Sayaji Shinde
Sayaji Shinde is an Indian actor who appears in Indian films.
Sayaji started his acting career in 1978 in Marathi Plays one-act plays. His performance in a 1987 Marathi play titled Zulva was very well received, and since then he started gaining popularity among the circle of stalwarts. Later, he moved on to Marathi cinema and then started acting in other languages. He won Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Marathi for Aboli film, for his reprising debutant role "Sayaji".
Sayaji Shinde joined the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party on 11 October 2024 ahead of 2024 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Elections in the presence of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, NCP working president Praful Patel, and State unit chief Sunil Tatkare.
Background
Born in a farmer's family in a small village named Sakharwadi in Satara District in Maharashtra, Sayaji completed his bachelor's degree in arts in Marathi language, and started his career in 1978 while studying in college as a night watchman for Maharashtra Government's Irrigation Department for a meager pay of Rs. 165 per month. During his service as a watchman, he developed an interest in theatre and his passion for acting drew him to the theatre and films. After his initial struggling years, he moved to Mumbai.Career
Sayaji pursued acting first through Marathi theatre. He started doing one-act plays in 1978, and went on to get noticed in plays like Zulva, One Room Kitchen and Amchya Ya Gharat. He then moved to acting in Marathi cinema.The co-actor Manoj Bajpayee who saw an article on the actor in a leading national daily and recommended him to Ram Gopal Varma in his 1999 action crime Hindi film Shool. Sayaji had a career breakthrough with Gnana Rajasekaran's 2000 Tamil film Bharathi, where he played Subramania Bharati, the popular poet and writer from Tamil Nadu.
He then went on to appear in Bollywood movies like Vaastu Shastra, Sarkar Raj, and Sanju.
Sayaji Shinde has acted in a wide range of films, portraying diverse characters, including villains, supporting roles, and occasionally, comedic roles. In 2024 Sayaji Shinde also acted in a Punjabi movie Mittran Da Challeya Truck Ni.
Filmography
Telugu
Marathi
| Year | Title | Role |
| 1994 | Vazir | |
| 1995 | Aboli | Sayaji |
| 1995 | Maajhi Maanasa | |
| 1995 | Katha Doan Ganpatraonchi | |
| 1999 | Ladhaai | Vijay Nadkarni |
| 2001 | Ashi Gyaneshwari | Savle |
| 2005 | Kunku Zale Vairi | Arjun Mane Patil |
| 2008 | Gallit Gondhal, Dillit Mujra | Chandrakant Tope |
| 2008 | Oxygen-Jeev Gudmartoya | Annasaheb Patange Patil |
| 2009 | Bapu Beeru Vategaonkar | Ranga |
| 2009 | Goshta Choti Dongraevadhi | Agriculture Minister |
| 2009 | Bapu Veer Borgakar | |
| 2009 | Jai Maharashtra | |
| 2010 | Tya Ratri Paus Hota | Shripatirao |
| 2011 | Tambyacha Vishnubala | |
| 2011 | Don Ghadicha Daav | |
| 2011 | Bokad | |
| 2013 | Tendulkar Out | Sunil Tendulkar |
| 2013 | Sat Na Gat | Anna |
| 2014 | Punha Gondhal Punha Mujra | Vishwasrao Tope |
| 2015 | Mohar | Sayaji |
| 2015 | Dholki | Patil |
| 2016 | Babanchi Shala | Jailor |
| 2017 | Yuntum | Raaosaheb |
| 2017 | Shoor Aamhi Sardar | MLA Mali |
| 2017 | Bhikari | Vishwananth |
| 2018 | Love Betting | Golya Patil |
| 2019 | Tandav | |
| 2019 | Babo | Bhaskar |
| 2022 | Faas | |
| 2023 | Ghar Banduk Biryani | Pallam |
| 2023 | Aadharwad | |
| 2023 | Aani Baani | |
| 2023 | Pahije Jatiche | |
| 2023 | Ankush | Rana Pardeshi |
| 2023 | Sasubai Jorat | |
| 2023 | Ekda Yeun Tar Bagha | Nutan Sheth |
| 2025 | All Is Well |
Hindi
Tamil
| Year | Title | Role |
| 2000 | Bharathi | Subramaniya Bharathi |
| 2001 | Poovellam Un Vaasam | Rajasekar |
| 2002 | Azhagi | Dhanalakshmi's Husband |
| 2002 | Baba | Divyananda Bharathi |
| 2003 | Dhool | Minister Kalai Pandiyan |
| 2006 | Sudesi | R. C. Narayan |
| 2007 | Azhagiya Tamil Magan | Seth |
| 2008 | Vaitheeswaran | Dhanasekaran |
| 2008 | Santosh Subramaniam | Govindhan |
| 2009 | Padikkathavan | Rami Reddy |
| 2009 | Thoranai | Minister Sivanandi |
| 2009 | Thee | Rajapandian |
| 2009 | Aadhavan | Ibrahim Rowther |
| 2009 | Vettaikkaran | Kattabomman |
| 2011 | Vedi | Easwaramoorthy |
| 2011 | Velayudham | Feroz Khan |
| 2012 | Oru Kal Oru Kannadi | Mahendra Kumar |
| 2012 | Thaandavam | Ravichandran |
| 2013 | Settai | Jewelry owner |
| 2014 | Maan Karate | Sethuraman |
| 2014 | Damaal Dumeel | Kamatchi Sundaram |
| 2015 | Nannbenda | Sathya's Father |
| 2015 | Vasuvum Saravananum Onna Padichavanga | Ashok |
| 2017 | Spyder | DGP Chandrasekhar |
| 2018 | Kaala | Union Minister of Maharashtra |
| 2018 | Johnny | Kalyan |
| 2019 | Pottu | Dr. R.K. |
| 2019 | Rocky: The Revenge | Thenappan |
| 2019 | Action | Rehman |
| 2019 | Market Raja MBBS | God Father Radha |
| 2020 | Cocktail | Rajamanickam |
| 2021 | Nayae Peyae | |
| 2021 | Sabhaapathy | Lucky Raja |
| 2022 | Nenjuku Needhi | CBI Officer |
| 2022 | Gethule | Minister Mani |
| 2023 | Aghori | |
| 2024 | Indian 2 | Balsingh |
| 2024 | Oru Thee | Anu's father |
| 2025 | Rajabheema | |
| 2025 | Good Bad Ugly | Alok Shukla |
| 2025 | Kuberaa | SI Ashok Godbole |
Kannada
Malayalam
| Year | Title | Role |
| 2010 | Twinkle Twinkle Little Star | |
| 2013 | Nadodimannan | Pushpam Prakashan |
Bhojpuri
| Year | Title | Notes |
| 2022 | Dharma | with Pawan Singh & Kajal Raghwani. |
| TBA | Fighter King | with Samar Singh |
| 2022 | Rowdy Rocky | with Pradeep Pandey "Chintu" |
English
| Year | Title | Role |
| 2006 | Rockin Meera | Tiger Singh |
Television
Web series
Production
He produced couple of Marathi movies. Sayaji helped Nagesh Bhonsle to produce the Marathi film Goshta Choti Dongraevadhi. He also produced the Makarand Anaspure's Dambis.Awards and nominations
- 1995 : Won: Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Marathi - Aboli for his reprising role "Sayaji"
- 2001:Nominated:Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award for Kurukshetra
- 2000:Nominated:Filmfare Best Villain Award for Shool
- 2006:Nominated:Filmfare Award for Best Villain – Telugu for Andhrudu
- 2009:Nominated:Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor – Telugu for Arundhati
- 2023:Won:Maharashtracha Favourite Kon? Award for Favourite Villain for Ghar Banduk Biryani
- 2023:Nom:Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor – Marathi for ''Ghar Banduk Biryani''