Development

Before the onset of the COVID-19 lockdown in India, Manjule possessed the script for the film, originally titled solely as "Biryani". At that juncture, Manjule harbored reservations about the narrative's efficacy. However, encouraged by Awtade, the storyline underwent a significant overhaul, culminating in the finalized title, "Ghar Banduk Biryani".^[8][9] Zee Studios made an official announcement regarding the film on Dussehra 2021, accompanied by a teaser release.^[10] The post-production phase of the film wrapped up in December 2022.^[11]

Casting

Akash Thosar and Sayli Patil, who previously starred together in Jhund, take on the lead roles in the film.^[12] Nagraj Manjule and Sayaji Shinde also join in pivotal roles.^[13] Initially, Manjule intended to portray the Naxalite commander, a role eventually taken on by Sayaji Shinde.^[14] Supporting roles feature Tanaji Galgunde, Deepti Devi, Shwetambari Ghute, Vitthal Kale, and Arbaz Shaikh.^[15] The poster released in March 2023 introduces Somnath Awghade and Suraj Pawar, both of whom previously appeared in Fandry alongside Manjule.^[16] Several of Nagaraj Manjule's colleagues from the police force portray cops in the film.^[17]

Filming

A major part of the film takes place in the forest, so the location was very important. The makers visited the forests of Khopoli, Bhor, Nagpur, Madhya Pradesh etc. Gaganbawada in Sahyadri mountain ranges of Kolhapur district was decided for filming. 80 percent of the film was shot at Gaganbawada.^[18]

Social media

The first teaser of Ghar Banduk Biryani was released on YouTube on 15 October 2021 by Aatpat Production and second teaser was uploaded on 25 October 2022 in by Zee Studios while trailer was coming on 15 March 2023.^[19][20] The film is marked to be second Pan-Indian film in Marathi film industry after Har Har Mahadev.^[21]

Promotional tours

The film's promotional team embarked on a scheduled tour of colleges across various cities in Maharashtra, starting on March 14, 2023. The first segment included visits to Baramati and Islampur (Sangli). In the second phase, they visited Kolhapur, Jalna, Mumbai, Nagpur,^[22] Nashik, and Chandrapur as per the schedule. The final stretch took them to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Pune,^[23] Navi Mumbai, and Solapur.^[24] During the promotional activities in Chandrapur, director Manjule and actor Sayaji Shinde engaged with police officers from the C16 Battalion who had direct encounters with Naxalites.^[25] Actors Akash Thosar and Sayli Patil participated in the Dombivali Gudi Padwa Shobha Yatra 2023 on Gudi Padwa to promote the film.^[26] The team also visited Pandharpur, where they received blessings at the Vithal temple.^[27] Additionally, they visited Mangalwedha, where Member of Legislative Assembly Samadhan Autade was present.^[28] The crew concluded their tour at the Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai, where Sayaji Shinde's Sahyadri Devarai and Siddhivinayak Temple Trust jointly launched the Vriksha Prasad Yojana.^[29]

Theatrical

Ghar Banduk Biryani was theatrically released on 7 April 2023 in Marathi, along with dubbed versions in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.^[30] Initially scheduled for March 30, 2023, the film's release was postponed to avoid clashing with Bholaa. Munjule announced the new release date as April 7, 2023, on February 11, 2023.^[31]

Home media

The digital streaming rights of the film are acquired by ZEE5 and was premiered on 2 June 2023.^[32][33]

Critical reception

Yugandhar Tajne of Sakal awarded 4 stars out of 5 stars and gave a positive review, commending director Hamant Jangal Awtade for his adept handling of storytelling, dialogue delivery, performances, musical score, composition, and cinematography..^[34] Mihir Bhanage of The Times of India rated 3.5 out of 5 and opinioned as a Big screen perfect entertainer experience and it's refreshing to see a Marathi film in the action drama zone.^[35]

Madhura Nerurkar of Maharashtra Times gave 3 out of 5 rating and write "This artwork excels in storytelling, action sequences, and background music, yet certain scenes linger unnecessarily. The actors deliver commendable performances, alongside impressive cinematography and captivating background music, enhancing the overall narrative flow."^[36] Shrikrishna Iyer of Koimoi gave 3 rating praised performances of Sayaji Shinde and Nagraj Manjule while criticised old cliché action scenes, said "Despite a few oversights in the story, debutante director Hemant Awtade made an entertaining film to watch. If you like dark humour and action films, Ghar Banduk Biryani is a good watch."^[37] The OTTPlay rated 3/5 and wrote "Even if loud, the film is entertaining for most parts. The music is rare and does not disturb your viewing experience."^[38]

Scroll.in writes "Ghar Banduk Biryani, featuring a lovable rebel commander, an expert biryani cook and a principled police officer, may be the world's first song-and-dance Maoist comedy film. Debutant director Hemant Jangal Awtade anticipates almost black humour, elaborately choreographed action scenes and minor subplots."^[39] Akhilesh Nerlekar of Loksatta gives a positive review and writes "Ghar Banduk Biryani will certainly be considered as a different experiment for the exciting setting of a simple story, but in terms of business, we sincerely feel that Nagaraj Manjule should not be subjected to a Jhund-like situation again."^[40] Pratikshya Mishra of The Quint wrote "Ghar Banduk Biryani portrays the good and bad of an otherwise gray world."^[41] Rutuja Deshmukh from Film Companion wrote "Ghar Banduk Biryani is a rare commercial Marathi film to delve into the Maoist issue and engage with the humane side of a political turmoil that is complicated by oppressive tactics on part of the government and administration, as well as caste atrocities."^[42]

Box office

The film collected ₹62 lakh (US$78,000) on its opening day and weekend collection is ₹2.23 crore (US$280,000).^[43] The film grossed over ₹5 crore (US$630,000) at the box office.^[2][3]

Track listing