Krantijyoti Vidyalay Marathi Madhyam () is a 2026 Indian Marathi-language social drama film written and directed by Hemant Dhome. The film stars an ensemble cast of Sachin Khedekar, Amey Wagh, Siddharth Chandekar, Prajakta Koli (Marathi debut), Kshitee Jog, Harish Dudhade and Kadambari Kadam in pivotal roles. The film highlights the significance of Marathi medium and depicts the challenges faced by Marathi schools in contemporary society.
The film was theatrically released on 1 January 2026 and opened to positive reviews. It was huge commercial success.
The narrative focuses on a Marathi medium school facing closure due to declining student numbers and societal preference for English medium education. Former students and teachers reunite to save the institution, rediscovering their shared memories, camaraderie, and cultural values. The film weaves nostalgic moments with a broader commentary on preserving regional language education.
The film was announced on 1 May 2025 by director Hemant Dhome. During promotion, Prajakta Koli described her role in the film as a "coming home" experience, marking her debut in Marathi cinema.
The principal photography commenced in Raigad district. The film shot across Konkan division and wrapped up filming in the mid September 2025 in Alibag.
The official teaser and trailer were released in late 2025, and the film was theatrically released on 1 January 2026.
The film will released on 27 February 2026 on ZEE5.
Aavishkar Gawande, a popular film critic and journalist gave 4 out of 5 stars and tweeted that film is heartwarming, fun and deeply nostalgic, just like our school memories. Kalpeshraj Kubal of Maharashtra Times gave 3.5 out of 5 stars and noted that the film effectively highlights the importance of Marathi medium education while evoking nostalgia associated with school life. The review appreciated the film's emotional narrative and performances, while also observing that its treatment remains rooted in social realism rather than melodrama.
Nandini Ramnath of Scroll.in wrote "The 149-minute movie takes too long to spell out its intent and then keeps wandering off after it has done so. The lack of tight, focused and coherent writing render an enjoyable film about a bunch of affable characters into a slog."
Shreyas Pande of The Hindu wrote "The plot often feels like two films, where the thread about the reunion of friends doesnâÂÂt quite merge with the social drama that it also aims to be. The co-existence is jarring, as some of these exchanges end up becoming didactic without resolve. An extended discussion takes place early on between the bunch about the practicality of having Marathi schools and the directness in the dialogues lessens the charm." He further adds that "the intensity of the music takes the film to an almost epic-like quality."
Payal Naik of Sakal writes that the film addresses the important issue of preserving the mother tongue and connects with the audience through its story, dialogues, and performances. The pace is good but the story feels slightly stretched at times. Sachin Khedekar stands out in his performance.
Anupama Gunde of Pudhari News awarded 4/5 stars and praised the film for "presenting sensitive topic in a nuanced way. However, the film feels very slow-paced, especially in the first half."
The film grossed â¹78.43 lakh on its opening day. During its first weekend, the film experienced significant growth and grossed over â¹3.91 crore. The six-day collection stood at â¹4.96 crore, rising to â¹6.14 crore by the end of its first week.
By the eleventh day, the film had collected â¹11.40 crore. Its second-week earnings reached â¹14.90 crore, while the net collection stood at approximately â¹16.95 crore, with a domestic gross of around â¹18.25 crore by the eighteenth day. In its third week, the film crossed â¹23 crore, and by the end of its fourth weekend, the total collection reached approximately â¹25 crore.
Reportedly Krantijyoti Vidyalay Marathi Madhyam delivered returns of nearly 500 percent within four weeks and crossed 600 percent returns by 50 days. The film grossed over â¹32.27 crore in seven weeks.
The sequel was announced by the makers at the honours ceremony on 5 February 2026.