Filmmaker Jayprad Desai has said that he has attempted to tell a story of fiction derived from reality in his digital debut Hutatma, which is based on the Samyukta Maharashtra movement. 
 

Hutatma, to be released on the OTT platform ZEE5 on May 1, is loosely based on Meena Deshpandey's book of the same name. Asked about his research for Hutatma Desai said, "We have done extensive research and read most of the works, including real life accounts, that have been written about the movement." 

Director Jayprakash Desai with the cast of Hutatma 

Recommended Read: Back to Work: Zoya Akhtar announces the second season of Amazon Prime web series Made in Heaven

The Samyukta Maharashtra movement, which started in 1956, led to carving out of the state of Maharashtra from the (then-bilingual) State of Bombay on 1 May 1960. Jayprakash remarked that fiction is an extension of reality and added, "Our attempt was to understand the reality of that time. Thus, we tried for a story that went beyond the clash of political ideologies."

Jayprakash Desaid with Mohan Agashe 

The show features celebrated Marathi cinema actors like Anjali Patil, Vaibhav Tatwawaadi, Abhay Mahajan, Ashwini Kalsekar, Mohan Agashe and Sachin Khedekar. Anjali who plays one of the lead characters Vidyut, said, "The script was so well researched and layered that I did not have to work hard. In fact, I felt fortunate to work with a director like Desai."

The director also commented on that fact that apart from opening opportunities for innovative content, the absence of censorship on the digital platform also offers a certain freedom to storytellers. Jayprakash believes storytellers must be more responsible with their content in such a situation. "We are evolving as a society and becoming more responsible while practicing our right to freedom. We should be doing more self-censorship than just following the censorship rules. Slowly we should be moving towards something that is not dictated," he said.

Source: IANS