Pandit Bhimsen Gururaj Joshi, also known by the honorific prefix Pandit, was one of the greatest Indian vocalists 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.
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.
Prabha Atre was an Indian classical vocalist from the Kirana gharana. She was awarded all three of the Padma Awards by the Government of India. She died after experiencing breathing difficulty in the early hours and was taken to Dinanath Mangeshkar Hospital. She died from cardiac arrest before reaching the hospital. Atre died on 13 January 2024, at the age of 91.
Vikram Gokhale was an Indian film, television and stage actor, noted for his roles in Marathi theatre, Hindi films and television. He was the son of the Veteran Marathi theatre and film actor, Chandrakant Gokhale.
Ganesh Balawant Nawathe, better known as Pandit Jitendra Abhisheki, was an Indian vocalist, composer and scholar of Indian classical, semi-classical, and devotional music. While he distinguished himself in Hindustani music, he is also credited for the revival of the Marathi musical theatre in the 1960s. Abhisheki has been praised as being among the stalwarts of Hindustani classical music who mastered other musical forms such as thumri, tappa, bhajan, and bhavgeet. His work in Marathi natyasangeet is well-known.
Rahul Deshpande is an Indian classical music singer and actor. He is the recipient of a National Film Award, Filmfare Awards Marathi And Maharashtra State Film Awards for his work in Me Vasantrao. He is the grandson of Vasantrao Deshpande.
Suresh Ishwar Wadkar is an Indian playback singer. He performs in both Hindi and Marathi films. He has sung songs in some Bhojpuri films, Odia albums and bhajans and in Konkani films.
Subodh Bhave is an Indian actor, writer, producer and director who is known for his work in Marathi cinema. He has acted in many commercially successful and critically acclaimed Marathi movies. He is best known for his work in Ani... Dr. Kashinath Ghanekar, Balgandharva, Katyar Kaljat Ghusali. He recently portrayed Vikrant Saranjame aka Gajendra Patil in Zee Marathi's Tula Pahate Re.
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. ‘’ Ek Divas Mathakade एकदिवस मठाकडे ‘’ (2012) and ‘’ ठकीशी संवाद Thakishi Samvad’’ (2024) these two recent plays were directed by Nipun Dharmadhikari and Anupam Barve respectively. 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.
Chandrakant Kamat was a Hindustani classical tabla player of the Benares Tabla Gharana.
Sangeet Natak is a form of drama which combines prose and poetry in the form of songs to convey the story, similar to musicals. They have played a vital role in the development of Marathi theater and cinema, as well as the Indian film industry. Sangeet Nataks start with the praise of Lord Natraja, which is called Naandi, Mangalaacharan or Suchakpad – usually the famous "Panchatunda Nararundamaldhar" from Sangeet Shakuntal. They are popular for the 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.
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 abiram 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.
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 a Kathak classical dancer of Indian origin. He is a distinguished guide for one of the PhD programmes at the Tilak Maharashtra University, as well as at the Sri Sri Centre for Kathak Research (SSCARK) at Sri Sri University.
