Shraddha Kapoor will have to make audiences wait a little longer for Eetha. The Laxman Utekar-directed period drama, which was originally scheduled to arrive in cinemas on August 28, has now been pushed to December 4, 2026. Maddock Films announced the new date with a fiery message asking audiences to get ready for the “storm” that the film promises to bring.
The postponement changes the film’s position in what was shaping up to be a busy late-August theatrical window. Eetha will no longer arrive around the same time as Yash’s highly anticipated Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups, which has been locked for an August 26 worldwide release after several earlier delays.
For Shraddha, however, the extra time could be useful for a film that is attempting something considerably different from her recent mainstream appearances. Eetha is based on the life of Vithabai Narayangaonkar, one of Maharashtra’s most celebrated Lavani and Tamasha performers, and its teaser has already given audiences a glimpse of the physically and emotionally demanding role Shraddha has taken on.
Eetha Moves From August To December
Maddock Films confirmed the new theatrical date with the line, “TOOFAN ke liye taiyaar rehna… kyunki #EETHA aa rahi hai, 4th December ko.” The announcement does not give a specific reason for the postponement, so there is no need to assume that the change was made because of a particular production problem or another film.
The new December date gives Eetha a completely different release environment. Instead of competing for attention during the crowded August period, the film will now enter the final stretch of the year, when audiences are often looking for larger theatrical releases and prestige projects. Whether the December window ultimately benefits the film will depend on the competition around it and the promotional campaign Maddock builds in the months ahead.
The change also removes the direct timing issue with Toxic. Yash’s Geetu Mohandas-directed action drama has been scheduled for August 26, placing it just two days before Eetha’s original August 28 date. With Eetha now moving to December, Shraddha’s film gets more breathing room rather than having to fight for screens and audience attention against a major pan-India star vehicle.
Interestingly, Toxic itself has already gone through multiple release-date changes. The film was previously planned for March before moving again, eventually settling on August 26, making the calendar around these two projects particularly fluid.
Shraddha’s Teaser Has Already Created Buzz
The delay comes after Eetha made a strong first impression with its teaser. Released in June and initially screened in theatres alongside Cocktail 2, the footage introduced Shraddha in a dramatically different avatar as a Lavani performer inspired by Vithabai.
The most striking sequence follows Eetha while she is nine months pregnant. As performers take the stage, the crowd begins demanding that Eetha perform, even as she is shown backstage dealing with severe labour pains. A warning voice tells her that she could die if she goes ahead, but she refuses to simply walk away from the performance.
The teaser then turns that moment into a statement about Eetha’s determination. After giving birth, she is shown returning to the stage, with the visuals building toward the idea that her strength and presence are impossible for the audience to ignore. The final voiceover calls her a “toofan”, establishing the larger-than-life image the film wants to create around its central character.
That particular episode is rooted in one of the most extraordinary stories associated with Vithabai Narayangaonkar. Historical accounts of the performer describe her giving birth backstage during a performance and returning to the stage soon afterwards, a story that has become central to the public memory of her extraordinary commitment to Tamasha.
Shraddha’s transformation has therefore become one of the film’s biggest talking points even before its release. The role requires her to step into Maharashtra’s folk-performance culture rather than simply recreate the appearance of a historical personality, making the December release an important test of whether the film can turn that early curiosity into theatrical interest.
Who Was Vithabai Narayangaonkar?
At the heart of Eetha is Vithabai Bhau Mang Narayangaonkar, a celebrated name in Maharashtra’s Lavani and Tamasha traditions. She came from humble circumstances and eventually became one of the most respected performers associated with the folk-theatre form. Her story is not simply one of fame, however, because her career was shaped by the difficult realities faced by performers working within a demanding and often unforgiving industry.
Her contribution to folk arts received national recognition, including honours associated with the President of India in 1957 and 1990. The Government of Maharashtra later instituted the Vithabai Narayangaonkar Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006 in her memory, further cementing her place in the state’s cultural history.
Her personal story also carries a strong element of hardship. Despite becoming a respected name in Lavani and Tamasha, reports about her life describe financial struggles during her later years. Her artistic legacy continued through her family, with her children and other relatives also remaining connected to Lavani and Tamasha performance.
That background gives Eetha a larger purpose than simply presenting another celebrity biopic. The film is attempting to introduce a major figure from Maharashtra’s folk culture to a much wider Hindi-speaking and pan-Indian audience. Maddock Films itself describes the project as a historical biographical musical feature following Vithabai’s journey from humble beginnings to becoming one of Maharashtra’s celebrated folk-theatre artists.
Eetha Already Had One Controversy
The release postponement is not the first major development surrounding the film. Before the current date change, Eetha faced a title controversy after members of Vithabai’s family and representatives associated with the Nationalist Congress Party objected to the title.
The concern was that a film about such an important cultural figure should carry her recognised name, with calls for the project to be titled Vithabai instead of Eetha. The objection attracted attention in Maharashtra because the title itself became part of the discussion about how the legendary performer’s legacy should be represented on screen.
That dispute, however, later appeared to have been resolved. Director Laxman Utekar spoke with Vithabai’s family and explained the reasoning behind the title, after which the family objection was reported to have been withdrawn. One explanation given for “Eetha” was that it was an affectionate rural pronunciation or name used for Vithabai in places where she performed.
This history makes the December release even more interesting. The film has already generated conversation before audiences have seen the finished product, first through Shraddha’s transformation, then through the title dispute and now through the release-date change. The challenge for Maddock Films will be turning that attention into sustained interest without allowing the surrounding conversations to overshadow the actual story.
The film also reunites Shraddha with Maddock Films after their enormously successful association with the Stree franchise, although Eetha is a very different proposition. Here, the studio is moving into a period biographical drama rooted in regional folk culture, while Laxman Utekar is following his previous historical success with Chhaava with another story drawn from Indian history and culture. The director is also credited as the filmmaker behind Eetha, with Kshitij Patwardhan as its writer on Maddock Films’ official film listing.
Randeep Hooda and Anant Joshi are also part of the cast, adding further weight to a film that appears designed as a performance-driven historical drama rather than a conventional commercial entertainer. The production reportedly completed a 60-day schedule, including a large montage sequence involving around 800 people, suggesting that the makers have invested considerable scale into recreating the world surrounding Vithabai’s performances.
For now, December 4 is the date audiences should mark. The August release is officially out of the picture, and the postponement means Eetha now has a chance to build its campaign over several additional months. If the teaser’s reception is any indication, Shraddha Kapoor’s transformation will remain the centrepiece of that campaign, but the real test will be whether the finished film can make Vithabai’s remarkable life feel as powerful on the big screen as the story itself sounds.
Shraddha Kapoor’s Eetha: Questions Answered
When will Shraddha Kapoor’s Eetha release?
Eetha is now scheduled to release in theatres on December 4, 2026. The film was previously set for August 28 before Maddock Films announced the postponement.
Why was Eetha postponed?
Maddock Films has announced the new December 4 date but has not publicly provided a specific reason for the postponement in the material available for this report. It is therefore better not to attribute the change to production issues or competition without confirmation.
Who is Shraddha Kapoor playing in Eetha?
Shraddha Kapoor plays a fictionalised screen version of legendary Maharashtra Lavani and Tamasha performer Vithabai Narayangaonkar. The film follows the artist’s rise from humble beginnings and explores her struggles and contribution to folk theatre.
What is the famous childbirth scene in Eetha?
The teaser recreates a remarkable episode associated with Vithabai’s life in which she reportedly went into labour during a performance, gave birth backstage and returned to the stage soon afterwards. The sequence is one of the key dramatic moments shown in the teaser.
Who directed Eetha?
The film is directed by Laxman Utekar, with Kshitij Patwardhan credited as writer by Maddock Films. Utekar previously directed Chhaava, another historical drama.
Who else stars in Eetha?
The film features Shraddha Kapoor in the lead along with Randeep Hooda, Anant Joshi and other performers. Maddock Films describes the project as a historical, biographical and musical feature.
Why was the title Eetha controversial?
Vithabai Narayangaonkar’s family and NCP representatives had objected to the title because they felt the legendary artist’s recognised name should be reflected in the film’s title. The issue later appeared to be resolved after Laxman Utekar explained the meaning and origin of “Eetha” to the family.
