-class neighbourhoods and the textile mill belt of Girangaon, while Natsamrat and Kaksparsh contributed to a revival of mainstream Marathi cinema in the 2010s. He is regarded as one of the prominent crossover figures between Marathi and Hindi film industries of his generation.
Awards and recognition
- National Film Award for Astitva (2000).
- Multiple Filmfare Awards Marathi, including recognition for Kaksparsh and Natsamrat.
- Maharashtra State Film Awards across direction, screenplay and film categories.
Personal life
Manjrekar is based in Mumbai. His daughter Ashwami Manjrekar has worked as an actress in Marathi and Hindi films, including a debut in Dabangg 3 (2019).