Rohini Hattangadi says she and Anupam Kher competed with each other to excel their roles in 1984 film Saaransh

Veteran actress Rohini Hattangadi is a known name in the Indian film industry. It was Richard Attenborough’s biographical film Gandhi that led her to recognition. She played the role of Mahatma Gandhi’s wife, Kasturba Gandhi, in the film. But did you know that the film which gave her recognition in India was Mahesh Bhatt’s Saaransh? She recently spoke about it in an interview with a media portal. Rohini Hattangadi said, “It was Rajshri’s Saaransh that made me a reliable household name all over India … And credit ought to go to Mahesh Bhatt for making me stand out with my role (sic).” The 1984 film _Saaransh_ starred Anupam Kher in the lead. Rohini Hattangadi recalls in the same interview how casting opposite such a prolific actor helped her career. She added that both of them (Anupam Kher and herself) would have a healthy competition to excel one another with their respective roles. Saaransh also starred actors like Soni Razdan, Madan Jain and Alok Nath. The film revolves around a retired school teacher and his wife. How they come to terms with life after the death of their only son in a mugging incident on the streets of New York forms the theme of the film.

Rohini Hattangadi is still active in the industry. She is set to feature in an upcoming Marathi film titled Aata Vel Zaali. It is directed by Ananth Mahadevan. The film, which also stars veteran actor Dilip Prabhavalkar in the lead opposite Rohini, is set to release in theatres on February 23. She also featured in another Marathi film last year, titled Baipan Bhaari Deva. The film was directed by Kedar Shinde and written by Vaishali Naik. It also stars Vandana Gupte, Sukanya Kulkarni, Nutan Aasgaonkar, Suruchi Adarkar, and Suchitra Bandekar in pivotal roles. The film turned out to be a box-office hit upon its release in theatres on June 30, 2023. It recently had its OTT release on Disney+ Hotstar. Rohini Hattangadi spoke about her role in the film in an interview. She said, “Portraying the character of Jaya in Baipan Bhaari Deva has been a uniquely special experience for me.”