This Ganesh Chaturthi, Chitrapati Dr V Shantaram’s granddaughter-in-law, actress Shanthi Priya, and his great-grandchildren Shishya S Shantaram and Gauravi are bringing his cinematic world to life at Rajkamal Kalamandir. An 18-foot Ganpati inspired by his film Navrang has been recreated for the festivities, alongside archival photographs and footage, vintage film posters, portraits and the Cadillac associated with the filmmaker. The celebration also offers glimpses of the technology and infrastructure he introduced to Indian filmmaking, including a 45-foot crane. With Shantaram’s 125th birth anniversary coming up on November 18, the family chose the occasion to revisit his work through a celebration titled Navrang. Chaitanya Shantaram has been closely involved in its planning and execution, while Shishya has taken on the role of curator and creative director, shaping how the concept is presented. Gauravi has also been actively involved in the planning and creative aspects of the celebration.
Shanthi Priya with Shubham Ray, Shishya S Shantaram and Gauravi C Shantaram, celebrating Chitrapati V Shantaram’s cinematic legacy this Ganesh Chaturthi.
There has been extensive thought, research and preparation behind the initiative, which Shanthi Priya conceived as a way to honour Shantaram while making his work accessible to a younger audience. She shared, “The original idea of doing something special to mark the 125th birth anniversary of Pioneer Chitrapati Dr V Shantaram came from me. I wanted to create something that would celebrate his contribution while also making it meaningful and accessible to the younger generation. In Navrang, he showcased an 18-foot Ganpati, which was a landmark representation of the festival on such a scale. We took inspiration from the film and named this celebration Navrang as a tribute to his vision, creativity and colourful contribution to Indian cinema. I wanted to mark the occasion in a way that reflects the filmmaker and pioneer he was, as well as his belief that cinema should have a purpose and give something meaningful back to society.”
Priya Berde, Sahila Chadha, Kiran Shantaram, Govind Nihalani, Vikas Desai and Rahul Shantaram come together to celebrate Chitrapati V Shantaram’s legacy.
Recreating the idol involved going back to the film’s imagery and capturing more than its physical appearance. She said, “We didn’t simply recreate Navrang’s Ganpati; we brought back a visual memory. We went back to the imagery from the film and tried to retain the spirit and scale of what he had envisioned. The idea was not to make a replica, but to recreate the feeling of that moment. It also captures the way he thought beyond the conventional, bringing together cinema, art, technology, scale and culture.”
Madhoo Shah and Raajeshwari Sachdev come together to celebrate the enduring legacy of Chitrapati V Shantaram and his contribution to Indian cinema.
Sudhaa Chandran and Jaswir Kaur come together to celebrate Chitrapati V Shantaram’s enduring legacy and pioneering contribution to Indian cinema.
The celebration is also intended to encourage audiences to look beyond the festivities and discover Shantaram’s body of work. “He believed cinema could entertain, but it could also question, educate and create change. His films addressed social issues and carried strong messages, and he was constantly experimenting with technology and storytelling. If someone leaves Navrang wanting to discover his films and work, I would consider that a meaningful takeaway,” she concluded.