Sachin Pilgaonkar


Sachin Pilgaonkar, often known mononymously by his screen name Sachin, is an Indian actor, director, producer, writer and singer of Marathi and Hindi films. He has directed and acted in several Marathi films of the late 1980s and early 1990s.
He has received several awards including seven Maharashtra State Film Awards, two National Film Awards and two Filmfare Awards Marathi.
Starting as a child in the Marathi film industry, Ha Majha Marg Ekla, he went on to work in around 65 films as a child artist, before switching to adult roles, and being part of highly successful films like Geet Gaata Chal, Balika Badhu, Ankhiyon Ke Jharokhon Se and Nadiya Ke Paar as a lead actor and he became a household name in India. He has worked in Hindi, Marathi and also in Kannada cinema and Bhojpuri cinema, and has acted, produced, and directed successful comedy shows on Indian television, including Tu Tu Main Main and Kadvee Khatti Meethi. He also directed several hit Marathi Films starting with Mai Baap, Navri Mile Navryala was the biggest box office hit. Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi and Aamchya Sarkhe Aamhich were superhit at the box office. Navra Mazha Navsacha were hits as well. In 2007 Sachin also made his debut in the Kannada film industry in the film Ekadantha which was a remake of his own movie Navra Mazha Navsacha, with Kannada star Vishnuvardhan.
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Early and personal life

Sachin was born in Bombay in a Goan Konkani family from Pilagaon, Goa. His father Sharad Pilgaonkar was a film producer, and also managed a printing business in Mumbai.
He is married to actress Supriya Pilgaonkar, whom he first directed for his debut Marathi film, Navri Mile Navryala and subsequently became successful pair in Marathi cinema. The couple has a daughter, Shriya Pilgaonkar.

Career

Films

Pilgaonkar started his film career as a child artist. He was to act in Madhavrao Shinde's 1961 film Soonbai, but the plans did not work out. He was then chosen for Raja Paranjape's Marathi film, Ha Maza Marg Ekla at the age of four, for which he won the National Award. Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan handed him the award. As a child actor, he first appeared in the Dharmendra-Meena Kumari starrer Majhli Didi, directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee, and also appeared in prominent films such as Jewel Thief, Chanda Aur Bijli, Brahmachari and Mela. He worked closely with the then fellow child actor, Naeem Sayyed, with whom he first acted in the Shammi Kapoor-starrer Brahmachari at the age of eight. They did 15 films together as child artists.
He switched to playing lead roles for a brief time with Rajshri Productions' Geet Gaata Chal, for which he was cast opposite Sarika. The film's unexpected success made them a lead pair for other films. The pair went on to work in Zid, College Girl, Rajshri Productions and Nadiya Ke Paar.
With Trishul, he switched back to supporting roles and was part of successful movies such as Sholay, Avtaar, Sur Sangam and Satte Pe Satta, but as the demand for roles reduced he took to direction, making Marathi movies and producing TV serials. He is one of the most well-known Marathi film directors. In 1992, he directed Subhash Ghai's Prem Deewane, and in 1996 directed Aisi Bhi Kya Jaldi Hai.
In 2011 he directed and starred in Jaana Pehchana, which is a sequel to Sachin's earlier blockbuster film Ankhiyon Ke Jharokhon Se.
He acted in the 2015 film Katyar Kaljat Ghusli based on the play of the same name, playing Khasaheb Aftab Hussain. The role required him to speak in only Urdu, with which he was comfortable thanks to his training in the language by Meena Kumari in 1966 while together working on the film Majhli Didi. He also credits Sanjeev Kumar for helping him with the practicing of difficult scenes and Hrishikesh Mukherjee for teaching him to edit films.
Sachin, along with Laxmikant Berde, Ashok Saraf and Mahesh Kothare formed a successful quartet, starring in several hit movies in Marathi cinema in the 1980s and 1990s.

Television

Pilgaonkar turned to Indian Television in the 1990s, when he directed Hindi comedy show Tu Tu Main Main on Hindi National channel Star Plus, which starred his wife Supriya and Reema Lagoo. He also directed a show Rin 1 2 3 on the Hindi National channel DD Metro, which used to show parodies of Bollywood movies. He also directed the sitcom, Hadh Kar Di starring Dara Singh, which too initially did well, but later was pulled off. In the meantime, he also anchored Hindi music shows like Chalti Ka Naam Antakshari on Star Plus and various other events and Marathi film award ceremonies. In 2006, he, along with his wife, Supriya, won the Hindi dance Reality Show Nach Baliye, pocketing Rs. 4 million, beating nine other celebrity contestant pairs.
In late 2007, he started a new program on Zee Marathi, known as Eka Peksha Ek, which is based on dance, finding hidden talent in all the areas of the state of Maharashtra.
He appeared as a judge of the reality comedy talent show, Chhote Miyan on Colors TV.

Direction

Pilgaonkar has also been directing Marathi films since the 1980s. He started directing with Mai Baap which received critical acclaim but started tasting commercial success only with 1984's Navri Mile Navryala, which also starred his future wife, Supriya Pilgaonkar. Further films like Gammat Jammat and Maza Pati Karodpati cemented his place in the Marathi film industry. Further, he tasted major success in 1988's Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi, which starred himself and the two reigning superstars of Marathi cinema, Ashok Saraf and Laxmikant Berde. The movie was a runaway hit, establishing Sachin as a hitmaker. He then changed track to the experimental cinema with the next two films but returned to comedy with Aamchya Sarkhe Aamhich which proved to be yet another super hit. He directed Berde's son Abhinay Berde in the 2018 film Ashi Hi Aashiqui, produced by Supriya Pilgaonkar. In 2024, he produced and directed Navra Maza Navsacha 2, the sequel to the 2004 film Navra Maza Navsacha, which starred Swapnil Joshi, Hemal Ingle, Supriya Pilgaonkar, himself, and Ashok Saraf in leading roles.

Other pursuits

In 2017, Sachin wrote his autobiography during the completion of 50 years of his film career titled Hach Maza Marg. For noted director Govind Nihalani's directorial debut in Marathi with the 2017 film Ti Ani Titar, Sachin wrote a ghazal titled "Badal jo ghir ke aaye" under the pseudonym of Shafaq.
In 2018, Sachin starred in the song Amchi Mumbai Changali Mumbai, which was widely panned by his fans.

Awards

National Film Awards

Filmfare Awards Marathi

for the film Ashtavinayak

Maharashtracha Favourite Kon?

Maharashtra State Film Awards

Source:

Filmography

As actor

Films

YearMovieRoleLanguageNotes
1962Ha Maaza Marg EeklaMarathiChild artist
1965Dak GharAmalHindiAdaptation of Rabindra Nath Tagore's play
1967Majhli DidiKishanHindi
1967Jewel ThiefShishu SinghHindi
1968BrahmachariHindi
1969Chanda Aur BijliChandaHindi
1970BachpanRamHindi
1971MelaYoung ShaktiHindi
1971Krishna LeelaLord KrishnaHindi
1971Ajab Tujhe SarkarMarathiNational Film Award for Best Child Artist
1973Birbal My BrotherEnglish
1975SholayAhmedHindi
1975Geet Gaata ChalShyamHindi
1976Balika BadhuAmalHindi
1977PaaradhSunilMarathi
1978TrishulRaviHindi
1978College GirlSachinHindi
1978Ankhiyon Ke Jharokhon SeArun Prakash MathurHindi
1978Adventures of AladdinAladdinHindi
1979AshtavinayakBalasaheb InamdarMarathiFilmfare Award for Best Actor – Marathi
1979Gopaal KrishnaKrishnaHindi
1979Aur KaunRajHindi
1980JudaaiRavikant S. 'Ravi' VermaHindi
1981SweetyActorHindi
1981KrodhiRajaHindi
1982Satte Pe SattaShani "Sunny" AnandHindi
1982Nadiya Ke PaarChandan TiwariHindi
1983AvtaarSewakHindi
1984Navri Mile NavryalaJairamMarathi
1985Ghar Dwaaran OrphanHindi
1985Sur SangamKanneshwar Hindi
1985TulsiGopalHindi
1987Gammat JammatGautamMarathiMaharashtra State Film Award for Best Director
1987Maa BetiKhetanHindi
1988Ashi Hi Banwa BanwiSudhir alias SudhaMarathiMaharashtra State Film Award for Best Director
1988Maza Pati KarodpatiNarendra KuberMarathi
1988Ghar Ek MandirSanjay KumarHindi
1989Abhi To Main Jawan HoonAmarHindi
1989AtmavishwasRajendra Ratnaparkhi alias RajuMarathiMaharashtra State Film Award for Best Director
1989Bhutacha BhauNandu Marathi
1990Aamchya Sarkhe AamhichKailash / Abhay Inamdar Marathi
1990Eka Peksha EkBhanudas MahimkarMarathiMaharashtra State Film Award for Best Director
1991Aayatya Gharat GharobaKedar KirtikarMarathiAlso director
1996Aisi Bhi Kya Jaldi HaiMr. Sanjay MalhotraHindiAlso director
2004Navra Maza NavsachaVakratund alias VackyMarathi
2008Amhi SatputeMukunda Satpute alias KaandyaMarathi
2010Ideachi KalpanaGangaram GangavaneMarathi
2011SharyatDhananjay RaoMarathi
2011Jaana PehchanaArun Prakash MathurHindi
2013Ekulti EkArun DeshpandeMarathi
2014Sanngto AikaAmbatrao GholapMarathi
2015Katyar Kaljat GhusaliKhansaheb Aftab Hussain BareliwaleMarathiFilmfare Award for Best Actor – Marathi
2017Qaidi BandDhuliaHindi
2018HichkiPrabhakar Mathur Hindi
2018RananganShyamrao DeshmukhMarathi
2018SohalaGirishMarathi
2019Ashi Hi AashiquiDrunkard in a song MarathiAlso director
2019Love You ZindagiAnirudh DateMarathi
2021WaarasUnknownMarathi
2024Navra Maza Navsacha 2Vakratund "Vacky" DeshpandeMarathi

Television

  1. Ek Do Teen Gane Jane Mane
  2. Tu Tu Main Main
  3. Hudd Kar Di
  4. Tu Tota Main Maina
  5. ''Gilli Danda''