Shraddha Kapoor has opened up about working on Eetha, Laxman Utekar’s upcoming biographical musical inspired by the life of legendary Tamasha and Lavani performer Vithabai Bhau Mang Narayangaonkar . Speaking
at the film’s trailer launch in Mumbai, the actress discussed the opportunity to be part of the project, the preparation required for the role and the film’s focus on artists and their struggles.
The film stars Shraddha as Eetha Bai and traces the life of the celebrated performer against the backdrop of Maharashtra’s Tamasha and Lavani traditions. The cast also includes Randeep Hooda, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Anant Joshi and Siddharth Jadhav.
At the event, Shraddha also spoke about director Laxman Utekar’s decision to make Eetha after Chhaava instead of following the success of the historical drama with another film in a similar space.
Shraddha Kapoor On Laxman Utekar Choosing Eetha After Chhaava
Shraddha said she was happy to have received the opportunity to be part of Eetha and praised Utekar for choosing a different subject after Chhaava.
“Naturally, I feel very, very happy that I got the opportunity to be part of a film like this. After Chhaava, the easiest thing for Laxman sir would have been to make another warrior film. But he did not do that. I even asked him about it, and he told me, ‘I want to show a different world.’ I think the decision he took is fantastic,” she said.
Eetha is based around the world of Maharashtra’s folk-performance tradition and the life of Vithabai Narayangaonkar, one of the best-known names associated with Tamasha.
Vithabai received Presidential honours for her contribution to the art form in 1957 and 1990. Her life and career were closely associated with travelling performances and Tamasha, and she continued performing through several personal and financial difficulties.
One of the most widely remembered episodes from her life involves her going into labour during a performance, delivering her child backstage and returning to perform soon afterwards.
The film recreates the world of Tamasha and Lavani, with Shraddha seen performing in traditional attire and taking on the role of the folk artist.
Shraddha Kapoor Says Her Family Would Be Proud
Shraddha also spoke about her own connection to a family of performers while discussing why being part of a film about artists felt significant to her.
“Obviously, they would be proud that I am part of something connected to Marathi culture. I feel very deeply about it. They would be proud that I am part of this conversation about artists, coming from Maharashtra and Marathi culture. My aunt is an artist, my father is an artist, and I am an artist too,” she said.
Shraddha is the daughter of veteran actor Shakti Kapoor and comes from a family with several connections to the entertainment industry.
She added that Eetha looks at the struggles that performers often endure away from the stage.
“Our film is about artists who go through struggles and entertain people, but nobody asks them about their struggles. They often endure those things alone. So I feel my family would be proud that I am part of this film,” Shraddha said.
Vithabai’s own life included both professional recognition and personal difficulties. Apart from performing, she also spoke about the welfare of Tamasha artists and the problems faced by people working within the folk-performance tradition.
Her contribution to Tamasha was later recognised by the Maharashtra government through the Vithabai Narayangaonkar Lifetime Achievement Award, which honours senior performers from the field.
Shraddha Kapoor On Preparing For Lavani
Shraddha also discussed the preparation involved in playing Eetha and learning Lavani for the film.
The actress said the team supported her when shooting had to be interrupted and that she spent considerable time understanding and practising the dance form.
“I received a lot of support. The shoot had stopped, but because of everyone’s love and support, we were able to return. I had to understand Lavani properly and practise a lot,” she said.
During the production of Eetha, Shraddha had suffered a toe injury while filming a Lavani sequence, leading to a temporary interruption in the shoot.
She later resumed filming after recovering.
Playing Eetha also required Shraddha to familiarise herself with the cultural setting surrounding Tamasha and Lavani.
At the trailer launch, she spoke about understanding Marathi culture and the environment from which the film’s characters emerge.
The actress said the preparation involved more than simply performing the dance sequences, as the team had to understand the world and traditions represented in the film.
Shraddha Says Artists And Creators Can Relate To Eetha
Shraddha also said that while the film is situated in Maharashtra, artists and creators from different backgrounds may be able to relate to parts of the story.
She referred to contemporary creators, including people working through platforms such as Instagram, while speaking about the difficulties and uncertainties associated with creative professions.
According to Shraddha, creators may face problems that audiences do not necessarily see, while continuing to produce work and entertain people.
Her comments at the event repeatedly returned to the difficulties artists can face away from their public performances.
Eetha tells the story of a performer whose professional life was rooted in a folk tradition that required extensive travelling and regular stage performances.
Vithabai became one of Maharashtra’s most prominent Tamasha artists and performed extensively during her career. She also received recognition for her contribution to the form and worked towards raising concerns related to the lives of Tamasha performers.
Eetha Stars Randeep Hooda, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub And Siddharth Jadhav
The trailer features Shraddha in the role of Eetha Bai, performing Lavani and navigating different phases of the character’s life.
Randeep Hooda plays Merchant in the film, while Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Siddharth Jadhav, Anant Joshi, Akshara Singh and Ulka Gupta are also part of the cast.
Ajay-Atul have composed the film’s music.
The project is produced by Dinesh Vijan, Laxman Utekar and Karishma Sharma under Maddock Films and Kathputli Creations. Kshitij Patwardhan has written the screenplay.
The film follows Utekar’s Chhaava, which was based on the life of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj.
Shraddha’s comments at the trailer launch addressed Utekar’s decision to move from that historical subject to a film centred on Maharashtra’s folk-performance culture.
Eetha Marks Shraddha Kapoor’s Return After Stree 2
Eetha will also mark Shraddha’s return to the big screen after Stree 2, which released in 2024.
The role sees her playing a real-life performer and undergoing extensive preparation for Lavani sequences.
During the trailer launch, Shraddha said she was grateful for the support she received during filming, particularly after the shoot had to be halted temporarily.
She also spoke about the responsibility of understanding the traditions represented in the film before performing them on screen.
For Shraddha, the film’s subject also connected with her own background as an artist and with members of her family who have worked in the performing arts.
“Our film is about artists who go through struggles and entertain people, but nobody asks them about their struggles. They often endure those things alone,” she said.
Eetha is scheduled to release in theatres on December 4, 2026.
