Eetha: 9 Unknown Facts About Shraddha Kapoor's Film and the Tamasha Queen Who Inspired It

Confession time. Outside Maharashtra, a lot of us didn't know the name Vithabai Narayangaonkar until the Eetha teaser dropped. That needs fixing, because her story is wild.

Shraddha Kapoor's next film is a biopic of one of Maharashtra's greatest folk performers. Here are nine things about the film, and the woman behind it, that you probably didn't know.

1. She was called the Tamasha Samradni.

Vithabai Bhau Mang Narayangaonkar was known as the "Tamasha Samradni", the empress of Tamasha. Not a nickname given by a PR team. A title earned on stage.

2. She was born into a performing family.

Born on 1 July 1935 in Pandharpur, she grew up inside the family Tamasha troupe founded by her grandfather. She had no formal training. She learnt by being on stage.

3. The backstage birth story (as the record tells it).

This is the one everyone's been talking about since the teaser. Vithabai is said to have given birth backstage during a performance, cut the umbilical cord with a stone, and gone back to perform. The teaser recreates this moment, and it's the kind of scene that makes the hair on your arms stand up.

4. She was honoured by the President of India.

She received medals from the President in 1957 and 1990, according to published accounts of her life.

5. Her final years were not kind.

Despite all that fame, she reportedly faced serious financial hardship towards the end of her life. She died on 15 January 2002. Since 2006, the Government of Maharashtra has given an annual lifetime achievement award in her name.

6. It reunites the Chhaava team.

Laxman Utekar, who directed Chhaava, is back with producer Dinesh Vijan of Maddock Films. After Chhaava's massive run, expectations are huge.

7. The cast is stacked.

Alongside Shraddha, the film features Randeep Hooda, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Siddharth Jadhav, Akshara Singh and more. Ajay-Atul are on music, which for a Lavani film is basically the dream pairing.

8. It changed its release date to avoid a giant clash.

Eetha was first set for 28 August 2026, just two days after Yash's Toxic. The makers moved it to 4 December 2026 instead. Smart move.

9. Shraddha's transformation is the talk of the teaser.

Fans have been praising her physical transformation for the role. This is a very different Shraddha from the one we know from Stree, and I'm here for it.

So that's Eetha. A film about a woman who gave everything to the stage and got very little back. I really hope it does her justice.

Want the full history? Read our deep dive on the real story of Vithabai Narayangaonkar behind Eetha.

Frequently asked questions

What is Eetha about?

Eetha is a biopic of Vithabai Bhau Mang Narayangaonkar, the legendary Tamasha and Lavani performer from Maharashtra, starring Shraddha Kapoor.

When is Eetha releasing?

Eetha is scheduled to release in cinemas on 4 December 2026.

Who directed Eetha?

Laxman Utekar, the director of Chhaava, directed Eetha. It is produced by Dinesh Vijan, Laxman Utekar and Karishma Sharma.

Who was Vithabai Narayangaonkar?

Born in Pandharpur in 1935, Vithabai Narayangaonkar was a celebrated Tamasha artiste known as the Tamasha Samradni. She died in 2002.

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Vishal Waghela is the Co-Founder of AltBollywood and a proud neo-generalist who refuses to pick a lane. Film, music, memes, fashion, AI, internet subcultures: if pop culture touches it, he's already three rabbit holes deep. He writes the way he lives online, loud, emotional, a little chaotic and always honest about why culture makes us feel things. Come argue with him on Instagram at @vishal.waghe1a.