Overview
- In late June 2026 the Nationalist Congress Party’s Film and Cultural Department and Vithabai Narayangaonkar’s sons and grandson publicly asked Maddock Films and director Laxman Utekar to change the biopic’s title from Eetha to Vitha or Vithabai.
- NCP leader Babasaheb Patil says formal letters have been sent to the director and production house and that the makers have not issued a public response so far.
- Patil told reporters he was aware the production team is reportedly trying to resolve the matter and that the name 'Vithabai' may already be registered by a third party, which could require permission or a legal step to use.
- The film’s teaser — widely reported for showing a well known episode of the artist’s life — and the August 28, 2026 release timetable increase pressure because a title change would trigger legal, marketing and distribution costs.
- Vithabai Narayangaonkar is a nationally recognised Lavani and Tamasha icon, and the dispute reflects wider sensitivity in Maharashtra over how cultural figures are named and remembered, a dynamic that could shape screenings, public reaction and how future biopics are titled.