Shraddha Kapoor is all set to play a Lavni dancer in Eetha. The film is loosely based on the life of one of Maharashtra’s most celebrated folk performers, Vithabai Bhau Mang Narayangaonkar. The makers unveiled the trailer of the Laxman Utekar directorial on Friday at a special event held at Mumbai’s iconic Plaza Cinema in Dadar, offering a glimpse into the extraordinary life of the legendary Tamasha and Lavani artiste.
At the trailer launch, Shraddha spoke about the extensive preparation that went into portraying the folk performer and immersing herself in the world of Lavani. The actor revealed that the journey involved meeting several interesting people and understanding a cultural world that was entirely new to her. However, the preparation also came with a physical challenge.
Recalling an injury she sustained while dancing during the shoot, Shraddha said, “I met very interesting people. I went into a completely different world. There was also a mishap that happened while dancing on set. I had a muscle tear. But the team was so supportive. We had to stop the shoot because of his love and care, I could get back to shooting. So I had to understand Lavani; I had to practise a lot.”
Director Laxman Utekar also spoke about the efforts taken to ensure authenticity in the film’s depiction of the traditional dance form. He revealed that the team organised a week-long workshop with veteran Lavani dancer Shakuntala Nagarkar.
“We had got a very senior Lavani dancer, Shakuntala Nagarkar, to our office. With her, we did a one-week workshop just to understand the aadaye and nazakat,” Utekar said.
When asked whether the makers had sought permission from Vithabai’s family to tell her story, Utekar clarified that Eetha is not a direct biopic of the legendary performer. The film draws inspiration from certain incidents documented in the book Tamasha: Vithabaichya Ayushyache.
Shraddha added that the film’s canvas is much wider than the story of one artiste. “As he said, this is not just Vithabai’s story. It is a story of all those Tamasha artists, thousands of them,” she said.
Born in Pandharpur in 1935, Vithabai Bhau Mang Narayangaonkar came from a family of folk performers and began performing at a young age. She went on to become one of the most prominent names in Maharashtra’s Tamasha and Lavani traditions, with a life marked by remarkable artistic achievements and personal struggles.
Produced by Dinesh Vijan, Laxman Utekar and Karishma Sharma, Eetha is backed by Maddock Films and Kathputli Creations. The film reunites Utekar with Maddock Films after Luka Chuppi, Mimi, Zara Hatke Zara Bachke and Chhaava. For Shraddha, it marks another collaboration with the production house following the success of the Stree franchise.
The ensemble cast also includes Randeep Hooda, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Nana Patekar, Siddharth Jadhav, Anant Joshi, Akshara Singh and Ulka Gupta. The music has been composed by Ajay-Atul.
Eetha is scheduled to release in cinemas on December 4, 2026.
