Salbardi
| Salbardi | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Ramesh Sahebrao Choudhary |
| Written by | Ramesh Sahebrao Choudhary Rohit Shukre |
| Produced by | Anil Devde Patil Dr. Gajanan Jadhav Rambhau Jadhav |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Siddhesh More |
| Edited by | Siddhesh More |
| Music by | Padmnabh Gaikwad |
Production company | Nebula Films |
Release date |
|
Running time | 145 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Marathi |
Salbardi is a 2026 Indian Marathi-language crime mystery thriller film written and directed by Ramesh Sahebrao Choudhary and produced under the banner of Nebula Films.[1] The film stars Pooja Sawant in the lead role as police inspector,[2][3] supported by an ensemble cast including Shashank Shende, Bharat Ganeshpure, Anshuman Vichare and Onkar Bhojane.[4] The story revolve around the string of mysterious child murders sends the entire community into a spiral of dread, suspicion and superstition.[5][6]
The film was theatrically released on 17 April 2026 across Maharashtra.[7]
Plot
[edit]The village of Salbardi, a quiet and remote settlement in Maharashtra, is plunged into fear when young boys, each the only child of their parents and all below the age of ten, begin going missing one by one, only to be found dead.
Police Inspector Manorama Pradhan is assigned to investigate the killings. Determined and sharp-witted, she arrives in the village and begins methodically working through the case despite mounting resistance, both from locals whose beliefs are steeped in superstition and from political power brokers who would rather the truth remain buried. Her investigation leads her to the dark interior of an old mansion, where she begins unravelling a dangerous web of power games, deep-rooted superstitious beliefs, and shocking revelations that expose the true nature of the village's influential elite.
When the mystery is finally solved, the culprits and their accomplices are brought to justice, but not before the investigation forces a reckoning with the ugliness that silence, corruption, and fear can breed within a tight-knit community.
Cast
[edit]- Pooja Sawant as Police officer Manorama Pradhan[8]
- Shashank Shende as Ganpat Patil[9]
- Bharat Ganeshpure as MLA Zunzarrao Mohite
- Onkar Bhojane as Mukunda Thorat
- Anshuman Vichare as Balu Joshi
- Pravin Dalimbkar as Ganpat Kamble
- Chittaranjan Giri as Pimpalya
- Madhav Abhyankar as Guardian Minister Padmaraj Shelar
- Anik Nagarkar as Police Inspector Tambe
- Tushar Nagargoje as Police Inspector Lokhande
- Rohit Kokate as Kotkar Guruji
- Kamlakar Satpute as Bhandari Sheth
- Abhay Gite as Kanakraj Taksale
- Rajendra Satardekar as Fr. John Chandekar
- Sarvesh Kadam as Rushabh, Manorama's son
- Usha Chavan as maid Yesubai
- Vedant Choudhary as Kanha, maid Yesubai's son
- Ramdas Golhar as Tukaram Sheth
- Pankaj Pacharya as Aabajaan
- Gashmeer Mahajani in a special appearance in the song "Jagdambe"[10]
- Sonalee Kulkarni in a special appearance in the song "Manjula"[11][12]
Soundtrack
[edit]The film's music was composed by Padmanabh Gaikwad, with background score by Amar Mohile.
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Jagdambe" | Mukund Bhalerao | Ajay Gogavale | 4:18 |
| 2. | "Manjula" | Guru Thakur | Aanandi Joshi | 3:35 |
| 3. | "Nij Re – Angai Song" | Mukund Bhalerao | Javed Ali | 5:12 |
| 4. | "Theme Song" | Mukund Bhalerao | Padmanabh Gaikwad | 3:17 |
| 5. | "Nij Re – Male Version" | Mukund Bhalerao | Padmanabh Gaikwad | 5:11 |
| 6. | "Nij Re – Female Version" | Mukund Bhalerao | Surabhi Khekale | 5:15 |
| Total length: | 26:48 | |||
Release and reception
[edit]Salbardi was officially announced in January 2026 and released theatrically on 17 April 2026.[13][14] The film's teaser was released on 2 March 2026, followed by the official trailer on 4 April 2026, both of which generated attention on social media.[15][16] Its box office opening was reportedly poor, with limited theatrical shows. The film was later released on Amazon Prime Video in mid-May 2026.[17][18]
Critical response
[edit]Critical reception for Salbardi was mixed to negative. While Pooja Sawant's lead performance was widely praised across reviews, the screenplay and direction were criticized for lacking engagement and emotional depth.[19]
Santosh Bhingarde of Sakal gave the film 3 out of 5 stars and wrote, "The director has shown in this story that despite how advanced science is today, the habit of superstition is still rooted in villages."[20] Sujit Shirke of Lokmat also awarded 3 out of 5 stars, stating that "Salbardi succeeds in creating interest due to the acting of the actors"[21]
References
[edit]- ↑ ""कदाचित 'सालबर्डी'साठी अमावस्या शुभ आहे", दिग्दर्शकाचे वक्तव्य चर्चेत; म्हणाले, "२० दिवस…"". Loksatta (in Marathi). 18 April 2026. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
- ↑ शिकलगार, स्वालिया न (4 April 2026). "Pooja Sawant Movie | लग्नानंतर पूजा सावंतचा 'थ्रिलर' धमाका! 'सालबर्डी'मध्ये उलगडणार एका भयाण गावाचं रहस्य". Pudhari News (in Marathi). Retrieved 27 May 2026.
- ↑ Naik, Payal (6 March 2026). "'सालबर्डी' चित्रपटात पोलिसांच्या वर्दीत अभिनेत्रीचा जबरदस्त अंदाज; दिसतेय करारी पोलिस अधिकाऱ्याच्या भूमिकेत; कोण आहे ती?". Marathi News Esakal (in Marathi). Retrieved 27 May 2026.
- ↑ वेमूल, स्वाती (12 March 2026). "ओंकार भोजने-शशांक शेंडे आमनेसामने; सरपंच-उपसरपंचांची रंगणार जुगलबंदी". TV9 Marathi (in Marathi). Retrieved 27 May 2026.
- ↑ "रहस्यांनी भरलेला, श्रद्धा आणि अंधश्रद्धा यांच्यामध्ये ठळक रेष दर्शवणारा चित्रपट म्हणजे सालबर्डी". Maharashtra Times (in Marathi). Retrieved 27 May 2026.
- ↑ "अंधश्रद्धेमुळे घडलेल्या वास्तव घटनेचा वेध घेणारा सालबर्डी". Loksatta (in Marathi). 12 April 2026. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
- ↑ "रमेश चौधरी यांच्या शैलीतून उलगडणार 'सालबर्डी'चा थरार, दिग्दर्शनातून येणार दडलेलं रहस्य समोर, १७ एप्रिलला जवळच्या सिनेमागृहांत | Salbardi Marathi Movie News" (in Marathi). 14 April 2026. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
- ↑ "Pooja Sawant: 'सालबर्डी' सिनेमात पूजा सावंत करारी, निर्भीड, तडफदार पोलिस अधिकाऱ्याच्या भूमिकेत, लुकची जोरदार चर्चा". Maharashtra Times (in Marathi). Retrieved 27 May 2026.
- ↑ Bharat, E. T. V. (10 April 2026). "Exclusive Interview: शशांक शेंडे - प्रत्येक भूमिका माझ्या कलात्मक प्रवासाचा एक महत्त्वाचा टप्पा आहे!". ETV Bharat News (in Marathi). Retrieved 27 May 2026.
- ↑ team, abp majha web (18 March 2026). "काळरातीचा जोर वाढला…' गश्मीर महाजनीचा गोंधळ पाहून अंगावर अक्षरश: रोमांच; गूढ शांततेच्या आड दडले". ABP Majha (in Marathi). Retrieved 27 May 2026.
- ↑ Kadam, Shruti Vilas (27 March 2026). "Sonalee Kulkarni: अप्सराचा 'सालबर्डी'मध्ये हटके अंदाज; 'मंजुळा' गाण्यात सोनाली कुलकर्णीचा बोल्ड जलवा". Marathi News | Saam TV (in Marathi). Retrieved 27 May 2026.
- ↑ narayan, kimaya (26 March 2026). "अप्सरा बनली मंजुळा ! सालबर्डी सिनेमात सोनालीचा दिलखेचक अंदाज आणि भन्नाट डान्स". Marathi News Esakal (in Marathi). Retrieved 27 May 2026.
- ↑ Bende, Samiksha (22 January 2026). "Salbardi: भय आणि भ्रमाच्या विळख्यातला थरार 'सालबर्डी'; रहस्यमयी चित्रपट येणार भेटीला". My Mahanagar (in Marathi). Retrieved 27 May 2026.
- ↑ narayan, kimaya (3 April 2026). "रहस्य, थरार आणि दमदार स्टारकास्ट सोबत 'सालबर्डी' येतोय..!". Marathi News Esakal (in Marathi). Retrieved 27 May 2026.
- ↑ "Salbardi - Official Trailer". The Times of India. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
- ↑ "Salbardi - Official Teaser". The Times of India. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
- ↑ "पूजा सावंतचा 'सालबर्डी' सिनेमा एका महिन्यानंतर ओटीटीवर प्रदर्शित; कुठे पाहाल? वाचा…". Loksatta (in Marathi). 25 May 2026. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
- ↑ "Salbardi OTT Release Brings Chilling Crime Mystery to Prime Video". 24 May 2026. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
- ↑ Information, Film (17 April 2026). "'SALBARDI' (MARATHI) REVIEW | 17 April 2026". Film Information. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
- ↑ Bhingarde, Santosh (19 April 2026). "रहस्य, थरार आणि अंधश्रद्धेची प्रभावी गुंफण, कसा आहे पूजा सावंतचा 'सालबर्डी?". Marathi News Esakal (in Marathi). Retrieved 27 May 2026.
- ↑ author/sujit-shirke (17 April 2026). "भयातून उभ्या राहणाऱ्या अंधश्रद्धेचा थरारक खेळ! कसा आहे पूजा सावंतचा 'सालबर्डी'? वाचा रिव्ह्यू". Lokmat (in Marathi). Retrieved 27 May 2026.
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