Ms.Sushama Shiromanee was born in Mumbai, Maharashtra. She is the first lady to be elected to many associations such as President of the Indian Motion Picture Producers Association (IMPPA), Distributors’ Association IMPDA, Chairperson FMC, Hon. Gen Sec – FFI. She has also been a CBFC board member and Chairperson. Oscar Film Selection Committee, and National and Panorama Award Screening Committee member. The boldest and most daring Actress, Producer, Writer, Director, and Distributor of Hindi, Marathi, and Gujarati films, she has made several super hits and Golden Jubilee films which gave a new lease of life to the Marathi male-oriented film industry. She was honored with the Chittrapati V.Shantaram Jeevangaurav Puraskar (Life Time Achievement) by the Govt. of Maharashtra. She is also running a post-production studio, Real Touch Studio Pvt. Ltd.
At the 77th Cannes Film Festival 2024, Imppa participated in the first International Festival in France, for the first time, under the title IMPPA at International Festivals (2024) in collaboration with the CII India Pavilion. A chat with the dynamic lady,
How did your stint in the industry begin?
I was put in a school as a child for studies where in I performed dances which was noticed by many film people who casted me as a child star in their films like Lajwanti and Sone Ki Chidiya and when I grew up I was noticed for my beauty and I was cast as a heroine in many mythological films and acted with stalwart directors like Datta Mane and Raja Paranjape as a child actor in Kaka Mala Vachwaa and other films like
Jyoti (1968)
Satiche As Van (1968)
Sati Sulochana (1968)
Talash (1969 film)
Balram Shri Krishna(1968)
Fareb (1968)
Sati Arudhanti (1968)
Yethe Shahane Rahtat (1968)
Jung Aur Aman (1968)
How did you get into film production and direction?
One fine day I was on the sets just conversing and one new producer was present who couldn’t complete his film and he sold the project to us called Tevdha Sodun Bola which we completed inspite of many difficulties and we later realised that we cant get the subsidy for our Marathi film as the stipulation was that subsidy can be granted only to the second Marathi film so we produced our second Marathi film and it went so on and on and I later produced and acted in many films like
Chitamani Surdas (1988)
Bijli (1986)
Inteqam Ki Aag (1986)
Sonal Sundari (1985)
Gulchhadi(1984)
Bhannat Bhanu (1982)
Mosambi Narangi (1981)
Fatakadi (1980)[13]
Maan Apmaan (1979)
Kanchan ane Ganga (1978)
Jai Ambe Maa (1977)
Jai Randal Maa (1977)
Bhingari (1977)
Badla (1977)
Hum Kisise Kum Naheen ( 1977)
Bajrangbali (film) (1976)
Daku Aur Bhagwan (1975)
Chowkidar (1974)
Tevdha Shodun Bola (1974)
Haath Lavin Tithe Sona (1973)
Kaadu Makrani (1973) Gujarati
Mahashivratri (1972)
Paathrakhin (1972)
Narad Leela (1972)
Mai Mauli (1971)
Daam Kari Kaam (1971)
Mai Mauli (197)
Purani Pehchan (1971)
Sampoorna Devi Drashan (1971)
Maa Ka Aanchal (1970)
Sampoorna Teerth Yatra (1970)
Begunah (1970)
Sawan Bhadon (1970)
Gulchhadi (1984)
Bijli (1986)
Bhannat Bhanu (1982)[9]
Mosambi Narangi (1981)
Fatakadi(1980)
Bhingari(1976)
Hindi films as a producer
Prem Geet 3 (2022)
Kanoon(1994)]
Pyar Ka Karz (1990)
Hindi and Marathi films as a director
Kanoon (1994 film)[
Sonal Sundari (1985) Guajrati
Gulchhadi (1984)
Bhannat Bhanu (1982)
How was your experience producing and directing Hindi films?
It was great to work with big stars like Dharmendra ,Mithun, Sonam in Pyaaar Ka Karz and directing and writing a big film like Kanoon with Ajay Devgn.
You were also the IMPPA President?
It was a great honor for me to grace the chair held by greats like Mehboob Khan and I am also grateful to the Committee members to give me the maximum number of votes for winning and Today I am the Vice President of IMPPA .
You also started the trend of item numbers.
Yes. I brought stars like Jeetendra and Rekha to perform song numbers in my flms.
Whats next ?
I am working on two Hindi films and one ,Marathi film.
The dignified lady signs off on that positive note.
