Dashavatar (2025 film)

In the Konkan region of Maharashtra, veteran Dashavtari performer Babuli Mestri (Dilip Prabhavalkar) has dedicated his entire life to preserving the traditional theatre form of Dashavatār. Despite advancing age and failing eyesight, he stubbornly continues to perform, earning both ridicule and affection from the villagers, who call him “half mad”. His son Madhav (Siddharth Menon) worries about his health and urges him to retire, but Babuli promises to step away once Madhav secures stable employment.

When Madhav finally gets a job, Babuli agrees to deliver one last performance during the Mahashivratri festival, while Madhav plans to propose to his girlfriend Vandana (Priyadarshini Indalkar) on the same day. However, the night takes an unexpected turn when Babuli, in the middle of the play, appears to embody the fierce Rudra avatar. This blurs the line between performance and reality, leading him into a struggle that reflects both personal sacrifice and the community’s battle to protect their natural and cultural heritage.

Structured like a traditional Dashavatār play, the narrative begins with a purva-ranga that introduces the cultural and familial context, and builds into an uttar-ranga where myth and present-day conflicts intertwine. Themes of love, faith, sacrifice, revenge and environmental consciousness are woven into Babuli’s journey, emphasising the continued relevance of the Dashavatār tradition as both a spiritual metaphor and a form of resistance in contemporary society.

• Dilip Prabhavalkar as Babuli Mestri^[11]
• Mahesh Manjrekar as Inspector Michael D'Costa
• Siddharth Menon as Madhav Mestri
• Abhinay Berde as Monty Sarmalkar
• Priyadarshini Indalkar as Vandana Soman
• Sunil Tawde as Policeman Parab
• Ravi Kale as Aaba Tandel
• Lokesh Mittal as Mansukhani
• Bharat Jadhav as Laxman Wadekar (Special Appearance)
• Aarti Wadagbalkar as Constable Ujjwala Sawant
• Vijay Kenkre as Cabinet Minister Ashok Sarmalkar
• Guru Thakur as Doctor
• Padmakar Oze as Naik Master
• Satish Joshi as Soman Guruji
• Shweta Kudalkar as Vandana's mother
• Vaibhavi Pardeshi as Aaba Tandel's wife
• Akshay Chinchurkar as Young Babuli
• Avaan Prafullachandra as Young Madhav
• Dada Rane Konaskar as Bhajia vendor

Early reports suggested that the lead role in Dashavatar had initially been offered to Rajinikanth, but director Subodh Khanolkar later clarified that these were only rumours.^[12][11][13] According to him, the role of veteran Dashavatar performer Babuli Mestri was conceived specifically for Dilip Prabhavalkar, and had he declined, the project would have been shelved. Khanolkar added that "for me, Dilip Prabhavalkar is no less than Rajinikanth in Marathi cinema."^[14][15]

The film was shot across multiple locations in the Konkan region, including Kudal, and was completed in 50 days.^[16][17] Khanolkar stated that his vision was to preserve the folk-theatrical essence of Dashavatari plays while making it accessible to modern audiences. To achieve this, the production employed extensive VFX and integrated the traditional performance style with contemporary cinematic techniques.^[18]

The music is composed by AV Prafullachandra and lyrics are penned by Guru Thakur.^[19]

The trailer was released on 18 August 2025.^[20][19]

The film was theatrically released on 12 September 2025.^[16] The premiere event was attended by several notable personalities including Aaditya Thackeray, which gained media attention.^[21] The film was released in twenty cities across the United States and in Australia, making it the first Marathi film to have a theatrical release in Australia.^[22]

Dashavatar was earlier scheduled to release in Malayalam on 21 November 2025, but it was released on 12 December 2025.^[23][24]

The film was diitally released on 14 November 2025 on ZEE5.^[25]

Dashavatar received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics. Critics praised the film's cultural authenticity, performances and visuals, while pointing to pacing issues and a less impactful second half.

Kalpeshraj Kubal of Maharashtra Times rated the film 4 out of 5 stars, praising its breathtaking cinematography of Konkan’s landscapes and the blend of traditional and modern music.^[26] Mihir Bhanage of The Times of India rated the film 3 out of 5, describing it as a "visual spectacle" that effectively captures Konkan’s scenic beauty, theatre traditions and spiritual beliefs.^[27]

Lokmat offered a more mixed take, acknowledging the film’s effective use of local dialect, costumes, music and traditions while pointing out its occasional melodramatic tone and uneven pacing.^[28] A review in Sakal commended Subodh Khanolkar’s direction for blending Dashavtari folk theatre with contemporary concerns. He described first half as "gripping and engaging," and noted that the second half lost some narrative grip, leading to slight disappointment.^[29] Reshma Raikwar of Loksatta wrote "The film's pace changes drastically between the two halves, shifting from a realistic narrative to a more fantasy-driven one."^[6]

Amol Karhadkar of The Hindu noted that Dashavatar shows how a story grounded in local culture can speak to universal human emotions.^[30] Anupama Gunde of Pudhari highlighted the film's environmental messaging, noting how it connects Konkan’s threatened ecology with the personal struggles of its protagonist.^[8]

On its opening day, the film collected ₹65 lakh.^[31] Over the first three days, it grossed more than ₹5.22 crore, marking the biggest opening weekend for a Marathi film in 2025.^[32][33] The film grossed ₹9.25–12 crore in its opening week.^[34][35][36] It collected 15.85 by the second weekend.^[37]

It collected ₹21.3 crore in its second week,^[3] and by the end of the fourth week, its worldwide gross reached ₹26.43 crore.^[38] The film earned ₹27.94 crore in thirty nine days.^[39]