Actor-filmmaker Ravindra Mahajani, whose body was found at a Pune apartment Friday, entered the Marathi movie industry as a pleasant change. The ruling stars at the time were popular and had their own appeal, but hardly any of them could be described as ‘handsome’ in the conventional sense.
Mahajani, when he debuted in Zhunj (1975), immediately became known as a good-looking hunk in the industry. The film, produced by V Shantaram and directed by his son Kiran Shantaram, became a hit and it opened the door for Mahajani’s successful acting career.
“He was the only handsome actor around in the Marathi film industry at that time,” reminisced actor Ashok Saraf who worked with Mahajani in several films. “He was really fun to work with. There were others who were working and all, but he was the only one who was good looking. He got many roles because of that and also dominated the industry for a while in a sense. As a person he was very lively and hardworking. He was a dear friend of mine. It is a great loss for me,” said Saraf.
Mahajani was born in Belgaum, Karnataka in 1949. His father H R Mahajani was a renowned journalist and leader of the Indian Independence movement. He had moved to Mumbai to work in the Marathi daily Loksatta.
As per published accounts, Ravindra Mahajani’s passion for acting emerged at an early age and he participated in acting and drama competitions during his school days. He joined Mumbai’s Khalsa College for a degree in arts where he met people with interest in arts, literature and cinema. Among these were Shekhar Kapur (who later became a film director), Avtar Gill and Ramesh Talwar (who went on to become actors); and Ashok Mehta (who became a prominent author).
After his father’s death in 1969, Ravindra struggled to make ends meet as he looked for acting opportunities. For several years, he is said to have moonlighted as a taxi driver.
A breakthrough came his way when he bagged a role in Madhusudan Kalelkar’s play ‘Janata Ajanata’, which paved the way for further opportunities. V Shantaram recognised his talent after watching him act in Kalelkar’s next play ‘To Rajhans Ek’ and cast him as the lead in the film ‘Zhunj’.
The movie became a resounding success, establishing Mahajani as a new star in Marathi cinema after a nine-year struggle. His subsequent films, such as ‘Aram Haram Aahe’, ‘Lakshmi’ and ‘Devata’, showcased his versatility and contributed to his growing acclaim.
From the 1990s, he transitioned into character roles and expanded his repertoire to include television serials. Additionally, Mahajani dabbled in production and direction, marking his foray into these aspects with the film ‘Sattesathi Kahihi’. Even in his later years, he continued to act in films such as ‘Kai Rao Tumhi’, ‘Carry on Maratha’, ‘Deul Band’, and the Hindi period drama ‘Panipat’ by Ashutosh Gowarikar in which he played the role of Malharrao Holkar.
Actor Subhodh Bhave shared his experience of working with Mahajani in his latter term as a film producer and director. “My debut in the film industry as a professional actor was through the film ‘Sattesathi Kahihi’ which was produced and directed by Ravindra Mahajani. Your image as that of a pleasant, attractive and a handsome Marathi hero will always remain in my mind,” Bhave wrote on social media.
The police said Mahajani was staying alone at a rented accommodation in Ambi village near Talegaon Dabhade for the last eight months. He has a daughter and a son Gashmir Mahajani, a successful film and television actor with whom Ravindra shared the screen several times.
