Marathi Bhasha Diwas 2024 is celebrated statewide in Maharashtra today, on February 27. This day was declared as the Marathi Bhasha Gaurav Diwas by the Maharashtra State Cultural Policy, 2010. Marathi is spoken primarily in Maharashtra, with 40+ local dialects across the state.

Marathi Language Pride Day is observed to preserve and celebrate the rich cultural heritage and literary diversity of the Marathi language. Marathi Language Pride Day is observed on the birthday of Marathi poet and writer Vishnu Waman Shirwadkar, also known as Kusumagraj. This day honours his contribution to the literary world of Marathi language.

To celebrate Marathi Bhasha Gaurav Diwas 2024, here are five underrated and spectacular Marathi films to watch:

1. Shwaas (2004)

It is a heart-touching story of a grandfather and his grandson who suffers from retinoblastoma. The 8-year-old's only chance of surviving the rare cancer is to undergo a surgery that will result in him losing his sight.



The movie takes us on a journey with the helpless grandfather, played by Arun Nalawade, as he comes to terms with this harsh reality while explaining to the young child what it means to be blind. His efforts to show his grandson one last view of the city are bittersweet and can bring tears to anyone's eyes.

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Shwaas is a film based on real-life events and was ranked 6th in the Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film category. It is available to stream on Amazon Prime.

2. Jogwa (2009)

The movie takes us to the rural villages of Maharashtra, where we are introduced to jogtins, a local practice where everyone dresses like women to serve a village deity. When an outsider tries to educate the jogtins about superstitions and harmful practices, he is attacked by the group.



The film Jogwa portrays the various challenges faced by nomadic troupes, including social and sexual abuse, and the pressures of men being forced to live as women.

The movie features popular Marathi actors Upendra Limaye and Mukta Barve, and is directed by Rajiv Patil. Ajay-Atul have composed timeless music for this film, including some of the most famous Marathi songs. Jogwa is available to watch on SonyLiv.

3. Kaksparsh (2012)

This is a story set in rural pre-independence Kokan. The movie portrays the difficult circumstances experienced by child widows in ancient Maharashtra. These women were married at a very young age and had to give up all basic comforts upon becoming widows.



Uma is one such girl who was married off as a child but lost her husband soon after the wedding. The story takes us on a journey through Uma's innocent predicament of trying to understand conjugal bliss, which she will never attain, as well as her unconditional and forbidden love for her husband's brother.

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Kaksparsh features Priya Bapat, Ketaki Mategaokar, Sachin Khedekar, and Medha Manjrekar in pivotal roles. The film can be streamed on Zee5.

4. Court (2014)

This is a legal drama film in Marathi that depicts the complexities of the Indian legal system. The plot centres around a protest singer accused of inciting a manhole worker to commit suicide through his songs.



Court premiered at the 71st Venice International Film Festival in 2014, where it won the Best Film in the Horizons category. The film received critical acclaim upon release and won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film at the 62nd National Film Awards.

Court is available to watch on Netflix.

5. Anandi Gopal (2019)

It is a Marathi language biographical movie about Anandi Gopal Joshi, India's first female doctor. The story revolves around Anandi, who was married off as a child to a man almost 20 years older than her.



After losing her first child, Anandi embarks on a journey to become a physician and provide medical care to women in need. She navigates the world of education during the pre-independence era when women were not allowed to attend school or receive an education. Throughout her journey, her husband Gopal supports her in her endeavors.

The film stars Bhagyashree Milind and Lalit Prabhakar in lead roles. Anandi Gopal is available to watch on Zee5.