Ravi Bhagchandka, who recently co-produced Sitaare Zameen Par (2025), remembers watching Funral in 2022. The Marathi movie’s “emotional honesty” stayed with him. Now, the producer has acquired the adaptation rights of the Vivek Dubey-directed venture and is readying to bring the story to the Hindi film audience. “Cinema rarely explores [the theme of] death with warmth and celebration,” he said. Funral offered a refreshingly different perspective by telling the story of four friends, who provide services related to last rites and slowly turn the solemn event into a celebration of life. Bhagchandka added, “This film looked at how a passing can also become a moment of reflection, and even celebration of a life lived. Upon watching it, I felt this was a story that deserved to reach a wider audience in Hindi.”
Aroh Welankar in ‘Funral’. Pics/X
Development of the adaptation is underway. The producer confirmed that a writers’ room has been put in place, while the hunt for a director is on. “We also have initial interest from an actor. The writing is in process,” he said.
Bollywood borrows some Marathi magic
