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Marathi cinema is the segment of Indian cinema dedicated to the production of motion pictures in the Marathi language, which is widely spoken in the state of Maharashtra. It is based out of Mumbai. It is the oldest film industry in India and one of the leaders in filmmaking in the Indian film industry.
Raja Harishchandra, directed by Dadasaheb Phalke and released in 1913, was the first Marathi-language film ever made, and was also India's first full-length feature film. The claim is disputed and some claim that Dadasaheb Torne's Shree Pundalik (1912) was the first film made in Maharashtra. The first Marathi talkie film was Ayodhyecha Raja, released in 1932, one year after Alam Ara, the first Hindi talkie film. All Marathi films until then were with . Pinjara (1972), directed by V Shantaram, was first colour film in Marathi cinema.
Kolhapur was a centre for film production during the 20th century, though currently, a majority of films are made in Mumbai. During Marathi cinema's infancy between the 1910s and 1930s, which only had silent films, the majority of films were made on Hindu mythology subjects. Later during the 1970s, films were made on rural stories. Between the 1980s and 1990s, comedy film and started to flourish. Since the turn of the millennium, there have been films based on social subjects and biographical dramas. Although the industry is much smaller than Hindi cinema (which is also based in Mumbai), Marathi cinema is tax free at the privilege of the Government of Maharashtra, and is experiencing growth in recent years.
Kolhapur was a centre of film production in the twentieth century. Maharashtra Film Company's Sairandhri (1920), starring Balasaheb Pawar, Kamala Devi and Zunzarrao Pawar, was the first Indian film to cast women artists. Notably, Sairandhri became the first Indian film to face censorship by the British Government. Because of his special interest in sets, costume design and painting, he chose episodes from Maratha history for interpreting in the new medium and specialized in the historical genre. Baburao Painter made many silent movies till 1930, including Surekha Haran (1921), for which he brought the best camera of the time, manufactured by Bell & Howell, and Savkari Pash (Indian Shylock) in 1925, a social film based on a short story by Narayan Hari Apte. Baburao was not particularly keen on the talkies, for he believed that they would destroy the visual culture so painfully evolved over the years.
As cinema grew in the Union of India, major production houses rose, and one of them was again a company owned wholly by Maharashtrians, the Prabhat Film Company. Prabhat's Sant Tukaram (1936) was the first Indian work to win the Best Film Award at the Venice Film Festival in 1937. In 1954, at the very first edition of the National Awards, Shyamchi Aai won the first President's Gold Medal for Cinema. It was directed by Acharya P. K. Atre, and it was an adaptation of the eponymous novel by Sane Guruji. Marathi cinema was in its full bloom by this time with the advent of greats like V. Shantaram, Master Vinayak, Bhalji Pendharkar and Acharya Atre, followed by Raja Paranjpe, Dinkar D. Patil, G. D. Madgulkar, Sudhir Phadke and Raja Thakur.
Directors like Datta Dharmadhikari and Rajdutt later gained popularity for their traditional family dramas. Noteworthy films from this period include the family drama Manini (1961), the historical fiction Mohityanchi Manjula (1963) by Bhalji Pendharkar and the drama Aamhi Jato Amuchya Gava (1968), which took six years to make, was a big success upon release, while the comedy Pandu Havaldar (1975) brought Ashok Saraf into recognition.
By the early 1970s, Dada Kondke captured audiences with his distinct style of ribald humor, often incorporating sexual innuendo. His first film in this genre, Songadya (1971), was loosely inspired by Tamasha and featured a seductive heroine, a bumbling yet innocent hero, and dialogue filled with innuendo and sexual puns. Kondke's films, blending humor with social and political satire, became cult classics. Around the same time, Jabbar Patel Samna (1974) marked a pivotal shift in Marathi cinema, offering a profound critique of systemic corruption and social inequities, further broadening the scope of the industry.
By this time, Marathi cinema largely gravitated towards either Tamasha-based films or traditional family dramas, alongside Kondke's signature comedies.
In the mid-2000s, Marathi cinema explored a range of compelling themes through films that resonated with audiences. Not Only Mrs. Raut (2003) highlighted women's struggles against exploitation, while Aga Bai Arrecha! (2004) humorously depicted a man's frustration with city life and his ability to hear women's thoughts. Saatchya Aat Gharat (2004) tackled the serious issue of sexual assault, and Dombivli Fast (2005) followed a middle-class man’s fight against corruption and injustice. Uttarayan (2004) told a touching story of elderly love, (2006) revitalized the comedy genre, and Saade Maade Teen (2007) became a cult classic. Made on a modest budget of ₹1 crore, the film earned ₹3 crore at the box office, making it one of the highest-grossing Marathi films of its time. In 2007, the Marathi film industry achieved a turnover of ₹100 crore, marking a 42% growth. Despite the success of these films, it was Shwaas that truly put Marathi cinema on the national map. Winning the Golden Lotus National Award and becoming India’s official entry for the Academy Awards, it marked a turning point and symbolized the industry’s potential for global recognition. It won the President's Medal for best film, beating Bollywood's prolific output with quality. Shwaas was the second Marathi film to win the President's Medal after Shyamchi Aai (1950).
In 2009, Harishchandrachi Factory (with a budget of Rs. 6 crore) told the struggle of Dadasaheb Phalke in making Raja Harishchandra (1913), directed by theatre-veteran Paresh Mokashi. It was selected as India's official entry to the Academy Award in the Best Foreign Language Film category, making it the second Marathi film, after Shwaas, to receive this honour. 'Harishchandrachi Factory' India's entry for Oscars Indian Express, PTI 20 September 2009. Harishchandrachi Factory to tell story behind making of India's first feature film , Indian Express, Express News Service, 3 May 2008. 'Harishchandrachi factory' India's entry for Oscars Press Trust of India, 20 September 2009.
Road film De Dhakka (2008), satire film Nishani Dava Anghatha (2009) based on failure of government of India's adult education program, political satire Gallit Gondhal Dillit Mujra (2009), film raising state's farmar's issue, rampant corruption in government officials, satire Jau Tithe Khau (2007), Kaydyacha Bola (2005) and the social drama Jogwa (2009) made impacts on the audience's mind during this period.
The decade also marked the rise of biographical films such as Mee Sindhutai Sapkal (2010), Balgandharva (2011), Dr. Prakash Baba Amte (2014), (2015), Ekk Albela (2016), Ani... Dr. Kashinath Ghanekar (2018), and Anandi Gopal (2019). Moreover, the adult comedy genre gained prominence with films like No Entry Pudhe Dhoka Aahey (2012), Takatak (2019), and Boyz (2017). The superhero genre was introduced with Baji, the first film of its kind in Marathi cinema. In the late 2010s, historical films began to gain attraction, particularly through the works of director Digpal Lanjekar, who created a series titled Shri Shivraj Ashtak, focusing on the Maratha Empire.
Deool, directed by Umesh Vinayak Kulkarni, made history by becoming the third Marathi film to win the National Film Award for Best Feature Film, following Shyaamchi Aai and Shwaas. Its sequel, Deool Band (2015), also garnered significant attention from audiences. Acclaimed director Jabbar Patel emphasized the transformative nature of contemporary Marathi cinema, stating, "The kind of Marathi cinema that is being made today is very fresh and different. This is thanks to directors and writers getting exposed to world cinema via television and film festivals. They are coming up with new storylines and innovative concepts." With the outstanding contributions from various producers and directors within the Mumbai film industry, Marathi cinema notably outshone other Indian film industries, in box office collections and critical appreciation during the first quarter of 2010.
The landmark film Sairat (2016), a romantic drama directed by Nagraj Manjule and starring Rinku Rajguru and Akash Thosar, emerged as a game-changer, becoming the biggest weekend opener for a Marathi film and breaking records previously held by Natsamrat. Sairat was the first Marathi film to gross over ₹100 crore (approximately $16 million) worldwide, solidifying its status as a cultural phenomenon. The decade saw directors such as Nagraj Manjule, Ravi Jadhav, Satish Rajwade, Aditya Sarpotdar and Sanjay Jadhav making significant contributions to the industry.
As theaters reopened, the industry shifted its focus toward innovative storytelling and a variety of genres. The ensemble film Jhimma became the first to release in theaters post-pandemic, achieving significant success by running for 50 days, ultimately grossing over ₹14.07 crore. The following year 2022, is considered as one of the most successful year as many films were hit. The year highlighted a diverse range of genres, including the zombie comedy Zombivli, the historical action Pawankhind, the musical romantic Chandramukhi, the thriller Y, and the accidental drama Ananya. The year concluded with Riteish Deshmukh's blockbuster film Ved, which grossed ₹75 crore (approximately $9.0 million), making it one of the highest-grossing Marathi films of all time. Additionally, Pondicherry became the first Marathi film to be entirely shot on smartphone, while Har Har Mahadev made history as the first Marathi film to be released in Telugu, Tamil, and Kannada languages. Throughout the decade, the industry continued to produce biographical, comedy, drama, and historical films, but woman-centric films reached new heights. Notably, Kedar Shinde's Baipan Bhaari Deva, centered around six elderly sisters, became the second highest-grossing Marathi film of all time, grossing over ₹92 crore and making history as the first female-centric movie to achieve such success.
With the advent of sound in the 1930s, a shift toward more naturalistic acting emerged in Marathi cinema, although traces of the theatrical style remained. V. Shantaram, a prominent actor-director of the era, introduced a more refined approach to acting. Renowned actors of this time included Shanta Apte, Durga Khote, Lalita Pawar, Meenakshi Shirodkar, Shobhna Samarth, Chandrakant Mandare, Shahu Modak, Master Vinayak, and Baburao Pendharkar.
Following India's independence, Marathi filmmakers began to focus on and pressing such as caste discrimination, women's rights, and the struggles of rural populations. The 1950s and 1960s are often considered the golden era of Marathi cinema, with filmmakers like V. Shantaram, Bhalji Pendharkar, Anant Mane, Raja Paranjape, and Raja Thakur creating impactful works. Notable actors of this period included Sulochana Latkar, Sandhya, Hansa Wadkar, Usha Kiran, Chandrakant Gokhale, Raja Gosavi, Suryakant Mandhare, and Ramesh Deo. Rising to fame in the late 1950s, Jayshree Gadkar became one of the most influential actresses of the 1960s after her memorable performance in Sangtye Aika. In recognition of Marathi cinema, the Maharashtra government launched the annual Maharashtra State Film Awards, with Prapanch being the first film to win the Best Film award. Anant Mane is also credited for sustaining Marathi cinema with his groundbreaking work on Tamasha films.
The 1970s saw the rise of Dada Kondke, who became a leading figure by producing and directing hit films like Songadya, Ekta Jeev Sadashiv, Andhala Marto Dola, Pandu Havaldar, Tumcha Aamcha Jamala, Ram Ram Gangaram, Bot Lavin Titha Gudgulya, Aali Angavar, and Hyoch Navra Pahije. He holds a Guinness World Record for delivering nine silver jubilee hits at the box office. This decade also introduced notable actors such as Smita Patil, Usha Chavan, Usha Naik, Asha Kale, Anjana Mumtaz, Nilu Phule, Kashinath Ghanekar, Shriram Lagoo, Ravindra Mahajani, and Vikram Gokhale.
The 1980s were dominated by Ashok Saraf and Laxmikant Berde, who were regarded as the superstars of Marathi cinema. Ashok Saraf featured in over 300 films, portraying a variety of leading roles, while Sachin gained widespread recognition for his film Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi, which became the first Marathi movie to gross 30 million at the box office. Mahesh Kothare is also credited for introducing the first CinemaScope film, Dhadakebaaz, in 1990. Other notable personalities from the 1980s and 1990s include Nana Patekar, Ajinkya Deo, Nitish Bharadwaj, Prashant Damle, Ramesh Bhatkar, Sachin Khedekar, Ranjana Deshmukh, Varsha Usgaonkar, Nivedita Saraf, Supriya Pilgaonkar, Ashwini Bhave, Priya Berde, Alka Kubal, Sonali Kulkarni, Neena Kulkarni, and Mrinal Kulkarni.
In more recent times, actors like Upendra Limaye, Girish Kulkarni and Vikram Gokhale have garnered critical acclaim, with receiving the National Film Award for acting. Contemporary figures such as Nagraj Manjule, Ashutosh Gowariker, Makarand Deshpande, Atul Kulkarni, Mahesh Manjrekar, Ashok Saraf, Laxmikant Berde, Sadashiv Amrapurkar, Siddharth Jadhav, Shreyas Talpade, Shivaji Satam, Mrunal Thakur, Radhika Apte, Sai Tamhankar, Urmila Matondkar, Sonali Bendre, Amruta Khanvilkar, Renuka Shahane, Sharvari, Rohini Hattangadi and Reema Lagoo have achieved national recognition for their contributions to cinema.
In 1917, Baburao Painter, popularly known as Baburao Painter, founded the Maharashtra Film Company with the support of the Maharaja of Kolhapur. His first significant historical film, Sairandhri (1920), was well-received. Although the studio initially focused on silent films, it closed its doors in 1930 following the advent of sound. Members such as Vishnupant Damle, Sheikh Fattelal, and V. Shantaram had left in 1929 to establish Prabhat Film Company. By 1932, eight Marathi films had been released, three of which were by Prabhat Film Company, which went on to dominate the industry with 18 films in the following decade—more than any other studio in the pre-independence era. Prabhat’s first major hit was Shantaram's Amrit Manthan (1934). In 1933, Prabhat Film Company undertook the ambitious project of making Sairandhri the first color film in Indian cinema, processing it at UFA GmbH in Germany, but the results were unsatisfactory. After Prabhat shifted its operations to Pune, Shahu Maharaj of Kolhapur helped found Kolhapur Cinestone in collaboration with the Pendharkar brothers and Master Vinayak. Shahu Maharaj aimed to establish Kolhapur as the "Hollywood of Marathi Cinema." However, the studio produced only three films and closed after the failure of Phalke's Gangavataran (1937).
In the early 1940s, Shantaram founded his own production house, Rajkamal Kalamandir, which later produced notable films such as Lokshahir Ram Joshi (1947) and Pinjra (1972), both the films based on Tamasha genre. During this period, many producers ventured into filmmaking under their own banners, with notable examples including Anant Mane’s Chetana Pictures and Dada Kondke’s Sadicha Chitra, the latter featuring Kondke himself in leading roles. However, despite the number of films being produced during this era, few production houses managed to establish a lasting name in the industry. In the mid-1980s, Mahesh Kothare founded his production house, Jenma Films, under which he produced and directed more than ten successful films, later founding its spin-off, Kothare Vision, in 2008. Around the same time, Shantaram’s son also ventured into production, establishing V. Shantaram Productions, further extending the family’s legacy in Marathi cinema. Under this banner, he delivered superhit films like Balache Baap Brahmachari and Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi, which became classics in Marathi film history. This era also marked the rise of two influential female producers, Uma Bhende and Smita Talwalkar, who made their mark with their production houses, Shri Prasad Chitra and Asmita Chitra, respectively, contributing significantly to the industry's growth.
| 1913 | Raja Harishchandra | Dadasaheb Phalke | First Indian feature film. | |
| 1932 | Ayodhyecha Raja | V. Shantaram | First talkie in Marathi directed by V. Shantaram. | |
| 1932 | Shyam Sundar | Bhalji Pendharkar | First Indian film to have theatrical run of more than twenty-five weeks in Bombay. | |
| 1936 | Sant Tukaram | Vishnupant Govind Damle | First Indian film to receive international recognition. | |
| 1937 | Kunku | V. Shantaram | First superhit at the Marathi box office. | |
| 1954 | Shyamchi Aai | Pralhad Keshav Atre | First Indian film to win a National Film Award for Best Feature Film. | |
| 1959 | Sangtye Aika | Anant Mane | First golden jubilee at the Marathi box office | |
| 1962 | Prapanch | Madhukar Pathak | First film to win Maharashtra State Film Award for Best Film. | |
| 1964 | Pathlaag | Raja Paranjape | First Crime fiction film in Marathi. | |
| 1965 | Sadhi Mansa | Bhalji Pendharkar | First neo realistic film in Marathi. | |
| 1972 | Pinjara | V. Shantaram | First colour film in Marathi using Eastmancolor. | |
| 1976 | Ha Khel Sawalyancha | Vasant Joglekar | First horror film in Marathi. | |
| 1977 | Bala Gau Kashi Angai | Kamlakar Torne | First film to be shot outdoors. | |
| 1982 | Umbartha | Jabbar Patel | First Marathi film to show LGBTQ community. | |
| 1988 | Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi | Sachin | First Marathi film to gross over ₹3 crore at the box office. | |
| 1989 | Thartharat | Mahesh Kothare | First Action film Marathi film. | |
| 1990 | Dhadakebaaz | First CinemaScope Marathi film. | ||
| 1991 | Maherchi Sadi | Vijay Kondke | First Marathi film to grossed ₹12 crore at the box office. | |
| 1993 | Zapatlela | Mahesh Kothare | First puppetry Marathi film. | |
| 2000 | Chimani Pakhar | First Dolby Digital Marathi film. | ||
| 2004 | Shwaas | Sandeep Sawant | First Marathi film submitted as India's official entry to the Oscars for consideration in the Best Foreign Language Film category. | |
| Pachhadlela | Mahesh Kothare | First Marathi film to use computer generated effects. | ||
| 2007 | Zabardast | First science fiction Marathi film. | ||
| 2012 | Kaksparsh | Mahesh Manjrekar | First Marathi film to get a home video release in blu-ray format. | |
| 2013 | Zapatlela 2 | Mahesh Kothare | First 3D Marathi film. | |
| 2015 | Baji | Nikhil Mahajan | First superhero film of Marathi. | |
| 2016 | Natsamrat | Mahesh Manjrekar | First Marathi film to grossed ₹50 crores at the box office. | |
| Sairat | Nagraj Manjule | First Marathi film to grossed ₹100 crores at the box office. | ||
| 2022 | Har Har Mahadev | Abhijeet Deshpande | First Marathi pan-Indian film. | |
| Pondicherry | Sachin Kundalkar | First feature film shot entirely on a Camera phone. |
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