Pandit Bhimsen Gururaj Joshi, also known by the honorific prefix Pandit, was one of the greatest Indian vocalists from Karnataka, in the Hindustani classical tradition. He is known for the khayal form of singing, as well as for his popular renditions of devotional music. Joshi belongs to the Kirana gharana tradition of Hindustani Classical Music. He is noted for his concerts, and between 1964 and 1982 Joshi toured Afghanistan, Italy, France, Canada and USA. He was the first musician from India whose concerts were advertised through posters in New York City. Joshi was instrumental in organising the Sawai Gandharva Music Festival annually, as homage to his guru, Sawai Gandharva.
Ashok Saraf is an Indian actor and comedian, known for his work in Marathi and Hindi films along with theatre in both languages. Saraf has received several awards including four Filmfare Marathi Awards. He is referred to as the Mahanayak, Ashok Samrat or Mama of the Marathi film industry. In 2023, he received the Maharashtra Bhushan, the highest civilian honour in the Indian state of Maharashtra.
Narayan Shripad Rajhans, popularly known as Bal Gandharva, was a famous Marathi singer and stage actor. He was known for his roles as female characters in Marathi plays, since women were not allowed to act on stage during his time.
Rahul Deshpande is an Indian classical music singer. He is the recipient of a National Film Award for his work in Me Vasantrao. He is the grandson of Vasantrao Deshpande.
Bhaskar Raghunath Bakhale was a Hindustani classical vocalist, a composer, and a teacher.
Govind Ballal Deval (1855–1916) was a Marathi playwright from Bombay Presidency, British India.
Anand Bhate is an Indian classical vocalist from the Kirana gharana. He is popular for his classical singing of songs from the Marathi film Balgandharva (2011).
Satish Vasant Alekar is a Marathi playwright, actor, and theatre director. A founder member of the Theatre Academy of Pune, and most known for his plays Mahanirvan (1974), Mahapoor (1975), Atirekee (1990), Pidhijat (2003), Mickey ani Memsahib (1973), and Begum Barve (1979), all of which he also directed for the Academy. Along with Mahesh Elkunchwar and Vijay Tendulkar he is considered among the most influential and progressive playwrights in modern Marathi and Indian theatre.
Nitin Chandrakant Desai was an Indian art director, production designer, and film and television producer. He was most known for his work in Marathi and Hindi Films, World Cultural Festival 2016 at Delhi and films like, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999), Lagaan (2001), Devdas (2002), Jodhaa Akbar (2008) and Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (2015). During his career spanning twenty years, he worked with directors like Ashutosh Gowarikar, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani and Sanjay Leela Bhansali. In 2002, he turned film producer with Chandrakant Productions' Desh Devi, a devotional film on the Devi Mata of Kutch.
Taalyogi Pandit Suresh Talwalkar is an Indian musician who plays the percussion instrument Tabla.
Chandrakant Kamat was a Hindustani classical tabla player of the Benares Tabla Gharana.
Sangeet Natak in Marathi language literally means Musical Drama. As the name suggests, this form of drama combines prose as well as poetry in form of songs to convey the story. In a manner, they are very much similar to Musicals. Sangeet Natakas played a vital role in the development of Marathi theater and thus the Marathi cinema as well as Indian film industry. Sangeet Natak start with praise of Lord Natraja which is called as Naandi or Mangalaacharan or Suchakpad usually the famous one "Panchatunda Nararundamaldhar" from Sangeet Shakuntal. They are popular for use of Indian classical music. The "Dramatic Music" is called Natya Sangeet, one of the two popular forms of vocal arts in Maharashtra and surrounding states. The other is Bhavageet.
Sangeet Sharada is an 1899 Marathi Sangeet Natak, written and directed by playwright Govind Ballal Deval. The play is considered as the first play in Marathi to showcase the social problems and broke the norms by dealing with the subject of child marriage when dramatic literature in India mainly focused on historical-mythological narrations.
Anand Abhyankar was an Indian Marathi film, television and theatre actor. He starred in films such as Spandan (2012), Balgandharva (2011), Matichya Chuli (2006), Vaastav (1999) and Jis Desh Mein Ganga Rehta Hain. On television, he is known for his roles in Mala Sasu Havi, Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, Fu Bai Fu, Avaghachi Sansar and Asambhav. Abhyankar died on 24 December 2012 in a car crash.
Jaymala Shiledar (21 August 1926 – 8 August 2013) was an Indian Hindustani classical singer and theatre actress. She had appeared in many sangeet nataks where she played various roles. Along with singing for the roles she played, she had also composed music for some. In the career span of over 50 years, she appeared in more than 4500 shows. She was married to co-actor singer Jayaram Shiledar along with whom she established a production banner of "Marathi Rangabhoomi". The pair together is credited for revamping the Marathi music industry. She was presented with Padma Shri award in 2013.
Abhiram Bhadkamkar is an Indian actor, director and writer. He mainly worked as a writer in different films, serials and plays. Some of his famous films, as a writer are Balgandharva, Pachadlela, Aai, Khabardar, A Rainy Day, Paulwaat and many more. His famous Marathi plays, as a writer, are Dehbhan, Altun Paltun, Pahuna, Sukhanshi Bhandato Amhi, Ladi Najariya, Hasat Khelat, Jyacha Tyacha Prashna and many more. His plays are performed in Hindi, Kannada and Gujarati in addition to Marathi theatre. A film directed by him is Aamhi Asu Ladke, presented and well received in many international and national film festivals. His collection of stories and novels are published by publishers/ publications of repute. His acting in films has won accolades. He acted in different Marathi and Hindi films and TV serials.
Abhiram has written story of upcoming Marathi comedy film Jalsa.
Tulsidas Borkar was an Indian composer and harmonium player. The Government of India awarded him the civilian honour of the Padma Shri in 2016.
Ramdas Shantaram Kamat was an Indian musician. He worked in Sangeet Natak, Marathi theatre.
Krishnaji Ganesh Phulambrikar (1898–1974), popularly known as Master Krishnarao, was a musical genius - an Indian vocalist, classical musician and composer of Hindustani music. He was credited with the creation of three Hindustani ragas and several bandishes. Phulambrikar, a recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship, was also the music composer of several movies, including Dharmatma, a 1935 Hindi film starring Bal Gandharva, a renowned Marathi singer and Padosi, a 1941 directorial venture of V. Shantaram. The Government of India awarded him the third highest civilian honour of the Padma Bhushan, in 1971, for his contributions to music.
Nandkishore Kapote is Kathak Classical dancer, of Indian origin. He is a distinguished guide for a PhD programme in Tilak Tilak Maharashtra University and Sri Sri Centre for Kathak Research (SSCARK) at Sri Sri University.
