In many villages across rural Maharashtra, the absence of cinema halls has long forced residents to depend on nearby cities to watch new releases. Addressing this gap in the age of evolving technology, a new initiative titled Kissa Shuru Talkies has been launched with the aim of delivering fresh films directly to rural audiences.
The grand launch event was recently held in Mumbai and was inaugurated by Maharashtra’s Minister for Information Technology and Cultural Affairs, Ashish Shelar. Veteran actor Sachin Pilgaonkar attended as the chief guest. The event also saw the presence of several prominent names from the film industry including Deepak Tijori, Abhijeet Panse, Viju Mane, Sameer Vidwans, Ashish Bende, Subodh Khanolkar, Priya Berde, Kushal Badrike, Santosh Juvekar, Pushkar Jog, and Vishakha Subhedar, among others.
A special message from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was presented during the event. Additionally, the team announced plans to expand Kissa Shuru Talkies beyond Maharashtra into Karnataka and Gujarat.
Kissa Shuru Talkies Home Cinema is a modern HDMI-based device that can be directly connected to a television. Through this, audiences in rural areas can enjoy newly released films without having to visit a theatre. Filmmakers will make their films available on the KST platform, with new titles being downloaded onto the device every Friday. Viewers can watch a film of their choice at an affordable price of just ₹99, making it a convenient and economical entertainment solution.
One of the standout features of the device is its two patent-pending technologies developed by KST. The Family Safe Mode allows families to control and curate age-appropriate viewing experiences, while the Producer-to-Audience Video Call feature enables filmmakers and directors to directly interact with viewers across villages. The platform also incorporates advanced DRM and forensic watermarking technologies to ensure content security.
During the event, the first film to be associated with Kissa Shuru Talkies was also announced. Renowned director Gajendra Ahire expressed his support for the initiative, calling it a significant step forward for rural audiences.
Explaining the vision behind the initiative, founders Santosh Birajdar, Abhishek Jathar, and Shirish Shinde shared that thousands of villages in Maharashtra still lack access to cinema halls, leaving rural audiences disconnected from new releases. Recognizing this need, Kissa Shuru Talkies was conceptualized to bridge the gap while also creating a new platform for Marathi cinema.
Ashish Shelar stated, “The concept behind Kissa Shuru Talkies Home Cinema, initiated by young Marathi entrepreneurs, is innovative and timely. By preserving the sentiment of ‘our own cinema’ and delivering films to households across villages simultaneously with their release, this effort is truly commendable. This initiative will play a crucial role in expanding the reach of Marathi films and connecting them with a wider audience.”
Sachin Pilgaonkar added, “Even today, many talukas and rural areas in Maharashtra lack access to cinema halls. Audiences often have to travel up to 50 kilometers just to watch a film. In such a scenario, this initiative is both important and praiseworthy. It presents a wonderful opportunity for rural audiences, and I urge them to make the most of it. I believe this initiative will benefit filmmakers, producers, and audiences alike. Santosh Birajdar has been an old associate, and I extend my heartfelt wishes to him and his entire team.”
