Bhalji Pendharkar Template:Birth date Template:Death date was a film personality in India, and recipient of Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the most prestigious award in the field.
Early life[edit | edit source]
Born in family of Dr Gopal Pendharkar and Radhabai, Bhalji was related to quite a few film personalities in Indian film industry. His elder brother Baburao Pendharkar was a famous film personality. Other famous names in family included step brother Master Vinayak Radhabai's son, cousin V Shantaram, son of Kamalabai, Radhabai's younger sister.
Film career[edit | edit source]
Bhalji started his career in the era of silent films. He was associated with Prabhat Film Company's earliest talkies, and also worked with other studios in hometown of Kolhapur. Later he acquired his own studio in form of Jayprabha Studio[1] and became a film producer and director. He also write lyrics for some film songs in Marathi. His more famous films are: Netaji Palkar, Thoratanchi Kamala, Chhatrapati Shivaji, Mohityanchi Manjula, Maratha Tututka Melvava, Sadhi Manse, Tambdi Maati. Hindi: Maharathi Karna, Valimi, Chhatrapati Shivaji. Ganimi Kawa
He has directed following list of successful movies.
1969 Tambdi Maati
1965 Sadhi Manse
1964 Maratha Tituka Melvava
1963 Mohityanchi Manjula
1959 Akashganga
1957 Naikinicha Sazza
1956 Pavankhind
1955 Yere Majhya Maglya
1954 Maharani Yesubai
1953 Mazi Zameen
1952/I Chhatrapati Shivaji
1952/II Chhatrapati Shivaji
1950 Mee Daru Sodli
1950 Shilanganache Sone
1949 Meeth Bhakar
1946 Sasurvaas
1946/I Valmiki
1944 Maharathi Karna
1944 Swarna Bhoomi
1943 Bahirji Naik
1942 Bhakta Damaji
1942 Soonbai
1941 Thoratanchi Kamla
1940 Alakh Niranjan
1940 Gorakhnath
1939 Netaji Palkar
1938/I Raja Gopichand
1938/II Raja Gopichand
1937 Kanhopatra
1936 Rukmani Kalyanam
1936 Savitri
1935 Kalia Mardan
1935 Muraliwala
1934/I Akashwani
1934/II Akashwani
1934/I Partha Kumar
1934/II Partha Kumar
1932/I Shyam Sundar
1932/II Shyam Sundar
1931 Rani Rupmati
1927 Vande Mataram Ashram
1925 Bajirao Mastani
He also wrote following film which very successful
1939 Netaji Palkar (writer)
1937 Kanhopatra
1934/I Akashwani (screenplay / story)
1934/II Akashwani (screenplay / story)
1932/I Shyam Sundar (screenplay / story)
1932/II Shyam Sundar (screenplay / story)
1927 Vande Mataram Ashram
1925 Bajirao Mastani
As producer, he has produced two film 1939 Netaji Palkar (producer)
1927 Vande Mataram Ashram (producer)
and finally he acted in one film 1924 Prithvi Vallabh
Personal life[edit | edit source]
Bhalji had a couple of wives, one of whom, Leela Chandragiri, acted and sang in Hindi and Marathi films in 1930s. Bhalji's son Prabhakar Pendharkar was associated with making of Do Aankhe Baarah Haath in 1950s, and author-director of documentaries. A few years before his death, he was awarded Dadasaheb Phalke Award.