Two weeks ago, Marathi film Uttar starring Renuka Shahane and Abhinay Berde hit the screens on December 12. It was tough to get good show timings as the film Dhurandhar was dominating theatres. Debut director Kshitij Patwardhan said, “Marathi films have always struggled to get slots.” Kshitij Patwardhan is known for his work on Rohit Shetty’s Singham Again and other films. Now, with Uttar as his first directorial effort, he wrote a touching social media post about their struggles. He said, “For the first time in my career, my debut film UTTAR released alongside two once-in-four-years cinematic giants — a box-office monster like Dhurandhar and a global phenomenon like Avatar.” Dhurandhar got extra momentum after it featured actor Akshaye Khanna following the Ranveer controversy. It ran over 22 shows, stacking the odds against Uttar. But Kshitij took a strong stand. “No victim card. No complaints about show timings. No ‘Marathi vs Hindi’ narrative. No excuses. The focus was simple: wherever we got shows, we would make them work.” Uttar got a strong response in cities. Early on, the team treated their release date as if it were later, giving them time to spread the word. They visited places like Kolhapur, Pune, Mumbai, college campuses, and cultural forums to promote the film actively. Kshitij praised Marathi media support and said, “We faced the clash head-on — positively, strategically, and without bitterness — and we will continue to do so.” He added, “This is not a one-off situation. Similar clashes have happened before and they will happen again. The only way forward is belief in content, smart positioning, day-by-day perseverance, and refusing to play the victim.” His powerful message: “No matter how big the Hindi or English releases are, Marathi cinema will not be crushed. The fight is on.” Readers praised the post. Vijay Jeste wrote, “Great observation. It shows resolve, commitment and determination. Commendable attitude. We will be with you every step of the way on your march.”