Marathi actor Kiran Mane claims he was ousted from series for voicing political views

Kiran Mane, a Marathi actor, was allegedly let go from a TV show for expressing his political opinions on social media.

Pic courtesy: Instagram

Pune: Days after noted Marathi actor Kiran Mane was ousted from a popular television show allegedly due to his political views on social media, the sarpanch of a village in Satara district, where the serial is being shot, issued a letter to the production house asking it to stop the shoot.

The show - 'Mulgi Zali Ho' - a Marathi-language TV drama, which airs on 'Star Pravah' channel, featured Mane in the role of Vilas Patil.

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A post shared by Kiran Mane (@kiranmane7777)

Mane on Friday alleged that he was officially conveyed to not report to sets and they (makers) did not officially inform him of the reason behind this decision. "However, off the record, someone from the show said that it has happened because of the comments that I make on social media," he had told PTI.

The shooting of the Marathi serial is underway at a wada (traditional mansion) in Gulumb village in Wai tehsil of western Maharashtra's Satara district.

The woman sarpanch, who signed the letter written to the show's production house could not be contacted for her comment, but the coordinator of the production crew on Sunday claimed that the letter was issued "inadvertently" and the shooting at the village is still on without any problem.

The letter, signed by village sarpanch Swati Mane, is going viral on social media. It condemns the Marathi film industry "for removing an actor who expressed his political views".

The letter said that the crew of the serial should not forget that in Maharashtra, democracy still runs on the ideology of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, Mahatma Phule and Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar.

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It stated that the gram panchayat refuses the permission given to the shooting of the serial which is going on at Gulumb village.

Line producer and crew coordinator of the production house, Sachin Sasane, however, said that the letter was issued "inadvertently" and claimed that the local body of the village is of the opinion that the shooting of the serial should continue.

He claimed that as the shooting has given a source of earning and employment opportunities to the villagers.

"How is it justifiable to stop the medium of employment and earning of locals for one man, who was not removed due to his political views, but due to his misbehaviour," he said.

Sasane claimed that the letter was signed without hearing their (production house) side, but when the gram panchayat was presented the other side, the shooting resumed.

Meanwhile, Mahadev Mhaskar, former vice president of Satara Zilla Parishad and a resident of Gulumb village said, "The issue is between the actor and the production house. The local residents are not related to the matter and we have asked the gram panchayat members and the sarpanch to convene a meeting and issue a clarification on this."

The shooting has generated employment in the village and the serial also spreads a positive message about girl child, he said.

Despite repeated attempts, the sarpanch could not be reached for her comment.