Vibhawari Deshpande | |
|---|---|
 Deshpande in 2019 | |
| Born | Vibhawari Dixit Pune, Maharashtra, India |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, writer |
| Known for | Harishchandrachi Factory |
| Spouse | Hrishikesh Deshpande (m. 2001) |
| Children | 1 |
Vibhawari Deshpande is an Indian actress, writer and director who works in Marathi theatre and Marathi cinema.
Deshpande started her career with acting and off-screen works in college drama. She also attended various courses organised by National School of Drama, Delhi and workshops conducted by noted theatre personality Satyadev Dubey. While working for drama, she mainly worked off-screen in writing department. She has also written dialogues for the Marathi TV serial Agnihotra that aired on Star Pravaha.
Deshpande is active in theater with an Indo-German group "Grips" that produces plays for children. [1] Along with acting and writing scripts, she has also directed a Kannada play Gumma Banda Gumma. [2]
Deshpande received her first acting break for a cameo role as a receptionist in the multi-award-winning 2004 film Shwaas . Her next role came in Smita Talwalkar's production Saatchya Aat Gharat . Here she played the role of Ketaki, one of the seven college students around whom the story revolved. She also worked in one of the documentaries directed by Dr. Jabbar Patel.
She later on acted in a few Hindi films doing side roles. Her big break came in 2009 when she played the historical role of Saraswati Phalke, wife of the father of Indian cinema Dadasaheb Phalke, in the film Harishchandrachi Factory . Deshpande's role was of a supportive wife who helped her husband in his journey towards making India's first full-length feature film Raja Harishchandra . [3] She also received the Best Actress award by MICTA for her role of Saraswati. [4] In 2010, she played the role of Dwarka, wife of Guna, in the film Natarang . Based on the novel of same name by Anand Yadav, Dwarka's character was of a wife who dislikes her husband's involvement in Tamasha. [5] In 2011, Deshpande portrayed another historic role of wife of one of the greatest Marathi singers and stage actors, Bal Gandharva. Her role in the film supported the lead title role of Bal Gandharva, who enacted female roles in theater when women did not act. [6]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Shwaas | Receptionist | |
| 2004 | Saatchya Aat Gharat | Ketaki | |
| 2007 | Dum Kaata | Ananya's mother | Hindi film |
| 2008 | Mumbai Meri Jaan | Archana Kadam | Hindi film |
| 2009 | Harishchandrachi Factory | Saraswati Phalke, Dadasaheb Phalke's wife | |
| 2010 | Natarang | Dwaraka Kagalkar | |
| 2011 | Balgandharva | Laxmi, Balgandharva's wife | |
| 2011 | Deool | Poetya's sister-in-law | |
| 2012 | Chintoo | Chintoo's mother | |
| 2012 | Tuhya Dharma Koncha | Bhulabai | |
| 2013 | Postcard | Lisa Khamble | |
| 2017 | Tumhari Sulu | Constable | |
| 2017 | Tikli and Laxmi Bomb | Laxmi | |
| 2024 | Phullwanti | Avanti Devi |
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Sacred Games | Gaitonde's Mother |
| 2019 | Mayanagari: City of Dreams | Purushottam's Wife |
| 2020 | Breathe: Into the Shadows | Prakash Kamble's college friend |
| Criminal Justice: Behind Closed Doors | Mukta Tai |
| Title | Language | Role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| MH-12 Mukkam Post Pune | Marathi | Actress | [7] |
| Gumma Banda Gumma | Kannada | Director | [2] |
| Gayab Geet | Marathi | Director |
Born Vibhawari Dixit [8] and brought up in Pune, Maharashtra, India, Deshpande did her schooling at Garware High School, Pune. She did her graduation from Fergusson College in Arts and Mass Communication. Her father, Upendra Dixit runs the book store International Book Service set up by her grandfather in Pune in 1931 and her mother Maneesha Dixit was a scholar, writer and theater critic. Her grandmother Muktabai Dixit was also a famous writer and playwright in Marathi. [9]
Purushottam Laxman Deshpande, popularly known by his initials or as P. L. Deshpande, was a Marathi writer and humorist from Maharashtra. He was also an accomplished film and stage actor, script writer, author, composer, musician, singer and orator. He was often referred to as "Maharashtra's beloved personality".
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 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.
Prabhakar Panshikar also known as Pant was an actor on Marathi Stage. His character as Lakhoba Lokhande in the drama To Mi Navhech, written by Prahlad Keshav Atre is considered to be one of the immortal roles presented so far on the Marathi theatre. Five unique characters played in this drama To Mee Navhech made him famous in Marathi theatre and Maharashtra. He also performed Aurangzeb's role in a play Ithe Oshalala Mrutyu based on the death of Sambhaji Raje Bhosale. He was the owner of Natyasampada, a Marathi drama production organization.
Marathi Cinema, also known as Marathi film industry, is the segment of Indian cinema dedicated to the production of motion pictures in the Marathi language widely spoken in the state of Maharashtra. It is based in Mumbai. It is the oldest film industry of India and one of the leaders in filmmaking in the Indian film industry.
Vishnudas Bhave was the leading dramatist of Maharashtra, India and considered as pioneer of Marathi theatre. He was born in Sangli and he staged the first Marathi-language play Sita Swayamvar in Sangli in 1843. In this venture, Bhave was supported by the then king of the princely state of Sangli. After the success of the play Sita Swayamvar, Bhave staged plays on various other episodes of the Ramayana. He traveled with his troupes for the plays. He also ventured into puppet shows. Bhave died on 9 August 1901.
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.
Govind Purushottam Deshpande was a Marathi playwright and academic from Maharashtra, India.
Harishchandrachi Factory is a 2009 Indian Marathi-language biographical film written and directed by Paresh Mokashi. It is about Dadasaheb Phalke, who made the first Indian feature film Raja Harishchandra (1913), and starring Nandu Madhav as him and Vibhavari Deshpande as his wife Saraswati. Harishchandrachi Factory focuses on the struggle Phalke faced during its production.
Natarang, also spelled Natrang, is a 2010 Indian Marathi-language drama film directed by debutant Ravi Jadhav and starring Atul Kulkarni and Sonalee Kulkarni. Composer duo Ajay–Atul composed the original score and songs of the film.
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.
Balgandharva is a 2011 Indian Marathi-language biographical film on one of the Marathi singers and stage actors Narayan Shripad Rajhans, famously known as Bal Gandharva. The name was bestowed to Narayan by Lokmanya Tilak after listening to his public performance in Pune while he was very young.
Paresh Mokashi is an Indian filmmaker, producer, actor and Theatre director-producer; working predominantly in Marathi cinema and Marathi theatre. He started working as a backstage worker for theatre and did few minor roles for plays as well as films. Mokashi made his directorial debut for theatre with the Marathi play, Sangeet Debuchya Mulee in 1999. He continued to work for theatre and made his directorial debut for cinema with the 2009 Marathi feature film, Harishchandrachi Factory. The film depicts the making of India's first full-length feature film, Raja Harishchandra (1913), made by Dadasaheb Phalke. The film was acclaimed critically and won several awards. It was also selected as India's official entry to 82nd Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Language Film category.
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.
The Bal Gandharva Ranga Mandir is a drama theatre with an auditorium and exhibition hall located in Shivajinagar area of Pune, India. It is named after Marathi singer and stage actor, Bal Gandharva.
Sulabha Deshpande was an Indian actress and theatre director. Apart from Marathi theatre and Hindi theatre in Mumbai, she acted in over 73 mainstream Bollywood films. She also performed in art house cinema such as Bhumika (1977), Arvind Desai Ki Ajeeb Dastaan (1978), and Gaman (1978) as a character actor, along with numerous TV series and plays. A leading figure in the experimental theatre movement of the 1960s, she was associated with Rangayan, and personalities like Vijay Tendulkar, Vijaya Mehta, and Satyadev Dubey. In 1971, she co-founded the theatre group Awishkar with her husband Arvind Deshpande, and also started its children's wing, Chandrashala, which continues to perform professional children's theatre. In later years, she acted in serials such as Jee Ley Zara, Ek Packet Umeed, Asmita and in films such as English Vinglish (2012).
Suhasini Joshi, popularly known by her screen name Suhas Joshi, is a Marathi theater, film and television actress. She is also seen in many Bollywood films. She was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for 2018 for Acting.
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.
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.
Bhaurao Datar was an Indian silent film actor, popularly known for his role as the 17th century Maratha king Shivaji.