Photo: Live Mint If you have someone to thank for the amazing way in which the world of cinema has evolved, it is one person who initiated it -‘Annasaheb’ V. Shantaram. On his birthday today, let’s know a little more about the man and his films.
Today is the legendary filmmaker’s 116th birth anniversary. Even Google has made a doodle in honour of the man.
V. Shantaram’s life was full of dramatic twists and turns. His full name is Shantaram Rajaram Vankurde. He was born in Kolhapur on November 18, 1921 to a Marathi Jain family. He had three wives and had three children each from the first two marriages. His third wife was actress Sandhya (Vijaya Deshmukh).
His daughter, Madhura, from his first wife Vimla, is married to Pandit Jasraj.
It is said that he introduced Rajshree and Jeetendra in 1964 in the film Geet Gaya Patharon Ne.
At first, he did odd jobs at the Maharashtra Film. Co which was owned by film director, Baburao Painter in Kolhapur.
In 1921, he debuted in a silent film titled ‘Surekha Haran’. And in 1927, he directed his first film, ‘Netaji Palkar’. He found Prabhat Film Company. After that, for six whole decades, the man taught the world how to use movies as a medium to bring out social change in the society. Some of his very famous and brilliant films are Dharamatma (1935), Amar Bhoopali (1951), Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje (1955), Do Aankhen Barah Haath (1957) and Navrang (1959). His last film was in 1987 titled ‘Jhanjhar’.
According to Yahoo, Charlie Chaplin once praised V. Shantaram for his Marathi film ‘Manoos (1939)’.
Very few people know that V. Shantaram had a keen interest in music. Some say that the man wrote music for many film directors without taking credit for it.
He was awarded the Padma Vibhusan in 1992. Before that, in 1985, he was awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. A postage was also released in his name in 2001 by India Post after he passed way in 1990.
We honour ‘Annasaheb’ – as he was fondly called – today.
