For celebrated Lavani performer, actress, and stage artist Megha Ghadge, the upcoming film, ‘Eetha’, based on legendary Tamasha queen Vithabai Narayangaonkar 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 to Lavani is also an actress who has done films, judged dance reality shows and much more.In an exclusive conversation with ETimes, Megha opened up about watching the Laxman Utekar directorial teaser starring Shraddha Kapoor, receiving the prestigious Vithabai Gaurav Award, and how she herself shares a striking similarity with the iconic performer.
“I had tears in my eyes watching Shraddha Kapoor admits Megha Ghadge
Megha couldn’t hide her excitement while speaking about the teaser. She shared, “I saw the teaser and I absolutely loved it. I’m a fan of Shraddha Kapoor. She’s a beautiful actress, a wonderful dancer and has an incredible sense of dance. The moment I saw the first poster, I wished the film would be completed soon and reach audiences across the world.” She added that seeing Shraddha transform into Vithabai left her emotional.“When I hear Vithabai’s name, I automatically feel immense respect. When I watched Shraddha Kapoor in the teaser, I had tears in my eyes. Her look, her attitude as a dancer, her struggles, and her strength as an actress — I could see everything in her. It is an amazing teaser,” she added.
Honoured In Vithabai’s Name
For Megha, the connection with Vithabai goes beyond admiration. The actress revealed that she received the prestigious Vithabai Gaurav Award from the legendary artist’s family after her passing. “I feel proud that I received the Vithabai Gaurav Award through her family. In 2001, during the first year after her death, her family organised a programme in her memory and honoured me with an award in her name. That is a very big thing for me.”
The song ‘Pota Sathi Nachte Me’ left Megha speechless
Megha recalled recording the iconic song ‘Pota Sathi Nachte Mi‘ and the responsibility she felt because of Vithabai’s legacy. She recalled, “When I was asked to sing ‘Pota Sathi Nachte Mi’ for an album, I became very emotional. I stayed 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 would be disrespected. I didn’t want anyone to question the song because Vithabai’s name was attached to it. I was extremely anxious.“
Megha says reading about Vithabai left her traumatised
The actress also revealed how reading a book on Vithabai’s life deeply affected her.“I read the entire book written on Vithabai. After reading it, I couldn’t come out of that trauma for eight days. The amount of struggle she went through was unbelievable. She was trapped by circumstances in real life, yet she kept fighting. After understanding her journey, I felt even more proud of her,” she added.
A rare similarity between Megha And Vithabai
Interestingly, Megha shares a unique connection with her idol. Like Vithabai, who famously continued performing despite being pregnant, Megha too performed on stage during her pregnancy around 2005-06. The dedication towards Lavani and stage performances remained stronger than physical challenges, making her journey remarkably similar to that of the legendary performer she reveres.
Megha now wants to witness and experience Vithabai through Shraddha Kapoor
Though Megha never had the opportunity 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 never saw her in real life. Through Shraddha Kapoor, I want to experience our Vithabai on screen and on stage.”
Megha on the changing face of Lavani
Speaking candidly about today’s Lavani scene, Megha expressed concern over how the art form is sometimes misunderstood.“Our generation gave our entire lives to Lavani. We struggled for years. Today’s youngsters often see only 15-second or 30-second reels and think that’s the journey. Our struggles were completely different.”She added that while it is encouraging to see more people learning Lavani, preserving its authenticity is equally important.“It is good that Lavani is being taught, but it should be taught with respect and understanding. It should never be presented in a way that damages the art form. Many artists dedicated their entire lives to building this culture.”
The Vithabai role Megha once dreamed of
In a surprising revelation, Megha shared that she had once explored the possibility of portraying Vithabai herself.Megha shared, ” I had met people regarding a project on Vithabai because I wanted to play her. Discussions were happening and there were plans, but things never materialised. I wanted to do Vithabai very badly.” However, seeing Shraddha Kapoor take up the role has filled her with happiness rather than regret. “Today, when I see Shraddha Kapoor as Vithabai, it feels wonderful. I am not upset that I couldn’t do it. Of course, I would have loved to portray her, but I am genuinely happy to see her story finally reaching audiences.“
