Adah Sharma on Gajra: 'These things happen in real life around us'
Synopsis
Adah Sharma isn't just promoting a film — she's challenging how Indian cinema uses the 'based on true events' label. Her Marathi debut Gajra, directed by Shreyas Jadhav and due in 2027, is built on the uncomfortable premise that the incidents it depicts are not historical footnotes but ongoing realities audiences actively choose to ignore.
Key Takeaways
Adah Sharma will make her Marathi cinema debut with Gajra , directed by Shreyas Jadhav , releasing in 2027 .
Sharma says the 'based on true events' label 'isn't something that should be used as a marketing gimmick' and comes with responsibility.
She describes Gajra as unsettling because the incidents depicted 'are happening all around us' but go unspoken.
Her current release, Governor: The Silent Saviour , stars Manoj Bajpayee and is inspired by the 1990 Indian economic crisis .
Governor was produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah under Sunshine Pictures and released on 12 June .
Actress Adah Sharma says audiences are entirely right to scrutinise films that carry a 'based on true events' label — and that the tag comes with a responsibility filmmakers cannot afford to treat lightly. Her remarks come ahead of her Marathi-language debut, Gajra, a film she describes as unsettling precisely because the incidents it depicts are not confined to the past.
What drew Adah Sharma to Gajra
'Based on true events isn't something that should be used as a marketing gimmick,' Sharma said. 'I think audiences are absolutely right to ask questions.' She added that what drew her to the project was not merely the real-world inspiration, but 'the sincerity with which the story is told — it's rooted in human emotions, relationships, and the consequences of the choices people make.'
Why Gajra unsettles its audience
Sharma was pointed about what she sees as the film's most disturbing quality. 'The scariest part of Gajra isn't that it's inspired by true events,' she said. 'It's that it reminds you these things can happen in real life, are happening all around us. But we choose to not speak about them.' The observation cuts to a wider silence around certain social realities — a theme the film, directed by Shreyas Jadhav, appears to place at its centre. Gajra is slated for release in 2027.
Adah Sharma's recent work
Sharma's current release is Governor: The Silent Saviour, a film starring National Award-winning actor Manoj Bajpayee in the lead. The film draws on the events surrounding the 1990 Indian economic crisis and explores the institutional relationship between the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Government of India. Produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah under the banner Sunshine Pictures, Governor released on 12 June.
The broader conversation on 'based on true events' cinema
Sharma's candour reflects a growing tension in Indian cinema, where the 'based on true events' claim has become a frequent marketing lever — sometimes at the cost of accuracy or sensitivity. Notably, this is not the first time the phrase has drawn audience pushback; several recent releases have faced scrutiny over how loosely they interpret their source material. Sharma's position — that sincerity of storytelling, not the label itself, is what earns credibility — signals a more exacting standard that audiences and filmmakers alike are beginning to hold each other to.
With Gajra still a year away, how the film handles its real-world basis will be closely watched.
Point of View
And to audiences who may be misled. Gajra's real test will come on release, when critics and viewers judge whether the film earns its claim or exploits it. The fact that a lead actor is framing the conversation this way before the film even has a release date is either unusually principled or unusually savvy marketing — possibly both.
NationPress
29 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the film Gajra about?
Gajra is a Marathi-language film directed by Shreyas Jadhav, starring Adah Sharma, and described as being based on true events. The film centres on human relationships and the consequences of choices people make, with Sharma noting that the incidents depicted continue to occur in real life. It is scheduled for release in 2027.
Why does Adah Sharma say Gajra is scary?
Sharma says the most unsettling aspect of Gajra is not that it is inspired by real events, but that it reminds audiences these situations are still happening around them — and that people choose not to talk about them.
What is Adah Sharma's view on 'based on true events' claims in films?
Sharma believes audiences are right to question such claims and that the label carries a responsibility. She has said it should never be used as a marketing gimmick, and that what drew her to Gajra was the sincerity of its storytelling rather than the label alone.
What is Adah Sharma's current release?
Sharma's current release is Governor: The Silent Saviour, starring National Award-winning actor Manoj Bajpayee. The film is inspired by the 1990 Indian economic crisis and the relationship between the Reserve Bank of India and the Government of India. It released on 12 June, produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah under Sunshine Pictures.
When will Gajra release in cinemas?
Gajra is slated to release in 2027. The film marks Adah Sharma's debut in Marathi cinema and is directed by Shreyas Jadhav.
