Actor Shraddha Kapoor’s brother Siddhanth is among those who have been moved by the teaser of her upcoming film Eetha. The teaser began circulating online through clips recorded in cinemas before its official digital release.
The teaser is being shown in theatres with Cocktail 2, starring Shahid Kapoor, Rashmika Mandanna and Kriti Sanon, which released on Friday. The first glimpse of Eetha has drawn strong reactions, with much of the attention on Shraddha’s performance and the film’s visual treatment as it introduces her as legendary tamasha and lavani artiste Vithabai Bhau Mang Narayangaonkar.
As clips from the teaser went viral, Siddhanth praised Shraddha’s work in the film. He wrote, “My jaan sister, I have tears of gratitude.”
Vithabai’s story in the first glimpse
The during a dramatic phase of her life. She is seen with a nine-month baby bump as she prepares to return to the stage moments after childbirth.
The short clip shows her in costume backstage during the final stage of pregnancy. It then shows her delivering the baby behind the stage and getting ready to perform again within minutes. The sequence has drawn attention online for its dramatic treatment and storytelling.
The episode has long been associated with Vithabai’s dedication to her art. Over the years, it came to symbolise her commitment to performance and her place in Marathi folk culture.
, or queen of tamasha, Vithabai was one of the best-known names in Marathi folk theatre. She was known for her dancing, singing and contribution to Maharashtra’s folk culture. She came from a family of folk artistes and spent her life performing. Her work brought her major recognition, including presidential honours for her contribution to tamasha.
Directed by Laxman Utekar, the film also stars Randeep Hooda, Nana Patekar, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub and Siddharth Jadhav. It is scheduled to release in theatres on August 28.