Shahir Sable’s great-granddaughter Sana Kedar Shinde will portray Shahir’s wife Bhanumati in Maharashtra Sahir

By Jyothi Venkatesh

The birth centenary year of Shahir Krishnarao Sable akka Shahir Sable, the great folk artist of Maharashtra who gave us the all-time Marathi hit- ‘Jai Jai Maharashtra Majha’, known as Maharashtra song, starts today September 03,2022. An unprecedented and rarest coincidence has taken place in ‘Maharashtra Shahir’, the biopic on the great Shahi Sable, directed by his grandson Kedar Shinde. Everyone was eagerly waiting to know as to who would be playing the role of Shahir’s wife- famous poet Bhanumati. The role is being played by his great-granddaughter and Kedar’s daughter Sana Kedar Shinde.

Popularly known as Maharashtra’s Shahir, Shahir Sable’s birth centenary year will be celebrated from September 03, 2022, to September 03, 2023. ‘Maharashtra Shahir’, the biographical film, will be released on 28 April 2023. Shahir Sable, who gave us hits like- ‘Jai Jai Maharashtra Majha’, ‘Maharashtra Bhumi Bahuguni… Shobhte Khani, Kiti Narmani…’, ‘Ya Go Dandyavarun’, ‘Jejurichya Khanderaya Jaagrala ya..’, will be portrayed by leading Marathi actor Ankush Choudhari. Shahir’s wife Bhanumati played a stellar role in shaping up his career. Many of the songs sung by Shahir were written by Bhanumati and such her character played by Sana Kedar Shinde assumes importance. As the incidence of grandson producing-directing a film on his own grandfather is rare in the film industry, it has been coincided by another rarest incident of a great-granddaughter playing her great-grandmother’s role.

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Presented by Everest Entertainment and Kedar Shinde Productions, ‘Maharashtra Shahir’ is produced by Sanjay Chhabria and Bela Kedar Shinde. Music is given by the all-time favorite duo Ajay-Atul, while the script has been written by famous writer-director Pratima Kulkarni. The information about the actors portraying Shahir’s contemporaries shall be made public in a phased manner.

Shahir aka Krishnarao Sable was associated with the social movement since his childhood. He actively participated in 1942’s Quit India movement, Goa and Hyderabad liberalisation movement and Unified Maharashtra Movement. He was felicitated with many prestigious awards including Padmashri, Sangeet Natak Academy, Maharashtra Gaurav. Born on September 3, 1923, Sable came from a very humble background and had studied till Std VII.

While speaking about the film, Kedar Shinde said, “My grandmother Bhanumati’s contribution in the success of my grandfather Shahir Sable was unparalleled. Bhanumati is synonymous with the melodious tunes in the life of Shahir. In this backdrop I am delighted to announce that my daughter Sana is playing the role of Bhanumati. As a grandson, I feel proud about Shahir’s greatness, but he was greater as an artist. The biopic will explore Shahir’s life before the audience. We were working on the film for the last two and a half years. The film will help youngsters and today’s generation to get many answers to their questions including our artists from yesteryears, their struggle to achieve the feat they obtained and the contribution to their motherland through their art.”