At the first-ever Marathi pop culture festival, BhaDiPa turned nostalgia into theatre with a memorable tribute to its cult digital series Casting Couch with Amey & Nipun. The special segment, titled “Casting Couch cha Smarnarth,” became one of the most talked-about moments at RADA Festival 2026, as the creators bid a symbolic farewell to the couch that helped redefine Marathi digital entertainment.
What began as a bold experiment in 2016 — replacing polite celebrity interviews with awkward honesty and unscripted humour — evolved into a format that audiences loved for its rawness. Over three seasons and more than 10 million views, the show brought together an eclectic mix of guests, from Bollywood names like Madhuri Dixit-Nene and Anurag Kashyap to Marathi stars like Sai Tamhankar and the music duo Ajay-Atul.
The tribute featured Amey Wagh, Nipun Dharmadhikari, and BhaDiPa co-founder Sarang Sathaye taking centre stage — this time on the receiving end of a playful roast before Amey reclaimed the mic with his trademark wit.
Reminiscing about the early days, Amey said, “We were strugglers at the time, and no matter how hard we try now, we just can’t act like strugglers anymore.” Sarang added an emotional note, saying, “Ten years ago, we never thought BhaDiPa would become such a huge thing and we will be here.”
The highlight of the evening was the official “Shraddhanjali” to the couch. The trio garlanded the iconic sofa and sat together in silence for 30 seconds — a dramatic yet humorous farewell that perfectly captured the spirit of the show. The crowd joined in the nostalgia as the creators interacted with fans, distributed exclusive merchandise, and even broke into a lively dance performance to the viral track Saheli Jaycha.
Despite the mock funeral theme, the mood remained celebratory. The segment reminded audiences how a simple sofa became the industry’s most unapologetic hot seat, and how Casting Couch with Amey & Nipun paved the way for unfiltered storytelling in the Marathi content space.
The show may have come to an end, but as BhaDiPa proved at RADA 2026, the “Dhingana” is far from over.
