Mumbai, June 3 (IANS): Director Aditya Sarpotdar, who is making his Hindi theatrical debut with the upcoming film ‘Munjya’, has spoken about his personal connection with the story.

Aditya belongs to the 4th generation of a family of filmmakers, and made his directorial debut with the Marathi film ‘Uladhaal’.

His great-grandfather, N.D. Sarpotdar pioneered the Aryan Film Company in 1927, his grandfather, Vishwas Sarpotdar, was a renowned Marathi film producer and distributor; while his father, Ajay Sarpotdar has worked in advertising, producing over 200 commercials.

Talking about what inspired him to make ‘Munjya’, Aditya said that his childhood memories spent in the Konkan region helped him shape the narrative.

He shared: “As my family hails from Konkan and I used to visit my ancestral town during my childhood, I learned about Munjya through local stories and family anecdotes. These tales were often shared by elders during gatherings, festivals, or casual conversations. As a filmmaker, I have always wanted to bring these stories to a wider audience, showcasing our Indian folklore through the powerful medium of cinema.”

As per local beliefs, Munjya is the spirit of a Brahmin boy who died an untimely death after his Munja ceremony, which is a thread ceremony.

Aditya further mentioned: “So, when I was approached by Maddock Films to direct this fascinating story, written by Yogesh Chandekar, I saw this as a unique opportunity to combine my personal connection to the subject, to honour my roots, and to share the captivating myth of Munjya with the world.”

The film stars Abhay Verma, Sharvari, Mona Singh, Suhas Joshi and S Sathyaraj.

Produced by Dinesh Vijan’s Maddock Films, the film is set to arrive in cinemas on June 7, 2024.