Amol Palekar | |
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 Palekar in 2016 | |
| Born | (1944-11-24)24 November 1944 (age 81) |
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| Years active | 1969–present |
| Spouses | |
| Parents |
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| Awards | Filmfare Best Actor Award: 1979:Gol Maal |
| Website | amolpalekar.com |
| Signature | |
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Amol Palekar (born 24 November 1944) is an Indian actor, director, and producer ofHindi andMarathi cinema.[2] He is also a painter and an author. Palekar was part of the faction in Hindi cinema that popularised 'middle cinema'. His most popular works includeChhoti Si Baat (1975),Chitchor (1976),Bhumika (1977),Baaton Baaton Mein (1979), andGol Maal (1979).
Palekar was born to Kamlakara and Suhasini Palekar in aMarathi middle-class family inMumbai. He has three sisters named Neelon, Rekha, and Unnati. His father worked in theGeneral Post Office and his mother worked in a private company.[1] Palekar studiedfine arts at theSir J. J. School of Art, Mumbai, and commenced his artistic career as a painter. As a painter, he has had seven solo exhibitions and participated in many group shows.[3]
Although he trained in fine arts, Palekar is better known as a stage and film actor. He has been active in theavant-garde theatre in India inMarathi andHindi theatre as an actor, director, and producer since 1967. His contribution to the modern Indian theatre is often overshadowed by his popularity as a lead actor in Hindi films.
As a film actor, he was most prominent in the 1970s. His image as a "boy next door"[4] contrasted with the larger-than-life heroes prevalent at that time in Indian cinema. He received threeFilmfare Awards and sixMaharashtra State Film Awards as Best Actor for his works. His performances in regional language films in Marathi,Bengali,Malayalam, andKannada fetched him critical acclaim. He decided not to act after 1986 in order to concentrate on filmmaking.
As a director, he is known for the sensitive portrayal of women, selection of classic stories from Indian literature, and perceptive handling of progressive issues[citation needed]. He has directed several television serials on national network such asKachchi Dhoop,Mrignayani,Naquab,Paool Khuna andKrishna Kali.
Palekar began inMarathi experimental theatre withSatyadev Dubey. He later started his own group,Aniket, in 1972. As a theatre actor, he was part of popular plays likeShantata! Court Chalu Aahe,Hayavadana, andAdhe Adhure.[5] Before taking a break, his last performance on stage was at theNational Centre for the Performing Arts in 1994. On account of the year he turned 75, he returned to theatre after a gap of 25 years with the suspenseful play,Kusur (The Mistake).[6] This play was directed by him and he also played the lead role.[7]
Palekar made his debut in 1971 with theMarathi filmShantata! Court Chalu Aahe directed bySatyadev Dubey, which started the New Cinema Movement in Marathi.[8] In 1974, he was cast as an actor by directorBasu Chatterjee inRajnigandha, and in the surprise low-budget hit,Chhoti Si Baat. This led to him getting more roles in "middle-class" comedies, mostly alternative. These were mostly directed by Chatterjee orHrishikesh Mukherjee and included films such asGol Maal andNaram Garam. He won the Filmfare Best Actor Award forGol Maal.
He is noted for his image of the "middle-class everyman" who struggles to get a job inGol Maal, his own flat inGharonda, and a partnerChhoti Si Baat.[citation needed]
In 1979, he was paired with a sixteen-year-oldSridevi inSolva Saawan, which was her debut Hindi movie as the female lead. Amol played the role of an intellectually disabled man, a character played byKamal Haasan in the original Tamil movie.
In 1982, he played the role of Ravi in theMalayalam movieOlangal. He turned to directing with theMarathi filmAakriet. He forayed into Hindi filmmaking with movies such asThodasa Roomani Ho Jaayen andPaheli.Thodasa Roomani Ho Jaayen has become a part of management courses and study pertaining to human behaviour.Paheli was India's official entry for Best Foreign Film at the 2006Oscars. The movie, however, did not make it to the final nominations.
Palekar has also produced produced his first filmAnkahee in 1985. He has produced several independent films since.
He has also given his voice to anHIV/AIDS education animated software tutorial created by the nonprofit organizationTeachAids.[9]
Palekar regards himself as anagnostic atheist.[10] He married Sandhya Gokhale after his divorce from his first wife, Chitra Palekar.[11][12][1]
In February 2022, Palekar was hospitalized inPune forCOVID-19 related complications.[13] At the age of 80, Palekar released his autobiography, originally written in Marathi and titledAiwaz; its English version was titledViewfinder.
Palekar was a part of the 1981 filmAgni Pareeksha. Even after the production of the film was completed, Palekar had not received his dues. He brought up this issue with the film's producerB. R. Chopra. The argument turned into an ugly spat where Chopra threatened Palekar to "kick him out of the industry". Palekar sued Chopra over unfulfilled dues, and won the case.[14]
In 2015, Palekar was appointed as the chairperson for the jury committee to pickIndia's official entry to the Oscars. He had stated that he faced external pressure to select certain films which he denies obliging to. That year, the Marathi filmCourt was nominated as an Oscar entry.[15]
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Bajiraocha Beta | Marathi film | |
| 1971 | Shantata! Court Chalu Aahe | Marathi film | |
| 1974 | Rajnigandha | Sanjay | |
| 1975 | Jeevana Jyoti | Sanjay | Telugu film |
| Chhoti Si Baat | Arun Pradeep | Nominated:Filmfare Award for Best Actor | |
| 1976 | Chitchor | Vinod | |
| 1977 | Gharaonda | Sudip | |
| Bhumika | Keshav Dalvi | Won:Filmfare Special Performance Award[16] | |
| Agar... If | Anil Aggarwal | ||
| Taxi Taxie | Dev/Hero | ||
| Tuch Maazi Raani | Marathi film | ||
| Kanneshwara Rama | Chenneera | Kannada film | |
| 1978 | Damaad | Sharad Mazgaonkar | |
| Safed Jhoot | Amol 'Ramu' Palekar | ||
| 1979 | Baaton Baaton Mein | Tony Braganza | |
| Gol Maal | Ram Prasad Sharma / Lakshman Prasad Sharma (Lucky) | Won:Filmfare Award for Best Actor | |
| Do Ladke Dono Kadke | Hari | ||
| Meri Biwi Ki Shaadi | Bhagwant Kumar Bartendu "Bhagu" | ||
| Solva Sawan | |||
| Bin Baap Ka Beta | |||
| Mother | Marathi film | ||
| Jeena Yahan | Dinesh | ||
| 1980 | Aanchal | Kishan Lal | |
| Apne Paraye | Chandranath | ||
| 1981 | Naram Garam | Ram Eshwar Prasad | |
| Sameera | |||
| Akriet | Mukutrao Shinde | Marathi film won:Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Marathi | |
| Kalankini | Bengali film | ||
| Agni Pareeksha | Alok Choudhary / Ramesh Khanna | ||
| Chehre Pe Chehra | Peter | ||
| Plot No. 5 | |||
| 1982 | Jeevan Dhaara | Anand Bhatnagar | |
| Olangal | Ravi Chattan | Malayalam film | |
| Ramnagari | |||
| Spandan | |||
| Shriman Shrimati | Madhu Gupta | ||
| 1983 | Rang Birangi | Ajay Sharma | |
| Ashray | |||
| Pyaasi Aankhen | |||
| Chena Achena | Bengali film | ||
| 1984 | Tarang | Rahul | |
| Aadmi Aur Aurat | Tapan Sinha | TV movie | |
| Prarthana | |||
| Sringara Masa | Kannada film | ||
| Mr. X | Amar | Voice dubbed by other artist | |
| 1985 | Khamosh | Amol Palekar | |
| Jhoothi | Inspector Kamal Nath | ||
| Ankahee | Devkinandan Chaturvedi 'Nandu' | ||
| Abasheshe | Bengali film | ||
| 1986 | Baat Ban Jaye | Yeshwant Rao Bhonsle | |
| 1994 | Teesra Kaun? | C. K. Kadam | |
| 2001 | Aks | The Defence Minister | |
| 2009 | Samaantar | Keshav Vaze | Marathi film |
| 2021 | 200 – Halla Ho | Justice Vitthal Daangle | HindiZEE5 film |
| 2023 | Gulmohar | Sudhakar Batra | Disney+Hotstarfilm |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Farzi | Madhav (Nanu) | [18] |
| TBA | Gormint† | TBA | [18] |
| Award | Film | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Feature Film in Marathi | Bangarwadi | 1995 | Won |
| Special Jury Award (Feature Film) | Daayraa | 1996 | Won |
| Best Film on Other Social Issues | Kairee | 1999 | Won |
| Best Film on Family Welfare | Dhyaas Parva | 2000 | Won |
| Best Feature Film in English | Quest | 2006 | Won |
| Best Actor | Chhoti Si Baat | 1977 | Nominated |
| Gol Maal | 1980 | Won | |
| Best Actor | Akriet | 1981 | Won |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
