For the famous Lavani performer, actress, and stage artist Meghan Ghadgethe upcoming film, ‘Eetha’, based on the legendary Tamasha queen Vithabai Narayangaonkar is more than a biopic. It is a deeply personal journey that brings back memories of admiration, struggle, and inspiration. Megha who is known for her huge contribution to Lavani is also an actress who has done films, judged dance reality shows and many more.In an exclusive conversation with ETimes, Megha opened up about watching the Laxman Utekar directorial teaser starring Shraddha Kapoor, recipient of the prestigious Vithabai Gaurav Award, and how she herself shares an uncanny resemblance to the iconic performer.
“I had tears in my eyes watching Shraddha Kapoor confess to Megha Ghadge
Megha couldn’t hide her excitement while talking about the teaser. He shared, “I saw the teaser and I really liked it. I am a fan of Shraddha Kapoor. She is a beautiful actress, an amazing dancer and has an amazing sense of dance. The moment I saw the first poster, I hoped that the film would be completed soon and reach the audience all over the world.” He added that seeing Shraddha transformed into Vithabay made him emotional.“When I heard Vithabai’s name, I automatically felt a lot of respect. When I saw Shraddha Kapoor in the teaser, there were tears in my eyes. Her looks, her character as a dancer, her struggles, and her strength as an actress – I saw everything in her. This is an amazing teaser,” he added.
Honored In The Name Of Vithabai:
For Megha, the connection with Vithabai is more than admiration. The actress revealed that she received the prestigious award Vithabai Gaurav Award from the legendary artist’s family after his death. “I feel proud to have received the Vithabai Gaurav Award through her family. In 2001, within the first year after his death, his family organized a program in his memory and honored me with an award in his name. That’s a really big deal for me.”
The song ‘Pota Sathi Nachte Me’ left Megha speechless
Megha recalls recording the iconic song ‘Pota Sathi Nachte Mi:‘ and the responsibility he feels because of Vithabai’s legacy. He recalls, “When I was asked to sing ‘Pota Sathi Nachte Mi’ for an album, I became very emotional. I remained silent for almost two minutes. I told myself that if I don’t do justice to this song, then the contribution Vithabai made to this art form will not be respected. I don’t want anyone to question the song because Vithabai’s name is attached to it. I am very worried.“
Megha says that reading about Vithabai left her traumatized
The actress also revealed how reading a book on Vithabai’s life affected her.“I read the entire book written by Vithabai. After reading it, I could not come out of that trauma for eight days. The amount of struggle she went through was unbelievable. She was stuck in real life situations, but she continued to fight. After understanding his journey, I am more proud of him,” he added.
A striking similarity between Megha and Vithabai
Interestingly, Megha shares a unique connection with her idol. Like Vithabai, who famously continued to perform despite pregnancy, Megha too performed on stage during her pregnancy around 2005-06. The dedication to Lavani and the performances on stage remained stronger than the physical challenges, making his journey remarkably similar to that of the legendary performer he revered.
Megha now wants to witness and experience Vithabai through Shraddha Kapoor
Though Megha didn’t get a chance to see Vithabai perform live, she hopes the film will give audiences a glimpse of the icon’s greatness. “I want this film to release as soon as possible and I want everyone to watch it in theatres. I have only seen Vithabai in videos. I have never seen her in real life. Through Shraddha Kapoor, I want to experience our Vithabai on screen and on stage.”
Mega on Lavani’s changing face
Speaking candidly about the current Lavani scene, Megha expressed concern over how the art form is sometimes misunderstood.“Our generation has given our whole life to Lavani. We have struggled for years. Youngsters today usually only see 15-second or 30-second reels and think that is the journey. Our struggles are very different.”He added that while it is encouraging to see more people learning Lavani, preserving its authenticity is equally important.“Lavani is well taught, but it must be taught with respect and understanding. It should not be presented in a way that harms the art form. Many artists have dedicated their whole lives to building this culture.”
The role of Vithabai that Megha dreamed of in the past
In a surprising revelation, Megha shared that she had previously explored the possibility of portraying Vithabai herself.Megha shared, “I met people about a Vithabai project because I wanted to play her. Discussions happened and there were plans, but things never materialized. I wanted to do Vithabai badly.” However, seeing Shraddha Kapoor take on the role filled him with joy instead of regret. “Now, when I see Shraddha Kapoor as Vithabai, it feels great. I’m not upset that I can’t do it. Of course, I love portraying her, but I’m really happy to see her story finally reach the audience.“