India's entry for best foreign film at the Oscars 2004.
Based on a true story.
A school in Jogeshwari organized its children to make lamps and sell them and made a contribution of Rs. 30,000. Another group of students cleaned cars to collect some money. A division of standard 10 students in Nasik collected Rs. 10 each and their teacher added some more to donate Rs. 1001. A Marathi theatre group that performs the Marathi play Yada Kadachit collected around Rs. 65,000 to raise funds for in order to raise funds for Oscars.Megastar Amitabh Bachachan also contributed A Lakh .Siddhivinayak Mandir had kept a drop box to donate for films promotion.
Sachin Tendulkar auctioned his bat to raise money for the film when it entered Oscars.
Marathi cinema was going through rough patch this cinema gave a major turn to Marathi film industry.