‘A period of transformation’: Why Marathi film ‘April May 99’ couldn’t have been set in another year

Seasoned casting director Rohan Mapuskar had clear reasons for picking 1999 for the events explored in his debut feature. April May 99 is set in the year that marked the end of the 1990s and heralded the new millennium.

“I wanted to show the transformation between the decades, the sense of what it was like to live in pre-digital times,” Mapuskar told Scroll. “There was barely anything like video games. The village was still a village, unlike now.”

Mapuskar’s film unfolds in Shrivardhan in Maharashtra’s Raigad district. In this verdant town, where traditional houses haven’t given way to concrete structures and cellphones haven’t yet made their presence felt, three 14-year-old friends eagerly look forward to the summer vacation. Krishna, Siddhesh and Prasad know how they want to spend their holiday, but they are forced to alter their plans to accommodate Jaie, who is visiting from Pune.

The Marathi film will be released with English subtitles on May 16 in cinemas. Mapuskar’s assured first feature is a charming look at friendship that doubles up as a nostalgia trip for school breaks spent on lazing around, cycling and shooting the breeze.Read more