Sangram Singh joins Nana Patekar, Mahesh Manjrekar for Nagraj Manjule’s next ‘Kashaba’ – Exclusive | Marathi Movie News

Known for his wrestling and martial art skills, Sangram Sing is also known for participating in TV reality shows, namely ‘Bigg Boss‘, ‘Fear Factor’, and ‘Nach Baliye’, to name a few. The talented actor is now all set to debut in films. Like Sangram always says, do what connects with you; he is all set to act in a Marathi film, which is based on the life of Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav, India’s first individual Olympic medal winner. Directed by Nagraj Manjule, the film stars popular names from the industry. Joining Sangram are ace actors, namely Nana Patekar, Mahesh Manjrekar, Sachin Pilgaonkar, Sandeep Kulkarni, who will play the pivotal roles in the film.In an exclusive conversation Sangram Singh opened up about working on the Marathi film and shared how emotional the experience has been for him.“I have directly jumped into one of the Marathi films There is a place, Kolhapur, which is very famous for wrestling. If a wrestler has not competed there, it feels like his wrestling journey is incomplete. So after 22-23 years, I finally got the chance to shoot there. It feels like a complete circle,. I play a character who is close to Kashaba,” he expressed.Sangram relayed, “When I had gone to Kolhapur in 2002 for wrestling, I had learned about Kashaba, and I had gotten inspired after listening to his stories, so for me, it was truly a dream come true and also a beautiful coincidence that I got to shoot at the same place. There were so many emotions connected to this film.”Speaking about director Nagraj Manjule, Sangram said, “Nagraj Manjule is brilliant. I got a chance to spend 2-3 years with Shyam Babu, where I learned a lot about films and cinema. I also got an opportunity to work with Prakash Jha, who is my mentor and a very close friend. If I talk about Nagraj, he is the best version of both.”“He completed this film over one-and-a-half to two years, and while working with him, you feel like you have known him forever. There is no burden or pressure on the actors. Everyone feels comfortable. He gives complete freedom to the actor, and working with him was an amazing experience.”Talking about the star cast, he said, “There are many legendary actors in this film, namely Nana Patekar, Mahesh Manjrekar, and Sachin Pilgaonkar, along with many talented actors from the Marathi industry. The day I was shooting, there were 2-3 Marathi actors with me as well. I may not remember all their names right now, but it felt incredible sharing space with such great people.”Recalling his interaction with Nana Patekar, Sangram shared, “I did not get a chance to work with Nana Patekar directly, but I met him during a program. Some people leave a deep impact on you, and Nana Ji is one of them. He supports farmers through his foundation and shared many valuable techniques and lessons with me. I was truly impressed by him. He is one of the people who seem to be different, and Nana is one. What you see is completely different than what Nana is in real life. He is a complete contrast.”He also praised Mahesh Manjrekar and Sachin Pilgaonkar, saying, “Sachin ji is a wonderful actor, and I was very impressed by him. Mahesh Manjrekar is also a brilliant actor and a very good human being. Though I did not have scenes with him, it was still a great experience being part of the same film.”On the film’s release, Sangram said, “I completed my portion much earlier, but the film took a long time to finish. For me, it does not matter whether my role is for one hour or just a few minutes—what matters is that the character should leave an impact on the audience and contribute to the film.”He added, “I come from a background where I cannot go around asking people for work. That is not in my DNA. I just hope the film turns out well and helps take my journey forward, even if my role is only for a minute, three minutes, or five minutes.”Sangram also revealed that he has rejected films in the past despite featuring big superstars. “People told me I made a mistake by refusing those films, but if I am not convinced about a role from my heart, I cannot do it. One superstar even later told me that he too did not feel connected to the film. I believe if you yourself are not convinced, the audience will never be convinced either.”Sharing his philosophy towards life, he concluded, “I like to stay calm and grounded. I do not smoke or do anything harmful. Whether it is wrestling, sports, cinema, or reality shows, I believe you should always do something that teaches people something positive or contributes to society in a meaningful way.”