“We All Belong to the Same Race”: Renuka Shahane on Acceptance and the Power of Cinema

Veteran actor and director Renuka Shahane delivered a powerful message of unity and empathy while speaking to the media at the Kashish Pride Film Festival in Mumbai. Reflecting on societal divisions, Shahane emphasized that fear of the unfamiliar — whether rooted in religion, caste, language, or identity — often fuels prejudice, and that the antidote lies in recognizing our shared humanity.

 

"I think that whatever we are not... we find something which is not like us, we feel, ‘Oh my god, this is so scary.’ But we need to shift our focus," she said. "We all are one, and we all belong to the same race — human beings. There is no other differentiation in it. This is the most important thing, and we need to keep on repeating it."

 

Speaking about the importance of pride film festivals like Kashish, Shahane applauded the event for providing a vital platform to stories from the LGBTQ+ community — stories that foster awareness, empathy, and, most importantly, acceptance. "Films are such a powerful and empowering medium to change the way people think or feel," she said. "Not everyone reads about these issues, but watching something on screen — that has a bigger impact."

 

Shahane concluded by highlighting that the goal isn't just visibility, but emotional resonance. "The more people watch these stories, the more comfortable and easy-going they become with identities different from their own," she said. "I think the main element is acceptance." Her words echo a broader cultural need: for inclusive narratives that don’t just ask for tolerance, but encourage belonging — a reminder that cinema, at its best, doesn’t just entertain; it transforms.

 

On the work front, Renuka Shahane is currently basking in the success of Devmanus, helmed by Tejas Prabha Vijay Deoskar and produced by Luv Ranjan and Ankur Garg under Luv Films, also starring Mahesh Manjrekar, Subodh Bhave, and Siddharth Bodke, the film is an adaptation of the 2022 Hindi film Vadh.

 

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