King of comedy leaves a void

His body was taken to his Shivaji Park residence where a large number of mourners including Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, whom Kondke considered his guru and campaigned for over 20 years, Chief Minister Manohar Joshi, opposition leader Chhagan Bhujbal, Maharashtra ministers Pramod Navalkar, Nalvade, Shabir Sheikh and Mayor Vishakha Raut came to pay their last respects. A host of Marathi film personalities including Ashok Saraf whom Kondke had given a break in PanduHavaldar, Sulochana, Asha Kale and Usha Chavan with whom Kondke starred in most of his films were present.

Kondke’s only sister, Leelabai More, who lives in Pune was present with her son, Padmakar, who looks after his uncle’s business. His nephew, Vijay Kondke, who made the super hit Marathi film, Maher Chi Saadi, was present at the residence with other film personalities like Satish Kulkarni. Gajanan Shirke, Sultan Ahmed, Smita Talwalkar, Vinay Nevalkar, Mahesh Kothare and Ram Laxman. The funeral took place at Shivaji Park crematorium at Dadar.

Born on August 8, 1932 at Lalbaug in Central Mumbai, in a poor family, Kondke initially worked in a mill. Later he joined the entertainment group of the Rashtriya Seva Dal along with Neelu Phule and Ram Nagarkar and accompanied the troupe from village to village staging plays which attacked corrupt politicians. In 1968, he bagged a major role in the Marathi play Vichcha Mazi Puri Kara, a political satire which staged more than 100 shows and shot him intolimelight. It was at this juncture that he played a small role in Bhalji Pendharkar’s award winning film Tambadi Maati.

A producer, director and script-writer rolled into one, his double entendre dialogues and half pants became a trade mark in all his 16 Marathi and four Hindi films. He made it to the Guinness Book of Records when he churned out a string of nine hit films in a row starting with Songadya, directed by Govind Kulkarni in 1970. He teamed with Usha Chavan in subsequent films like Ekta Jeev Sadashiv (directed by Kulkarni), Andhala Marto Dola (directed by Prabhakar Pendharkar), Pandu Hawaldar, (with which he started directing his own films), Tumcha Amcha Jamla, Ram Ram Gangaram, Bot Lavin Tithe Gudgudlya, Hyoch Navra Pahije and Aali Angavar. However, he suffered a setback with later films like Mukka Ghya Mukka, Mala Ghevun Chala and Palva Palvi. Later, he bounced back with jubilee hits like Sasarcha Dhotar, Yevu Ka Gharat and his last film Vajvuka.

He also produced four Hindi films — Tere MereBeech Mein, Andheri Raat Mein Diya Teri Haath Mein, Aage Ki Soch, and Khol De Meri Zuban.

He had also built two studios on a 140-acre land at Bhor and at Khadakwasala Dam, near Pune. Of late, he was dubbing Aali Angavar in Hindi. He was also planning to make a Marathi film Jara Dheer Dhara for which all songs had been recorded and Chitti Aayee Hai in Hindi.

Expressing his grief, Thackeray said Dada was one of those rare persons in the industry who made people enjoy life through his films. He was criticised for his vulgarity and double meaning dialogues but this never failed to deter him.

Governor P C Alexander described Kondke as a multi-faceted personality who excelled in every department of film making.

Chief Minister Manohar Joshi said that Kondke had achieved glorious heights in Marathi cinema. Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde expressed condolence over his death.

Kondke once crossed swords with V Shantaram when the Maharashtra Government introduced the entertainment tax refund scheme. WhileShantaram wanted tax to be refunded on the basis of box-office performances of films, Kondke wanted the Government to exempt all Marathi films from entertainment tax.

Kondke had a huge fan following among the labour and lower middle class. He once said in an interview that films should be simple and the language easily understood by the common man. He defended his double entendre, saying he had derived it from Marathi folklore and `tamasha’.