Pune-based Shreeram Ranade, 81, the recipient of two National Awards for education, and actor in famed Marathi play, Ghashiram Kotwal, feels the youth cannot be blamed for turning to the mobile phone as a primary reading tool. "Unless we write about catchy things and people, why will they leave their 'Netflixed' devices," asks the retired teacher, who is behind a 40-minute one-act on Umaji Naik Khomane (1791 – 1832). The rarely-recalled freedom fighter was the first to build a tiny army to counter foreign rule, leading the British to announce a booty for his capture. The dacoit-turned-revolutionary, belonging to the Ramoshi community, was ultimately hanged in Pune. Ranade feels Naik's valour has not been shared with the new generation as it should have with a mix of fable and history.

This is why Ranade responded earnestly to the Pranam Bharat Marathi one-act writing contest announced by the Mumbai-based Natyasampada Kala Manch, which is a young talent platform floated by theatre producer Anant Panshikar in 2013. Natyasampada was founded in 1963 by his uncle and late actor Prabhakar Panshikar, who made history with his five roles in Toh Mee Navhech. Since there was no age or location criteria nor restriction on number of entries, Ranade wrote two one-acts on Umaji Naik and Chandrashekhar Azad. "Naik is the Adya Krantiveer, the first in all senses; Azad (1906-1931) a firebrand youth who took to militant nationalism after his disappointment with Gandhi's Non-Cooperation Movement. He lived up to his name by remaining elusive till the end," recalls Ranade.