V. Shantaram Biography : Life | Childrens | Awards | Death

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V. Shantaram Biography

Life | Childrens | Awards | Death

V. Shantaram (original name Shantaram Rajaram Vankudre and fondly called Annasaheb) (1901-1990) was a legendary filmmaker from whose sensitive imagination, some indelible images of Indian cinema came. His films stood out for their originality and a passionate commitment to human values right from the days of black & white silent films to advent of sound and colour.

Birth

Shantaram was born on 18-11-1901 in Kolhapur in the state of Maharashtra, India. He was an Indian Film Director, Film Producer, Film Actor & Screenwriter who known for his work in Bollywood as well as in Marathi films.

Brief Biography

V Shantaram was born on 18 November 1901 in Kolhapur in a Jain family. He had married thrice. His daughter Madhura from his first wife Vimla is married to Pandit Jasraj.

His film career began doing small-time jobs in Maharashtra Film Company of Baburao Painter.

In 1921, V. Shantaram debuted as an actor in the silent movie Surekha Haran. For next six decades, he had an illustrious career of a film maker. V. Shantaram was one of the first film makers to realize films as media of social change and used it successfully for exposing bigotry and injustice. His work helped him to win many accolades including Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1985 and Padma Vibhushan in 1992. He died on 30 October 1990. The Central and Maharashtra state government instituted the V. Shantaram Award in his memory. This award is presented every year on 18th November.

Personal life

Shantaram was born in Kolhapur to a Marathi Jain family and he married thrice. His first marriage was to Vimla, with whom he has three children, son Prabhat Kumar, daughters Saroj and Charusheela, mother of actor Sushant Ray a.k.a. Siddharth Ray.

Shantaram then married actress Jayashree ( Kamulkar), with whom he had three children – Marathi film director and producer Kiran, actress Rajshree and Tejashree.

His third wife, actress Sandhya ( Vijaya Deshmukh) who  was his co-star in Do Aankhen Barah Haath as well as the heroine of his films like Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje, Navrang, Jal Bin Machhli Nritya Bin Bijli, and Sehra. Daughter Madhura(from his first marriage with Vimla) is married to Pandit Jasraj and is the mother of music director Shaarang Dev Pandit and TV presenter Durga Jasraj.

He introduced Rajshree and Jeetendra in the 1964 film Geet Gaya Patharon Ne. He also introduced his second wife Sandhya’s niece Ranjana Deshmukh into the Marathi film industry through Chandanachi Choli Ang Ang Jaali, directed by Kiran Shantaram in 1975. Ranjana dominated the Marathi silver screen in 70s and 80s.

Shantaram used to live at Panhala. His daughter Saroj has maintained his house and has converted it into a hotel named Valley View.

V. Shantaram children

These are children informations of V. Shantaram. Here is Follows –

From First Marriage

  V. Shantaram has three childrens from the First Marriage. Here is the names Follows –

  1. Prabhat Kumar (Son)
  2. Saroj(daughter)
  3. Charusheela(daughter)

From Second Marriage

Shantaram has three childrens from the Second Marriage. Here is the names Follows –

Kiran:

 She was an Marathi film director and producer

Rajshree

She was an Actress.

Tejashree

She was  also an Actress.

V. Shantaram Journey in Films

V. Shantaram
Image Source : Google

  V. Shantaram took up a job at a local tin-shed cinema for a sum of 5 rupees per month. Just four years later, he found himself debuting on the same silver screen as an actor in the silent film, Surekha Haran.

Shantaram directed his first film Netaji Palkar in 1929 and founded the Prabhat Film Company along with Vishnupant Damle, K.R. Dhaiber, S. Fatelal and S.B. Kulkarni, which made Ayodhyecha Raja, the first Marathi language film in 1932 under his direction. He left Prabhat co.

In 1942 to form “Rajkamal Kalamandir” in Mumbai. Shantaram had also garnered praise for his Marathi film Manoos. Fondly known as Annasaheb, V. Shantaram is associated with popular films like Dr. Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani (1946), Amar Bhoopali (1951), Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje (1955), Do Aankhen Barah Haath (1957), Navrang (1959), Duniya Na Mane (1937) and Pinjra (1972).

Career

V. Shantaram was born as Shantaram Rajaram Vankudre, V Shantaram is a renowned filmmaker, screenwriter, producer, and actor from India. He was lovingly known as Annasaheb.

Initially, in his career, V. Shantaram did some odd film jobs. He later debuted as an actor in the 1921 film Surekha Haran. V. Shantaram was one of the most celebrated of his time. His debut directorial venture was ‘Netaji Palkar’ in 1927. He later found Prabhat Film Company in 1929. After leaving Prabhat co., he founded Rajkamal Kalamandir in 1942, which became one of the most sophisticated, well-equipped studios of the time. V. Shantaram is recognized as one of the early film directors to realize the power of a film as a medium to propagate social concerns. V. Shantaram effectively advocated humanism with his movies. He also had a keen interest in music and he helped many of his music directors. Some of his well-known films include Surang, Toofan Aur Diya, Sehra, Stree, Pinjra, Aadmi,  Dharmatma, Manoos, Padosi and much more.

Shantaram was awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in the year 1985. He was conferred with the Padma Vibhushan in 1992. V. Shantaram has won several awards and accolades including All India Certificate of Merit for Best Feature Film, President’s Medal for Best Feature Film, Filmfare Award, Berlin International Film Festival Special Prize and others

His autobiography titled, ‘Shantarama’ was released in Hindi and Marathi. The Govt of India and State Government of Maharashtra constituted the V Shantaram Award. Also, film-makers are awarded by the V Shantaram Motion Picture Scientific Research and Cultural Foundation that was established in 1993.

V Shantaram Songs

Shantaram took a very active interest in the creation of his music. Some of his songs had to rehearse several times before they were approved by V. Shantaram. V. Shantaram performed so well that veteran actor Rajesh Khanna to praise him for his performance.

Some of Shantaram’s song were:

  • Aao Aao Honhaar Ho Pyaare Bachhe,
  • Ho Umad Ghoomad Kar Aai Re,
  • Mein Gaau Tu Chup Ho Jaa, Mein,
  • Saiyya Jhoothon Ka Bada Sartaaz,
  • Ae Maalik Tere Bande Hum.

Some of his songs have been sung by melody queen Lata Mangeshkar.

Source : Youtube

Shantaram Awards

These are various Awards of V. Shantaram. Here is Follows –

  1. In Year 1985: Dadasaheb Phalke Award.
  2. In Year 1992: Padma Vibhushan.
  3. In Year 1955 – All India Certificate of Merit for Best Feature Film – Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje.
  4. In Year 1955 – President’s Silver Medal for Best Feature Film in Hindi – Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje.
  5. In Year 1957 – President’s Gold Medal for the All India Best Feature Film – Do Aankhen Barah Haath.
  6. In Year 1957 – President’s Silver Medal for Best Feature Film in Hindi – Do Aankhen Barah Haath.
  7. In Year 1957: Filmfare Award for Best Director: Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje.
  8. In Year 1958: Berlin International Film Festival, OCIC Award: Do Aankhen Barah Haath.
  9. In Year 1958: Berlin International Film Festival, Silver Bear (Special Prize): Do Aankhen Barah Haath.

Nominated

  1. 1951: Cannes Film Festival, Grand Prize: Amar Bhoopali (The Immortal Song)
  2. 1958: Berlin International Film Festival, Silver Bear: Do Aankhen Barah Haath

Important Movies

These are various V. Shantaram Important movies. Here is Follows –

His movies as a actor include –

  1. Sinhagad (1923)
  2. Savkari Pash (1925)
  3. Stri (1961)
  4. Parchhain (1952)
  5. Do Ankhen Barah Haath (1957)

His movies as a producer include –

  1. Banwasi (1948)
  2. Sehra (1963)
  3. Geet Gaya Patharon Ne (1964)
  4. Ladki Sahyadri Ki (1966)
  5. Jal Bin Machhli Nritya Bin Bijli (1971)
  6. Raja Rani Ko Chahiye Pasina (1978)
  7. Jhanjhaar (1987)

Facts About V. Shantaram

V. Shantaram
Image Source : Google
  1. The popular bhajan “Ae malik tere bande hum” is from V. Shantaram’s Do Ankhen Barah Haath. This bhajan was written by Bharat Vyas and its music was given by Vasant Desai.
  2. In the movie Manoos, V. Shantaram used nights and shadows to enhance the narration. It was one of the pioneering technique in those days.
  3. India’s first children’s film Rani Sahiba (1930) was a product of V. Shantaram.
  4. India’s first colour film Sairandhari (1933) was also produced by V. Shantaram but technically, this was not a success. The film was coloured in Germany but the technique failed so it was released in black and white only. The first colour film to be produced and processed in India was Kisan Kanya (1937).
  5. In Amrit Manthan (1934), V. Shantaram became the first film maker to use telephoto lens. He is also credited for first film of India to be shown abroad (Dr. Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani).
  6. He also established two studios viz. Prabhat and Rajkamal.

Death

Shantaram died on 30 October 1990 in Mumbai. The V. Shantaram Award was constituted by Central Government and Maharashtra State Government. The V. Shantaram Motion Picture Scientific Research and Cultural Foundation, established in 1993, offers various awards to film makers. The award is presented annually on 18 November.

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