Vaalvi

2023 Indian film

Vaalvi

Theatrical release poster

Directed by| Paresh Mokashi
Written by| Madhugandha Kulkarni
Paresh Mokashi
Produced by| Madhugandha Kulkarni
Starring|

* Swapnil Joshi
* Anita Date Kelkar
* Subodh Bhave
* Shivani Surve

Cinematography| Satyajit Shobha Shriram
Edited by| Abhijeet Deshpande
Saurabh Prabhudesai
Music by| Mangesh Dhakade

Production
company

Zee Studios

Release date

| 13 January 2023

Running time

| 106 minutes
Country| India
Language| Marathi
Budget| est. ₹3 crore (US$380,000)[1]
Box office| est. ₹7.25 crore (US$910,000)[1]

Vaalvi (translation: Termites) is a 2023 Indian Marathi-language dark comedy thriller[2] film directed by Paresh Mokashi and produced by Madhugandha Kulkarni under the production banner of Zee Studios. The film stars Swapnil Joshi, Anita Date Kelkar, Subodh Bhave and Shivani Surve and was released theatrically on 13 January 2023 and digitally on ZEE5 on 24 February 2023. In the film, Aniket (Joshi) plans to murder his mentally unstable wife, Avani (Date Kelkar), by faking a double suicide along with his girlfriend, Devika (Surve), but unforeseen circumstances compel them to team up with a psychiatrist, Anshuman (Bhave).[3][4][5][6][7]

## Plot[edit]

Aniket, an unhappily married man, plots a vile scheme with his dentist girlfriend Devika to dispose of Avani, his wife of 14 years who has severe mental disorder and threatens to resort to legal means if he ever tries to divorce her, and frame it as a suicide. The main plan involves Aniket lying to Avani about his company's bankruptcy and a possible repossession of their house by debt collectors in order to convince her to make a suicide pact with him. Oblivious to her, Aniket's gun is loaded with blanks and once Avani shoots herself, Aniket will consume his suicide note, which states that the decision was made of free will. With her death being proven a suicide, Aniket will go scot free and move into a new apartment with Devika. The two go through the plan at her clinic to ensure the plan does not fall through.

After pasting a foreclosure notice on the door, he finds Avani sleeping on the floor, a side effect of the anti-depressants she takes. She has been fostering termites for microbiology experiments, supposedly trying to train them to eat plastic "like the ones in Germany". After Avani expresses her desire to commit suicide that day itself, they settle on writing their notes instead.

The next day, having lied to Avani that he wants to visit his office one last time, Aniket files an FIR for his apparently missing gun, only for him to find out that a crime branch officer must accompany him during the investigation; luckily, there is no officer available at the moment. He then goes to Devika's clinic under the ruse of a scheduled root canal appointment, takes on the guise of a delivery driver (which he can say he wore to throw debt collectors off his trail) and leaves for his house. When Avani does not answer the door, Aniket enters to find her lying on the floor, presumably sleeping after taking her medication. Aniket decides to shoot her himself, planting the gun, a bottle of anti-depressants and her note as evidence.

Aniket goes back home, planning to feign shock at his wife's apparent suicide. However, her corpse and suicide note have mysteriously vanished, prompting Aniket to summon Devika to the scene. They scout the house for clues, finding a positive pregnancy test in the bathroom. A mysterious person calls Aniket, telling him he knows what they did and asks them to meet him at a given location as soon as possible.

Aniket and Devika are perplexed to find that the caller was Dr. Anshuman, Avani's psychiatrist, who somehow has Avani's corpse and suicide note with him. He explains that he had an intimate relationship with Avani during her psychiatric evaluation. After Aniket left the house earlier that day, Avani called Anshuman to inform him that she is pregnant with his baby. Realizing that this could put his reputation in jeopardy, Anshuman immediately visits Avani, later administering her a fatal overdose of anti-depressants. Aniket's arrival prompted Anshuman to hide in a nearby bathroom from where he witnessed the shooting.

As the body sets into rigor mortis, the trio try to find a place to bury it, nearly getting caught by the police and a group of campers. While driving, they come across a car accident, with the police inspector present at the site asking them to drop a woman with minor injuries off to a nearby hospital. The woman realizes that Avani is dead and tries to alert the inspector. In the ensuing scuffle, Aniket strikes her with a steel bottle, killing her instantaneously. On finding the dead bodies in the car, the inspector pulls his gun on Anshuman and Aniket, but is shot dead by Devika before he can take any action.

Realizing it is dawn, Devika, Anshuman and Aniket decide to drive back to Aniket's house and store the bodies there, planning to go back at night to find a place to bury them. Shortly after they have placed the bodies on a couch, a falling chandelier crushes all three of them. As the police investigate the scene, the final shot shows some termites gnawing on a nylon rope.

## Cast[edit]

* Swapnil Joshi as Aniket
* Anita Date Kelkar as Avani
* Subodh Bhave as Dr. Anshuman
* Shivani Surve as Dr. Devika
* Namrata Sambherao as Injured woman in clinic and car[8]
* Sandy as Investigating police inspector
* Asha Dnyate as Radhabai (Aniket and Avani's domestic worker)[9]

## Character Analysis[edit]

* Aniket – Swapnil Joshi delivers a standout performance as Aniket. Aniket is a complex character with a troubled mindset, and Swapnil portrays his emotions and inner turmoil with great depth. He perfectly captures the essence of a man grappling with his own demons, showcasing a range of emotions from despair to determination. Swapnil's portrayal keeps the audience engaged and invested in Aniket's journey throughout the film.
* Avani – Anita Date Kelkar shines as Avani, Aniket's wife. Her portrayal of Avani is subtle yet impactful. Anita effectively conveys Avani's strength and resilience in the face of adversity. Her chemistry with Swapnil's character adds depth to their relationship and enhances the emotional intensity of the film. Anita's strong performance brings depth and nuance to Avani's character.
* Anshuman – Subodh Bhave delivers a compelling performance as Anshuman. Anshuman is a pivotal character who plays a significant role in the story's twists and turns. Subodh effectively conveys the complexities and nuances of Anshuman's character, keeping the audience guessing about his true intentions. His chemistry with the other actors, especially Swapnil Joshi, adds an extra layer of intrigue to the film.
* Devika – Shivani Surve impresses with her portrayal of Devika. Devika is a mysterious and enigmatic character, and Shivani breathes life into her with her intense performance. Shivani skillfully captures Devika's charm and unpredictability, creating a character that keeps the audience intrigued and on their toes. Her chemistry with the other actors brings an added layer of dynamics to the film.

## Release[edit]

### Theatrical[edit]

The trailer was released on YouTube on 4 January 2023 and the film was theatrically released on 13 January 2023.[10]

### Home Media[edit]

The film was digitally released on ZEE5 on 24 February 2023.[11]

## Reception[edit]

### Critical reception[edit]

The film received positive reviews from critics. A Reviewer of Scroll.in wrote "The pitch-perfect cast has just the right attitude to a movie that invites us to consider the depth of human depravity and instead gives us an efficient and effective cruel comedy, as bloodless as it is ruthless".[12] Akhilesh Nerlekar of Loksatta wrote "The dialogues, background music, cinematography have all come together well. There are subtle mistakes at some places, but if you ignore them, you can enjoy this movie. The works of Swapnil Joshi, Anita Date, Shivani Surve and Subodh Bhave have been done well".[13] Jaydeep Pathak of Maharashtra Times says "Even though the content of the film is very serious and 'tense', 'dark humor' keeps sneaking in the film from time to time with cheesy dialogues. The 'grey' shade in the content perfectly captures Mangesh Dhakane's background score".[14] Subhash K. Jha of Firstpost wrote "Vaalvi is delightfully iconoclastic in its attitude towards middleclass morality".[15] Ajit Andhare of Deccan Chronicle wrote "Something is happening in every scene and it is enough to keep you hooked to the end, albeit with some cliched cinematic liberties".[16] Mayur Sanap of Rediff.com wrote "It has an original setting with very interesting plot, and its suspenseful pace keeps you riveted from the outset".[17] Shaheen Irani of OTTPlay wrote "Vaalvi has an interesting start. It leaves you curious with the clock ticking and the chandeliers moving".[18]

### Box office[edit]

Vaalvi has collected ₹1.88 crore at the box office in its first week.[19] Film collected ₹1.40 crore in 4 days[20] and 2.54 crore in 9 days of its release.[21] The film was collected ₹3 crores in the first 2 weeks.[22] It crossed ₹7 crore at box office in five weeks of theatrical run.[23]

## Accolades[edit]

Award  | Year  | Category  | Recipient(s)  | Result  | Ref.

|
|
|
|
|

Fakt Marathi Cine Sanman | 2023  | Best Film | Vaalvi | Won  | [24][25]
Best Director | Paresh Mokashi | Won
Best Actor in a Lead Role | Swapnil Joshi | Won
Best Actress in a Supporting Role | Anita Date Kelkar | Nominated
Best Performance in a Comic Role | Namrata Sambherao | Nominated
Best Performance in a Negative Role | Shivani Surve | Nominated
Best Story | Madhugandha Kulkarni, Paresh Mokashi | Won
Best Screenplay | Won
Best Dialogue | Nominated
TV9 Aapla Bioscope Awards  | 2023  | Best Film  | Vaalvi | Nominated  | [26][27][28]
Best Director  | Paresh Mokashi  | Nominated
Best Actor in a Lead Role  | Swapnil Joshi  | Nominated
Best Actress in a Lead Role  | Shivani Surve  | Won
Best Actor in a Supporting Role  | Subodh Bhave | Nominated
Best Actress in a Supporting Role  | Anita Date  | Nominated
Best Jodi  | Swapnil Joshi– Shivani Surve  | Nominated
Maharashtracha Favourite Kon? | 2024 | Favourite Film | Vaalvi | Nominated  | [29][30]
Favourite Film Critics'  | Nominated
Favourite Director | Paresh Mokashi  | Nominated
Favourite Director Critics'  | Nominated
Favourite Actor | Swapnil Joshi  | Nominated
Subodh Bhave  | Nominated
Favourite Actor Critics'  | Nominated
Swapnil Joshi  | Nominated
Favourite Actress | Shivani Surve  | Nominated
Favourite Supporting Actress | Anita Date  | Nominated
Favourite Writer Critics'  | Madhugandha Kulkarni, Paresh Mokashi  | Won
City Cine Awards  | 2024  | Best Film  | Vaalvi | Nominated  | [31]
Best Director  | Paresh Mokashi  | Nominated
Best Actor — Male  | Swapnil Joshi  | Nominated
Best Actor — Female  | Shivani Surve  | Nominated
Best Screenplay  | Madhugandha Kulkarni  | Nominated
The Game Changer  | Namrata Sambherao  | Nominated
MaTa Sanman  | 2024  | Best Film  | Vaalvi | Pending  |
Best Director  | Paresh Mokashi  | Pending
Best Actor  | Swapnil Joshi  | Pending
Best Supporting Actor  | Subodh Bhave  | Pending
Best Screenplay  | Madhugandha Kulkarni, Paresh Mokashi  | Pending
Best Editing  | Saurabh Prabhudesai  | Pending
Zee Chitra Gaurav Puraskar | 2024  | Best Film | Vaalvi | Pending  |
Best Director | Paresh Mokashi  | Pending
Best Actor | Swapnil Joshi  | Pending
Best Supporting Actor | Subodh Bhave  | Pending
Best Supporting Actress | Anita Date  | Pending
Best Story  | Madhugandha Kulkarni, Paresh Mokashi  | Pending
Best Screenplay  | Pending
Best Background Score  | Mangesh Dhakade  | Pending
Best Editing  | Saurabh Prabhudesai, Abhijeet Deshpande  | Pending

## Future[edit]

Vaalvi 2 was announced at a party on the occasion of Paresh Mokashi's birthday. Madhugandha Kulkarni, Paresh Mokashi and Mangesh Kulkarni of Zee Studios announced that they are coming up with Vaalvi 2 soon.[32]

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b "Vaalvi (2023) Budget and Box office collection". Box Office Business. 19 February 2023.
2. ^ "Critically Acclaimed, Popular Thriller-Comedy Marathi film Vaalvi is all set to Release on OTT, Deets Inside". Zee News. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
3. ^ "It is not as it seems! Will Swapnil-Anita give life? 'Walvi' increased the mystery". News18 Lokmat (in Marathi). 4 January 2023. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
4. ^ Borade, Aarti Vilas. "Vaalvi Trailer: It is not what it seems; Valvi's mysterious trailer released". Hindustan Times Marathi (in Marathi). Retrieved 7 January 2023.
5. ^ "Vaalvi Movie: Showtimes, Review, Trailer, Posters, News & Videos | eTimes", The Times of India, retrieved 7 January 2023
6. ^ डेस्क, एबीपी माझा एंटरटेनमेंट (4 January 2023). "The trailer of 'Vaalvi' is increasing curiosity moment by moment". marathi.abplive.com (in Marathi). Retrieved 7 January 2023.
7. ^ "'Vaalvi' movie that can be watched sitting at home; Released on OTT on this day". Lokmat (in Marathi). 16 February 2023. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
8. ^ "Video: After 'Maharashtrachi Hasyajatra', Namrata Sambherao is now ready to make the audience laugh on the big screen, the promo of the actress is out". Loksatta (in Marathi). Retrieved 18 February 2023.
9. ^ "Vaalvi Movie Review: An intriguing thrill-com with interesting characters". The Times of India. 13 January 2023. Archived from the original on 16 January 2023. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
10. ^ "Here's Why Swapnil Joshi Finds His Film 'Vaalvi' Most Difficult To Promote". Outlook India.
11. ^ "Marathi feature 'Vaalvi' set for digital premiere on ZEE5". ThePrint. 14 February 2023. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
12. ^ "'Vaalvi' review: A cold-blooded murder gets killers hot under the collar". Scroll.in. 15 January 2023. Archived from the original on 16 January 2023. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
13. ^ "Vaalvi Movie review : मराठी प्रेक्षकांचं डोकं पोखरणारा स्वप्नील-सुबोधचा 'वाळवी' पाहायलाच हवा, कारण…". Loksatta (in Marathi). 13 January 2023. Archived from the original on 16 January 2023. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
14. ^ "सिनेरिव्ह्यू: वाळवी". Maharashtra Times (in Marathi). 15 January 2023. Archived from the original on 16 January 2023. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
15. ^ "Vaalvi: A Marathi crazy crime caper that will have you in splits-Entertainment News , Firstpost". Firstpost. 26 January 2023. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
16. ^ "Movie Review | Vaalvi': The termites you won't mind watching". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
17. ^ SANAP, MAYUR. "Vaalvi review: Wildly Entertaining". Rediff. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
18. ^ "Vaalvi review: Swwapnil Joshi-Subodh Bhave's film gives you something". OTTPlay. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
19. ^ "Ved and Vaalvi Collection : मराठी सिनेमांचा बोलबाला, 'वेड'नंतर आता 'वाळवी'चा कोटींमध्ये गल्ला". 24taas.com. 17 January 2023. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
20. ^ "Do not wait! Bollywood is dominated by Marathi films; After 'Ved', 'Vaalvi' also earned in crores". Maharashtra Times (in Marathi). Retrieved 25 January 2023.
21. ^ डेस्क, एबीपी माझा एंटरटेनमेंट (23 January 2023). "Auspicious days for Marathi cinema! Audiences returned to theaters due to frenzy and frenzy". marathi.abplive.com (in Marathi). Retrieved 25 January 2023.
22. ^ Bhirvandekar, Harshada. "Vaalvi Box Office Collection: 'Vaalvi' successful race at the box office! View the collection". Hindustan Times Marathi (in Marathi). Retrieved 25 January 2023.
23. ^ "Vaalvi Day 37 Box Office Collection And Budget". Box Office Business. 19 February 2023. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
24. ^ मुंबई, ब्युरो रिपोर्ट, साम टीव्ही (5 September 2023). "कलाकारांच्या सन्मानासाठी रंगणार 'फक्त मराठी सिने सन्मान' सोहळा". Saam TV | साम टीव्ही (in Marathi). Retrieved 6 September 2023.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
25. ^ Navarashtra (18 September 2023). "Fakt Marathi Awards | फक्त मराठी सिने सन्मान सोहळ्यात 'वाळवी' ठरला सर्वोत्कृष्ट चित्रपट,सचिन पिळगावकर यांच्या कारकिर्दीला सलाम | Navarashtra (नवराष्ट्र)". Navarashtra (in Marathi). Retrieved 30 October 2023.
26. ^ "TV9 Marathi - Aapla Bioscope, Marathi TV and Film Awards 2023". TV9 Marathi (in Marathi). Retrieved 18 November 2023.
27. ^ Marathi, TV9 (9 December 2023). "टीव्ही 9 मराठीच्या 'आपला बायोस्कोप अवॉर्ड्स 2023'मध्ये या कलाकारांनी मारली बाजी". TV9 Marathi (in Marathi). Retrieved 11 December 2023.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
28. ^ Marathi, TV9 (8 November 2023). "Aapla Bioscope 2023 : कोण ठरणार 'आपला बायोस्कोप २०२३' पुरस्कारांचे मानकरी?". TV9 Marathi (in Marathi). Retrieved 18 November 2023.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
29. ^ "'महाराष्ट्राचा फेव्हरेट कोण' पुरस्कारांमध्ये यंदा एक नवा पुरस्कार…!". Zee 24 taas (in Marathi). 16 January 2024. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
30. ^ Bhirvandekar, Harshada. "Maharashtracha Favourite Kon: यंदा कोण ठरणार 'महाराष्ट्राचा फेवरेट'? प्रेक्षकांना देता येणार आपला कौल!". Hindustan Times Marathi (in Marathi). Retrieved 15 February 2024.
31. ^ "Cine City Awards Marathi 2023-2024 Voting Starts Now – Radio City". Radiocity. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
32. ^ "Vaalvi's Cast And Crew Celebrate Film's Success, Now Sequel On The Cards". News18. 8 February 2023. Retrieved 17 February 2023.

## External links[edit]

* Vaalvi at IMDb
* Vaalvi on ZEE5
* Vaalvi at Rotten Tomatoes

*[est.]: estimation
*[Ref.]: References