Mandali(2023)
Mandali mirrors the journey of a man and his struggle to uphold righteousness in times of diminishing social conscience and the downfall of cultural and traditional values through the protagonist. Purshottam Chaubey aka Puru is a peon in an intermediate college in Mathura in Uttar Pradesh. He plays the role of Lord Laxmana along with his cousin Sitaram Chaubey who plays the role of Lord Rama in the Ramleela Mandali, run by his uncle Ramsevak Chaubey. Their life takes a blow when during a performance they have to leave midway because of Sitaram’s indulgence and addiction to drugs. Not being able to withstand the humiliation, and guilty of ruining God’s name, Ramsevak leaves performing in the Ramleela forever. Puru confronts Ramsevak on his escapist approach and condemns his decision to withdraw while beginning a journey of struggle to bring back his family on stage with dignity.
Mandali is streaming on Prime Video.
Where to watch:Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- Theatrical Release
- 27 October 2023
- Director
- 'Om' Rakesh Chaturvedi
- Language
- Hindi
- Runtime
- 1h 58m
- Rating
- 7.1/10
Storyline
Purshottam works as a college peon and performs in his family's religious theater troupe. When his cousin's drug addiction forces them to abandon a performance, the family's leader quits in shame. Purshottam challenges this decision and begins a difficult effort to restore his family's dignity and return them to the stage.
“When tradition falters, one man must carry the torch.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
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Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Mandali
Cast reunions in this film: Brijendra Kala & Neeraj Sood (2 films together).
Trivia
- The film was shot on location in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, to capture the authentic atmosphere of the region's Ramleela traditions.
- Director 'Om' Rakesh Chaturvedi is known for films with strong social messages, and this was his first major Hindi drama release in 2023.
- The actor playing Puru, Purshottam Chaubey, is a relatively new face in Hindi cinema, with this being one of his leading roles.
- The film's story draws direct parallels between the characters' personal struggles and the epic characters of Rama and Laxmana they portray.
- It highlights the real-world issue of substance abuse impacting traditional performing arts communities in small-town India.
- The title 'Mandali' refers to the theatrical troupe central to the plot, emphasizing community and collective identity.
- Despite its thematic weight, the film had a limited theatrical release, focusing more on festival circuits and direct-to-digital platforms.