Jayshree Gadkar


Jayshree Gadkar was an Indian actress who worked in Marathi and Hindi language films. She is regarded as one of the greatest stars of Marathi cinema. Cited as the "first female superstar" of Marathi cinema, she was the recipient of various accolades, including six Maharashtra State Film Awards, a Zee Chitra Gaurav Puraskar, and a Rasrang Phalke Puraskar. Jayshree's career spanned over 45 years in a wide range of genres. She often playing strong-willed women. In 2003, Jayshree was honoured with the V. Shantaram Award, Maharashtra's highest award in the field of cinema.

Personal life

Jayshree was born into a Gaud Saraswat Brahmin family at Kanasgiri near Karwar in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka, India. She married Bal Dhuri, a theatre actor best known for his portrayal of Dashratha in Ramanand Sagar's TV serial, Ramayana. She also published an autobiography, Ashi Mi Jayshri.

Career

She began her career as a child dance artist. She entered films as a tamasha dancer in movies. Her first role was that of a group dancer in V. Shantaram's Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje in 1955, which featured Sandhya as the leading lady. Later, well known Marathi film Director Dinkar D. Patil cast her in a small role with dance in his Marathi film Disat Tasa Nasat, opposite Raja Gosavi. This was followed by Sangtye Aika, a tamasha–based movie which was the first in which she played a leading role. This helped her gain fame and recognition and she started doing heroine roles. She eventually became one of the most successful and prolific heroines in the history of the Marathi film industry.
Jayshree acted in about 250 films over a period of four decades. Her filmography was varied and included a rich repertoire of tamasha stories as also mythologicals in addition to socials and love stories.
In later years, Jayshree turned film director. Her directorial efforts include Saasar Maher and Ashi Asavi Saasu. She also acted in Ramanand Sagar's TV Series Ramayana, as Kaushalya along with her husband Bal Dhuri, who was Dasharath. Her home is adorned with the photo of both in Ramayana costume. Her Autobiography Ashi Me Jayshree was published in 1986.

Awards