Maddock Films has locked the next big date on its calendar: the trailer for Eetha, starring Shraddha Kapoor, arrives on Friday, October 30, ahead of the film’s theatrical release on December 4, 2026. The announcement came with a new poster glimpse shared by the production house, which confirmed both dates in a single line: trailer this Friday, cinemas on December 4.
For Kapoor, Eetha is the most significant gear change of her career in years. Her last major theatrical release was the horror-comedy blockbuster Stree 2 in 2024, and before that the glossy romantic comedy Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar in 2023. Eetha trades both of those registers for something far more rooted: a Hindi biographical drama about a legendary folk performer, built around music, dance and the stage traditions of Maharashtra.
Who was Vithabai Narayangaonkar?
Eetha is based on the life of Vithabai Bhau Mang Narayangaonkar, one of Maharashtra’s most celebrated Tamasha and Lavani performers. Tamasha is a traditional Marathi folk theatre form that blends music, dance, comedy and drama, and Lavani is its famously rhythmic, expressive dance tradition. Vithabai rose from modest beginnings to become one of the state’s most iconic stage names, earning a reputation as an artist whose talent and dedication made her an enduring symbol of Maharashtra’s folk culture.
That is the story the film sets out to tell: not a conventional biopic of fame and fortune, but the journey of a woman who carved out her own identity on stage at a time when women performers faced steep social odds. The title itself is a term of affection and respect, and the marketing has leaned into that intimacy, presenting Kapoor’s character as Eetha Bai, the artist audiences knew and loved.
What the teaser already revealed
A teaser for Eetha first reached audiences in June, initially attached to theatrical screenings before circulating online. Its most talked-about sequence showed Eetha, heavily pregnant, going into labour during a performance setup, then cutting the umbilical cord herself and returning to the stage to perform. The moment, however dramatised, set the film’s thesis in a single image: devotion to art above everything, even at personal cost.
The teaser also established the film’s visual language — warm, theatrical, steeped in the colours and rhythms of the folk stage — and a line of dialogue from the teaser travelled widely on social media, framing Eetha’s philosophy as a choice between dying quietly and dying while dancing, as an example to others. It is the kind of line that tells you exactly what register the film is aiming for: emotional, defiant and unapologetically theatrical.
Cast, director and crew
Eetha is directed by Laxman Utekar and written by Kshitij Patwardhan. It is presented by Maddock Films and Kathputli Creations, with Utekar producing alongside Dinesh Vijan and Karishma Sharma. The music and background score are composed by Ajay-Atul, whose work has long been central to the sound of Marathi and Hindi cinema alike.
Alongside Kapoor, the cast includes Randeep Hooda, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Anant Joshi, Siddharth Jadhav and Nana Patekar. It is an ensemble that mixes seasoned character actors with performers deeply familiar to Marathi audiences, a casting choice that signals how seriously the film takes its regional roots even as it aims for a national Hindi audience.
Why the October 30 trailer matters
Eetha was initially expected to arrive in August, before the makers pushed its release to December. That delay has made the trailer launch more than a routine promotional beat. With just over a month between the trailer and the film’s release, October 30 is the moment the film must convert curiosity into momentum — showing audiences not just Kapoor in a new avatar, but the world of the film, its music and its emotional stakes.
The timing is also commercially interesting. Eetha opens in a December window crowded with year-end releases, and a performance-led biographical drama will need strong word of mouth to stand out against franchise fare. A trailer that lands well on October 30 gives the film five weeks of conversation, music releases and interviews to build on — and, crucially, it gives Kapoor’s first full transformation into Vithabai a proper showcase after months of poster glimpses and teaser fragments.
What to watch for in the trailer
Three things will tell us the most about Eetha when the trailer drops. First, how much of the film is staged performance versus behind-the-scenes life — the balance between spectacle and struggle. Second, how the film handles the Lavani and Tamasha numbers, which are both its biggest selling point and its biggest risk: done well, they are electrifying; done flatly, they flatten the film. Third, the supporting cast, particularly Hooda and Patekar, whose roles have so far been kept largely under wraps.
For Kapoor, the stakes are personal as well as professional. Eetha is a character-led, performance-first role, a long way from the franchise comfort of Stree 2. If the trailer convinces audiences that she inhabits Vithabai rather than simply dressing as her, the film could become one of the most talked-about Hindi releases of December.
Frequently asked questions
When does the Eetha trailer release?
The Eetha trailer releases on Friday, October 30, 2026, as confirmed by Maddock Films.
When is Eetha releasing in cinemas?
Eetha releases in theatres on December 4, 2026.
Who stars in Eetha?
Shraddha Kapoor plays the lead role of Vithabai Narayangaonkar, alongside Randeep Hooda, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Anant Joshi, Siddharth Jadhav and Nana Patekar.
Who directed Eetha?
Eetha is directed by Laxman Utekar and written by Kshitij Patwardhan. It is presented by Maddock Films and Kathputli Creations.
Is Eetha based on a true story?
Yes. Eetha is a biographical drama based on the life of Vithabai Bhau Mang Narayangaonkar, the legendary Tamasha and Lavani performer from Maharashtra.