Cinemaazi remembers Vijay Tendulkar on his death anniversary
19 May 2008
Cinemaazi remembers the celebrated playwright and script writer Vijay Dhondopant Tendulkar on his 12th death anniversary.
In a career spanning four decades, Tendulkar left behind a rich body of work, including more than 30 plays, seven collections of one-act plays, six collections of children’s plays, four collections of short stories and scripts of many award-winning films. Tendulkar often collaborated with luminaries of Indian arthouse cinema like Shyam Benegal, Govind Nihalani and Jabbar Patel. His work with Benegal in Nishant(1975) and Manthan (1976) was widely appreciated, and Manthan went on to win the 1977 National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi and the National Film Award for Best Screenplay.
Tendulkar wrote the script for Nihalani’s acclaimed films Aakrosh (1980), Ardh Satya (1983) and Aghaat (1985). Aakrosh won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in 1980. Though he had written a different ending for Ardh Satya, he accepted an alternate ending suggested by Nihalani once they had watched the film together. As Nihalani recalls, Tendulkar always had an open mind. The two had a history of working together from Nihalani’s big break onwards, when he got the chance to shoot the Marathi language Shantata! Court Chalu Aahe (1971), based on Tendulkar’s eponymous play.
Vijay Tendulkar worked mainly on Marathi films like Saamna (1974) and Umbartha (1982) with Jabbar Patel.
His daughter, Priya Tendulkar, was a famous television actress. Her demise, close on the heels of the death of his wife Nirmala and his son, the cinematographer Raju, left him shattered.
Though Vijay Tendulkar primarily wrote in Marathi, his extensive work across genres, media and languages ensured that he developed a following both internationally and across the country.
In a career spanning four decades, Tendulkar left behind a rich body of work, including more than 30 plays, seven collections of one-act plays, six collections of children’s plays, four collections of short stories and scripts of many award-winning films. Tendulkar often collaborated with luminaries of Indian arthouse cinema like Shyam Benegal, Govind Nihalani and Jabbar Patel. His work with Benegal in Nishant(1975) and Manthan (1976) was widely appreciated, and Manthan went on to win the 1977 National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi and the National Film Award for Best Screenplay.
Tendulkar wrote the script for Nihalani’s acclaimed films Aakrosh (1980), Ardh Satya (1983) and Aghaat (1985). Aakrosh won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in 1980. Though he had written a different ending for Ardh Satya, he accepted an alternate ending suggested by Nihalani once they had watched the film together. As Nihalani recalls, Tendulkar always had an open mind. The two had a history of working together from Nihalani’s big break onwards, when he got the chance to shoot the Marathi language Shantata! Court Chalu Aahe (1971), based on Tendulkar’s eponymous play.
Vijay Tendulkar worked mainly on Marathi films like Saamna (1974) and Umbartha (1982) with Jabbar Patel.
His daughter, Priya Tendulkar, was a famous television actress. Her demise, close on the heels of the death of his wife Nirmala and his son, the cinematographer Raju, left him shattered.
Though Vijay Tendulkar primarily wrote in Marathi, his extensive work across genres, media and languages ensured that he developed a following both internationally and across the country.
