Sairat has become an iconoclastic movie of Marathi film industry. Retaining all the elements of stereotypical commercial films, but still managing to outdo them in every department, Sairat has become a phenomenon in the growing film industry. It is now safe to say that the film has become the face of Marathi cinema.

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After the earth-shattering success of Sairat, many heads turned towards the director Nagraj Manjule, who has already left a mark with his National Award-winning short film Pitsulya, and his debut feature film Fandry. But Sairat turned him into an overnight star of Marathi cinema. The director was not only seen as a brilliant filmmaker but as a crusader of Dalit struggle and the feminist movement. However, the recent allegations by his ex-wife have dented his image and has questioned his reputation.

In an exclusive interview to The Quint, Nagraj's ex-wife Sunita Manjule has accused the director of mental and physical abuse. She has said that the couple got married when they were teenagers, and Nagraj left to pursue his films-studies leaving her back in his house.

Sunita said everything changed for her when Nagraj won the National Award for his short film Pistulya. She said she was locked inside the house when Nagraj and his family left for the award ceremony. "Not only did they go without me, they also locked me inside the house while they were leaving. I didn't know what to do. I was at a loss for words," she said.

The director, according to her, became increasingly indifferent towards her after getting famous. Later, the director filed for a divorce in 2012, and the couple settled for a deal in 2014. Sunita cried foul play even in the divorce proceedings, "I was made to sign papers which I could barely understand, and a demand draft of Rs 7 lakhs was given as the settlement sum, out of which our lawyer, above his payments, took away Rs 1 lakh. Later, I came to know that I would have no right on his property, alimony or his life. I was told this was all I could get," she said.

She also accuses the director of forcing her to go for an abortion more than two times. "Every time I would ask him about having a child, he would scold me that it wouldn't be possible because he can't afford to get bogged down by familial ties, when he has filmy dreams to chase.This is why he made me go for 2-3 abortions," she accused.

These allegations on the director has shocked the industry and his fans. The other side of the story is yet to be known since the director has not come out to voice his version.