Manasi Parekh turns 40, announces two films Mitrata and Adbhoot
Synopsis
On her 40th birthday, National Award-winning actress Manasi Parekh and husband Parthiv Gohil unveiled two completed films — Mitrata, a Gen Z-targeted drama, and Adbhoot, billed as India's first-ever simultaneously shot Gujarati-Marathi bilingual horror film. The announcement marks a significant step-up for their regional production ambitions after the success of Laalo.
Key Takeaways
Manasi Parekh announced two completed films — Mitrata and Adbhoot — on her 40th birthday .
Mitrata stars Viraj Ghelani and targets Gen Z audiences with a theatrical release.
Adbhoot is billed as the first film shot simultaneously in Gujarati and Marathi , starring Swapnil Joshi and Manasi Parekh ; scheduled for release early next year .
Both films are produced under the banner of Parekh and her husband, singer-producer Parthiv Gohil .
Parekh won the National Film Award for Best Actress in 2024 for Kutch Express , becoming the first Gujarati actress to receive the honour.
National Film Award-winning actress-producer Manasi Parekh marked her 40th birthday with a double announcement — revealing that two films under her production banner with husband and singer-producer Parthiv Gohil have been completed. The two projects, Mitrata and Adbhoot, signal an ambitious push into regional cinema across Gujarati and Marathi audiences.
The Two Films at a Glance
Mitrata features actor Viraj Ghelani alongside a young ensemble cast and is described as a fresh, youthful story aimed squarely at Gen Z viewers. The film is slated for a theatrical release, though a specific date has not been announced. Adbhoot, meanwhile, is a bilingual horror film being made simultaneously in Gujarati and Marathi — a first of its kind — starring Swapnil Joshi and Manasi Parekh in roles described as 'never-seen-before avatars.' Adbhoot is scheduled to release early next year.
What Manasi and Parthiv Said
Parekh underscored the experimental nature of Adbhoot, noting: 'Never before has a film been shot in both Gujarati and Marathi simultaneously, so that's an experiment we've undertaken with Adbhoot. Mitrata, on the other hand, has a very Gen Z vibe with its young and fun star cast.'
Gohil added: 'We are very excited to provide quality entertainment in regional cinema. After the success of Laalo, we are looking forward to Mitrata and Adbhoot reaching audiences. Both films are very diverse and completely different from each other.'
Why This Matters for Regional Cinema
The announcement comes against a backdrop of growing appetite for regional-language content across streaming and theatrical platforms. A Gujarati-Marathi bilingual horror film — if Adbhoot delivers on its positioning — would be a genuine first, potentially opening a cross-regional audience segment that has rarely been targeted simultaneously. Notably, this is not a debut bet: the duo previously produced the Gujarati film Laalo, which they cite as a benchmark for their current ambitions.
Manasi Parekh: Career in Brief
Parekh began her career with the television serial Kitni Mast Hai Zindagi in 2004 before gaining wider recognition through India Calling in 2005. She subsequently appeared in shows including Gulaal, Remote Control, and Laughter Ke Phatke. In April 2012, she featured in the Tamil romance film Leelai alongside actor Shiv Panditt, and made her Hindi film debut with Yeh Kaisi Life, which premiered at the IFFI Festival in Goa.
Her pivot to production began in 2019 with the Gujarati web series Do Not Disturb, followed by her Gujarati cinema debut in Golkeri in 2020. The career-defining moment came at the 70th National Film Awards in 2024, when she won the National Film Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Monghi in Kutch Express — making her the first Gujarati actress to receive the honour. Her subsequent horror comedy Jhamkudi was a commercial success, reinforcing her standing in the regional space.
What to Watch
With both films completed, the focus now shifts to release strategy and marketing. Whether Adbhoot can genuinely bridge Gujarati and Marathi theatrical markets will be a test case for cross-regional bilingual production in India.
Point of View
It could become a template for cross-regional co-productions that studios have long talked about but rarely executed. The risk is that bilingual releases often satisfy neither audience fully. Her National Award credibility gives the venture a floor of legitimacy, but the proof will be in the box-office arithmetic.
NationPress
10 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Manasi Parekh's two new films?
Manasi Parekh has announced Mitrata and Adbhoot, both produced under her banner with husband Parthiv Gohil. Mitrata is a youth-oriented drama starring Viraj Ghelani, while Adbhoot is a bilingual horror film in Gujarati and Marathi featuring Swapnil Joshi and Parekh herself.
What makes Adbhoot unique?
Adbhoot is reportedly the first Indian film to be shot simultaneously in both Gujarati and Marathi, making it a pioneering bilingual production in regional cinema. It is scheduled for release early next year.
Who is Manasi Parekh?
Manasi Parekh is an actress-producer who began her career in Hindi television in 2004. She won the National Film Award for Best Actress in 2024 for the Gujarati film Kutch Express, becoming the first Gujarati actress to receive the honour. She also produced the successful horror comedy Jhamkudi.
When will Mitrata and Adbhoot release?
Mitrata is slated for a theatrical release with no confirmed date yet, while Adbhoot is scheduled to release early next year, according to the announcement.
Who is Parthiv Gohil?
Parthiv Gohil is a singer-producer and husband of Manasi Parekh. Together they have previously produced the Gujarati film Laalo and now head the production banner behind both Mitrata and Adbhoot.
