'Ladki Bahin' Tambe's Uma uses Maharashtra scheme to start business
Ladki Bahin, a new Marathi film released on Friday, May 15, 2026, dives into how Maharashtra's Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojna is changing lives for women from less privileged backgrounds.
The story follows Uma, played by Smita Tambe, as she uses the scheme's support to kickstart her own pickle business.
'Ladki Bahin' ₹1.25cr cleared after censorship
Made on a ₹1.25 crore budget and now showing in around 122 screens across Maharashtra (with an expected cameo from influencer Gautami Patil), Ladki Bahin faced some early censorship issues over the use of leaders' names, scheme and government logos, and the film's title but got cleared after a letter from deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde.
The welfare scheme it highlights was a big factor in helping the Mahayuti alliance win elections, originally reaching 24.3 million women, though that number dropped to 17.7 million after concerns about misuse and the pruning of the beneficiary list post-elections.