For the famous Lavani actor, actress and stage artist Megha GhadgeBased on the legendary tamasha queen Bithabai Narayangaonkar, the upcoming film ‘Itha’ is much more than just another biopic. It is a deeply personal journey that brings back memories of admiration, struggle and inspiration. Megha who is known for her immense contribution in Lavani is an actress who has done films, dance reality shows and more.In an exclusive conversation with ETimes, Megha opened up about the Shraddha Kapoor-starrer Laxman Utekar-directed teaser, receiving the prestigious Bithabai Gaurav Award, and how she herself shares a striking resemblance with the iconic performer.
“Seeing Shraddha Kapoor confess Megha Ghadge brought tears to my eyes
Talking about the teaser, Megha couldn’t hide her excitement. He shared, “I saw the teaser and I loved it. I am a fan of Shraddha Kapoor. She is a beautiful actress, an excellent dancer and has an incredible sense of dance. The moment I saw the first poster, I hoped that the film would be completed soon and reach audiences all over the world.” He added that he was emotional to see Shraddha transform into Bithabai.“When I hear Bithabai’s name, I automatically feel immense respect. When I saw Shraddha Kapoor in the teaser, I had tears in my eyes. Her looks, her attitude as a dancer, her struggle and her strength as an actress – I see everything in her. It’s an amazing teaser,” he added.
Honored in the name of Bithabai
For Megha, the connection with Bithabai goes beyond admiration. The actress revealed that she received the prestigious award Bithabai Gaurav Award From the family of the legendary artist after his death. “I am proud that I have received the Bithabai Gaurav award through his family. In 2001, the first year after his death, his family organized a function in his memory and honored me with an award in his name. It’s a big deal for me.”
The song ‘Pota Sathi Nache Aami’ left Megha speechless
Megha recalls the recording of the iconic song ‘Mr. Pota Sathi dance‘ And the responsibility he felt because of Bithabai’s legacy. He recalls, “When I was asked to sing ‘Pota Sathi Nachte Me’ for an album, I was very emotional. I was silent for about two minutes. I told myself that if I don’t do justice to this song, it will disrespect the contribution that Vithabai has made to the industry. I didn’t want anyone to question the song because it had Vithabai’s name attached to it. I was very worried.“
Megha said that studying with Bithabai has traumatized her
The actress also revealed how reading a book on Bithabai’s life had a profound impact on her.“I read the entire book on Bithabai. After reading it, I couldn’t come out of that trauma for eight days. The amount of struggle she went through was unbelievable. In real life she was trapped by circumstances, yet she continued to fight. After understanding his journey, I felt even more proud of him,” he added.
A rare match between Megha and Bithabai
Interestingly, Megha shares a unique connection with her idol. Like Vithabai, who famously continued to act despite being pregnant, Megha also performed on stage during her pregnancy around 2005-06. Lavani’s dedication and stage performance were stronger than the physical challenges, making her journey remarkably similar to that of the legendary actor she revered.
Megha now wants to witness and experience Bithabai through Shraddha Kapoor
Although Megha never got the chance to see Bithabai perform live, she hopes the film will give viewers a glimpse of the greatness of the icon. “I want this film to release as soon as possible and I want everyone to see it in theatres. I have only seen Veethabai in videos. I have not seen her in real life. Through Shraddha Kapoor, I want to experience our Veethabai on screen and on stage.”
Megha in the changed face of Lavani
Speaking candidly about today’s Lavani scene, Megha expressed concern about how the art form is sometimes misunderstood.“Our generation has given our whole lives to Lavani. We have struggled for years. Today’s youngsters often see only a 15-second or 30-second reel and think that is the journey. Our struggle was completely different.”He added that while encouraging more people to learn Labani, it is equally important to preserve its authenticity.“Teaching Lavani is good, but it should be taught with respect and understanding. It should not be presented in a way that harms the art form. Many artists have dedicated their entire lives to building this culture.”
Megha once dreamed of playing the role of Bithabai
In a surprising revelation, Megha shared that she once explored the possibility of portraying herself as Veethabai.Megha shared, “I approached people about a project on Veethabai because I wanted to cast her. There were discussions and plans, but things never materialized. I wanted to do Veethabai so badly.” However, seeing Shraddha Kapoor take on the role is filled with joy rather than regret. “Today, when I see Shraddha Kapoor as Veethabai, it feels wonderful. I’m not upset that I didn’t get to do it. Of course, I would have loved to portray her, but I’m really happy to see her story finally reach the audience.“
