Amidst the success of his latest Marathi film Deool Band 2, director Pravin Tarde recently acknowledged the help of Shah Rukh Khan, stating that the superstar helped the team to release their film in theatres, stepping in at a crucial stage. However, after an unexpected backlash for his comments acknowledging Shah Rukh’s help, the director has now responded to the controversy with a video statement.
In the video, Pravin can be heard saying, “I’ve been travelling across Maharashtra since a long time, yet nobody noticed me. However, as soon as I mentioned a Bollywood star, everyone began writing about it. Some people had tried hard earlier to stop the film, and they couldn’t. Why are they fighting it now indirectly?”
While asserting that his film has come a long way without backing of any bigwigs or influential film figures, Pravin added, “Your stature does not increase by denying someone their due. Always remember to give credit to those who deserve it. If someone has helped you, you should be able to openly acknowledge it and appreciate them publicly.”
Earlier in an interview, Pravin Tarde had spoken about approaching Shah Rukh’s production house, Red Chillies Entertainment, for a Digital Cinema Package (DCP), which they needed for theatrical release. After an initial estimate of Rs 12 lakhs, the team was sent a revised quote of Rs 42 lakhs, which was out of their budget. He said, "However, after the team requested their support, Shah Rukh said, “Waive off their bill. It’s a Marathi film. Give them the DCP. We can sort out the payments later.’ They showed tremendous respect towards Marathi cinema. For him, the film was more important than the money. I credit all these people for the success of the film.”
Meanwhile, according to Sacnilk, Deool Band 2 has earned more than 82 crores at the box office, after being made and released with a budget of Rs 10 crore. Directed by Pravin Tarde, the film stars Snehal Tarde in the lead role, with Mohan Joshi reprising his character of Swami Samarth from the original film, addressing the issue of farmer suicides while exploring the tension between faith and atheism.