Satish Alekar


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, Mahapoor, Atirekee, Pidhijat, Mickey ani Memsahib, and Begum Barve, all of which he also directed for the Academy. Ek Divas Mathakade and Thakishi Samvad 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.
He has also remained the head of Centre for Performing Arts, University of Pune, which he founded, after forgoing the Directorship of NSD and previously remained an adjunct professor at various universities in US, at the Duke University, Durhum, NC, Performance Studies, Tisch School of the Arts, New York University as a Fulbright Scholar, and Dept. Theatre and Film Studies, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.
He was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in Playwriting in 1994, by Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama. He received the Padma Shri award in January 2012.
After his retirement Satish Alekar was nominated by Savitribai Phule Pune University as Distinguished Professor on the campus from 2013 to September 2022. He is still on the visiting faculty of the SPPune University and the National School of Drama in Delhi.
Recently he is also known for his screen acting in Marathi and Hindi feature films. He is seen in the character roles of films like Ventilator.

Early life and education

Alekar was born in Delhi, India. He but grew up in Pune, Maharashtra in a Marathi Brahmin family. He attended the Marathi medium school New English School, Ramanbag which was established by Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak. After high school, he attended Fergusson College for his undergraduate Bsc degree in sciences. He received his master's degree in biochemistry from University of Pune in 1972.

Career

Theatre

Alekar gained his first stage experience as an actor in a college play. Impressed by his performance, director Bhalba Kelkar, who had set up the Progressive Dramatic Association, invited him to join it. Alekar wrote and directed his first one-act play Jhulta Pool in 1969. He became a part of a young circle that Jabbar Patel had started within the Progressive Dramatic Association.
This group split with the parent body in 1973 and set up Theater Academy in Pune. The split was over Vijay Tendulkar's play Ghashiram Kotwal. The senior members decided against its premiere in 1972, and Patel's group decided to produce it under the auspices of its own Theater Academy. Alekar assisted Patel in the direction of Ghashiram Kotwal, and the group has since mounted over 35 plays by him and manage to establish its foothold in experimental Marathi theatre.
Alekar conceived of and implemented Playwrights Development Scheme and Regional Theater Group Development. The Ford Foundation for Theater Academy, Pune supported these programs from 1985 to 1994.
Alekar has collaborated in several international play translation projects. The Tisch School of Arts at New York University invited him in 2003 to teach a course on Indian Theatre. The Department of Theater and Films Studies, University of Georgia invited him in 2005 to direct an English production of his play Begum Barve.
The Holy Cow Performing Arts Group in Edinburgh, Scotland performed an English version of Alekar's Micky and Memsahib on 27 and 28 August 2009 at Riddle's Court at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Other employment

After obtaining his master's degree, Alekar worked as a research officer in biochemistry at the government-run B. J. Medical College, Pune.
From July 1996 to January 2009, he worked as a professor and the head of the Center for Performing Arts at University of Pune. He was working as the honorary director for a program supported by Ratan Tata Trust at the University of Pune from 2009 to 2011. From 2013 to 2022 he was nominated by University of Pune as distinguished professor on the campus.

Plays

Original Marathi plays written since 1973

  • Micki Aani Memsaheb मिकी आणि मेमसाहेब *
  • Mahanirvan महानिर्वाण *
  • Mahapoor महापूर
  • Begum Barve बेगम बर्वे *
  • Shanwar Raviwar शनवार रविवार *
  • Dusra Samana दुसरा सामना
  • Atireki अतिरेकी *
  • Pidhijat पिढीजात *
  • Ek Divas Mathakade एक दिवस मठाकडे Thakishi Sanvad ''ठकीशी संवाद'', written during COVID-19 lockdown,produced by Rakhdi Studio, Pune in 2024.
  • Mahapoor, dir. Mohan Gokhale for Theatre Academy, Pune
  • Dusra Samna, dir. Waman Kendre for Kala Vaibhav, Mumbai
  • Ek Divas Mathakade, dir. Nipun Dharmadhikari for Natak Company, Pune
* Plays directed by Alekar for Theatre Academy, Pune
Original Marathi one-act plays
  • Memory मेमरी
  • Bhajan भजन
  • Ek Zulta Pool एक झुलता पूल
  • Dar Koni Ughadat Naahi दर कोणी उघडत नाही
  • Bus Stop बस स्टॅाप
    Adapted/translated one-act plays and plays
  • Judge जज्ज
  • Yamuche Rahasya यमुचे रहस्य
  • Bhint भिंत
  • Valan वळण
  • Pralay प्रलय, Marathi version of Gunther Grass's German play The Flood
  • Alshi Uttarvalyachi Gosht आळशी अत्तरवाल्याची गोष्ट
  • Nashibvan Baiche Don नशीबवान बाईचे दोन
  • Supari सुपारी
  • Karmaachari कर्मचारी
Alekar started writing at the age of 19 as a chemistry graduation, though most of his early works were short plays. Many of his plays are set around Pune Brahmin society, highlighting their narrow mindedness and subsequently he ventured into small-town politics with Doosra Samna. Mahanirvan finds black humour through Hindu death rites in Brahmins and its overt seriousness is today Alekar's best-known early work and has since been performed in Bengali, Hindi, Dongri, Konkani and Gujarati. It was originally a one-act play and he had later expanded it at Patel's insistence. It was first staged on 22 November 1974 at the Bharat Natya Mandir, by the Theatre Academy, Pune and was revived in 1999 for its 25th anniversary, and was performed at the same venue, with most of the original cast intact.
Mickey Ani Memsaheb was his first full-length script. With the exception of his Mahapoor, he directed all of his own plays. Alekar's Begum Barve is regarded as a classic of contemporary Marathi theatre. It deals with the eponymous female impersonator's memories and fantasies. After his musical company closed down, a minor singer-actor starts selling incense sticks on the street and gets exploited by his employer. One day his fantasies get enmeshed with those of a pair of clerks who were his regular customers, and those fantasies get almost fulfilled. The play staged in Rajasthani, Punjabi, Gujarati, Bengali, Konkani, Tamil and Kannada. In 2009, 30 years after its first production, the play returned to Mumbai with its original cast of Chandrakant Kale, and Mohan Aghashe.
Alekar's other plays are Bhajan, Bhinta, Walan, Shanivar-Ravivar, Dusra Samna, and Atireki. The first three are one-act plays. Atireki is marked by irony, wit, and tangential take-offs from absurd premises. In January 2011 a book of short plays translated/adapted into Marathi by Satish Alekar published by M/s Neelkanth Prakashan, Pune under the title "Adharit Ekankika".
In 2022, all of Alekar's plays, including short plays in Marathi, were published as a new edition by the Popular Prakashan, Mumbai.

Acting reading performance

Aparichit Pu La was a 90 minute acting reading programme on the lesser-known writings of the writer, performer P. L. Deshpande पु.ल.देशपांडे produced by Shabda Vedh, Pune to mark the birth centenary of the writer, and conceived by Chandrakant Kale. The cast included Satish Alekar, Chandrakant Kale and Girish Kulkarni. The first show was performed in Pulotsav on 22 November 2018 at Balgamdharva Ranga Mandir, Pune. Performances were also staged in Pune, Solapur, Ratnagiri and Mumbai.

Film scripts

Alekar scripted the National Film Award, winning Marathi feature film Jait Re Jait in 1977, directed by Jabbar Patel. Later he directed the 13-part Hindi TV serial Dekho Magar Pyarse for Doordarshan in 1985. He scripted the dialogues for the Marathi feature film Katha Don Ganpatravanchi in 1995–96.

Writing for Marathi newspaper

Alekar wrote a fortnightly column in Marathi for the Sunday edition of Loksatta Gaganika from January to December 2015. The column was based on his career in the performing Arts since 1965. The column was popular, and the book Gaganika, based on the column, was published on 30 April 2017 by M/s Rajahans Prakashan, Pune.

Awards and recognition

Some of Alekar's plays have been translated and produced in Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Dogri, Gujarati, Rajasthani, Punjabi, and Konkani. His plays have been included in the National Anthologies published in 2000–01 by the National School of Drama and Sahitya Akademi, Delhi.
Alekar is the recipient of several national and state awards for his contribution to the field of Theater and Literature.
  • In 1974 his collection of short plays Zulta Pool received best collection of short plays award from Ministry of Culture, Govt. of Maharashtra.
  • In 1975 he received Late Ram Ganesh Gadkari award from the State of Maharashtra for his play Mahanirvan .
  • He received Nandikar Sanman at Calcutta in 1992.
  • He received fellowships from the Asian Cultural Council, New York in 1983 to study theatre in the US, and from the Ford Foundation to study Theatre of South Asia in 1988.
  • He received in 1994 a Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for playwriting from Sangeet Natak Akademi, Delhi.
  • Received State Award Best Actor in Comedy Role for the Marathi film Katha Don Ganpatravanchi , dir. Arun Khopkar
  • Received Vi Va Shirwadkar award for playwriting by Natya Parishad, Nasik in 2007
  • Received Lifetime Achievement felicitation by Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Natya Parishad, Mumbai in Feb 2012
  • He received the award Padamshree conferred by the President of India in January 2012.
  • In December 2013 Alekar received the Balaraj Sahani Memorial Award in Pune for his contribution over last 40 years as a playwright, director and actor.
  • In 2014 he was awarded Poet and Playwright Aarati Prabhu Award by Baba Vardam Theatres, Kudal, Dist. Sindhudurg.
  • 2017 Tanveer Sanman national award for the lifetime contribution to the field of Theatre constituted by veteran actor Dr. Shriram Lagoo through Rupavedh Pratisthan, Pune. Award function was held in Pune on 9 December 2017.
  • 2018 book Gaganika received Advt Tryambakrao Shirole award for best non fiction by Maharashtra Sahitya Parishad, Pune
  • 2022 Natavarya Prabhakar Panshikar Jeevan Gaurav Puraskar for the year 2021-22 by the State Government of Maharashtra highest Cultural Life Achievement Award.
  • 2022 Vishnudas Bhave Medal award by Natyavidyamandir Samitee, Sangli
  • 2023 Thespo Life Achievement Award at the hands of Utkarsh Mujumdar in the presence of Nassiruddin Shash, Ratna Pathak Shah and Atul Kuma during Thespo@25 Theatre Fest in Mumbai on December 10, 2023
  • 2024 Kantai Jeevan Gourav Award for 2023 by Bhavarlal Jsin Foundation, Jalgao at a ceremony held on January 16, 2024 in Jalgaon
  • 2024 Bhavanrao Lomte Smruti Rajya Puraskar 2024, Ambejogai at a function held in Ambejogai by Yeshvantrao Chavan Smruti Samiti, Ambejogai on September 21
  • 2025 Janasthan Puraskar by Kusumagraj Pratisthan, Nasik at a function in Nasik on Marh 10, 2025.
  • 2025 Pune Festival Award for the contribution to theatre in September.
  • 2025 The Goa Hindu Association - Dr Subhash Bhede supported Late Shashikant Narvekar award for best play of the year “Thakishi Samvad”.
Natakkar Satish Alekar, a 90-minute film by Atul Pethe about Alekar's life, and work was released in 2008.

Works

The dread departure, tr. by Gauri Deshpande. Seagull Books, 1989..Collected Plays of Satish Alekar. OUP, Delhi 2010, Two Plays by Satish Alekar ; both translations by Shanta Gokhale, published by Seagull Books, Kolkata
  • Satish Alekar all plays in Marathi. A set of nine books in Marathi published by Popular Prakashan Mumbai in 2022.

Personal life

Alekar belongs to City of Pune. His parents, the late Usha and Vasant Alekar were freedom fighters, both involved in India's 1942 movement.
Alekar married Anita in 1976. They have a son, Mikin. Anita died in 2007. He has one younger brother Sudhir and one sister Bharati. Presently he is living in Pune with his son Mikin.

Acting in plays

  • 1971: as young man in short play Ek Zulta Poolv, directed by himself for Intercollegiate Short Play Competition
  • 1974: as the son "Nana" in play Mahanirvanvm directed by himself for Theatre Academy, Pune in more than 100 shows
  • 1979: as Javadekar in play Begum Barve, directed by himself for Theatre Academy, Pune
  • 1982: short play Boat Futli, directed by Samar Nakhate for Theatre Academy, Pune
  • 1980: as husband in Shanwar Raviwar, directed by himself for Theatre Academy, Pune

Acting in Hindi films (character roles)

Ye Kahani Nahi , dir. Biplav Rai ChowdharyDevi Ahilya , dir. Nachiket PatwardhanDumkata , dir. Amol PalekarAiyaa , dir. Sachin KundalkarDekh Tamasha Desk, dir. Feroz Abbas KhanThackeray, biopic on Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray as Jayprakash Narayan, dir. Abhijit Panse 83 , a film on the Indian Cricket Team's win in the 1983 World Cup as Sheshrao Wankhede, dir. Kabir Khan, produced by Vishnuvardhan Induri and Madhu Mantena Varma The Suspect as Dayanand Bharadvaj, Police Commissioner, dir. Samir Karnik, Maverick Pictures, Mumbai

Acting in Marathi films/web series (character roles)

Aakrit, dir. Amol PalekarUmbartha, dir. Jabbar Patel Dhyas Parva, dir Amol PalekarDr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, dir. Jabbar PatelEk Hota Vidushak, dir. Jabbar PatelKatha Don Ganpatravaanchee, dir. Arun Khopkar Kadachit, as a neurosurgeon, dir. Chandrakant KulkarniChintoo, as Colonel Kaka, dir. Shrirang GodboleChintoo 2 , as Colonel Kaka, dir. Shrirang GodboleHovoon Jaudyaa- We Are On! , dir. Amol PalekarMhais, dir. Shekhar NaikAajachaa Diwas Maazaa, dir. Chandrakant KulkarniYeshwantrao Chavan – Katha Eka Vadalachi, dir. Jabbar PatelDeul Band, dir. Praveen TaradeWelcome Zindagi, dir. Umesh GhadgeHigh Way-Ek Selfie Aar Paar, dir. Umesh KulkarniRajwade and Sons as Rajwade, dir. Sachin Kundalkaraudyana Balasaheb!, dir. Girish Kulkarni Ventilator as Bhau, dir. Rajesh Mapuskar, produced by Priyanka Chopra, world premiere on 23 Oct 2016 during MAMI Festival in Mumbai Chi. Va. Chi. Sou. Ka as Bhudargadkar, dir. Paresh Mokashi, produced by Zee Cinema Mala Kahich Problem Naahi as Father dir. Sameer Vidhwans, produced by Filmy Keeda Entertainment, Mumbai Mee Shivaji Park as Satish Joshi, dir. Mahesh Waman Manjrekar, produced by Gouri Films, Pune Thackeray, biopic on Balasaheb Thackeray as Jayprakash Narayan, Dir Abhijit Panse, produced by Raut'Ters Entertainment Bhai: Vyakti ki Valli Part I, biopic on Pu La Deshpande as Ramakant Deshpande Dir Mahesh Manjrekar, produced by the Great Maratha Entertainment Bhai: Vyakti ki Valli Part II, biopic on Pu La Deshpande as Ramakant Deshpande Dir Mahesh Manjrekar, produced by The Great Maratha Entertainment Smile Please as Appa Joshi, dir. by Vikrum Phadnis, produced by Nisha Shah and Sanika Gandhi, streaming on Prime VideoPanchak as Bal Kaka, dir. Jayant Jathar and Rahul Awate, produced by RnM Films Pet-Puran as Lt. Col. Jarasandh Wagh, web series for Sony Liv, dir. Dyanesh Zoting, season II scheduled for 2023Ek Don Teen Char - एक दोन तीन चार as Dr. Vivek Joshi Marathi film by Varun Narvekar, Produced by Jio Studios Kalsutra- कालसूत्र, web series as Shriram Bidari, Kanha Production, dir. by Bhimrao Mude, produced by Manjiri Subodh Bhave for Jio Studio

Acting in TV commercials and short films

Products:
  • TV Cable Co.: Tata Sky
  • Car: Honda Ameze for Appostophe, Mumbai
  • Cell Phone Company: Idea - Telephone Exchange for Chrome Pictures, Mumbai
  • New York Life Insurance
  • Online Purchase: SNAPDEAL for Chrome Pictures, Mumbai
  • Fiama Di Willis Body Wash for Apostrophe Films, Mumbai, dir. Kaushik Sarkar
  • Reunion Episode 3 Language: Marathi, pickle brand presented by Ravetkar Group, Pune Dir Varun Narvekar
  • maateech swapna मातीचं स्वप्न, short film in Marathi for Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale, produced by Multimedia Tools, Pune, dir. Varun Narvekar
  • Reunion for Ravetkar Group : three minute short film made about the awareness for early treatment of brain stroke made by Ruby Hall Clinic, Pune
  • रुची पालट/Fusion Food/ Chitale Bandhoo : for Chitale Bandhoo, Pune
  • Cotten King Brand- Just Strech Your Limits, dir. Varun Narvekar
  • Red Label Tea ad film for Hindustan Unilever, dir. Gajraj Rao for Code Red Films, Mumbai
  • Short film "Fala", produced by Kc Productions, dir. Mangesh Jagtap
  • Short film "Ravivar Sakal" - 2024 30 minutes, Aadi Nirrmite, dir. Bansidhar Kinkar, cast - Satish Alekar, Gauri Deshpande and Aroh Velankar
  • Short film "Dada aani Sakharam" 2024, dir. Yogesh Deshpande, produced by Roadlife
  • Chaha, Bakarwadi aani To चहा, बाकरवडी आणि तो, Chitale Bandhu brand film, dir. Varun Narvekar