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PRIYA
& LAXMIKANT BERDE
Switching
roles 
For on-screen funny man Laxmikant Berde and his actress-wife
Priya, turning producers with Lakshatlya Goshthi was a drastic
change from their jobs as actors until then. Although Priya
plays the official producer, her responsibilities as a housewife
do not allow her enough time to take on any active responsibilities,
thus leaving her better-half Laxmikant with this additional
duty. Nursing her two-month-baby Swanandi in her arms, and
pointing in the direction of her husband, Priya says “I’m
only his student, right now. I have yet to learn the ropes
of the trade, and shall involve myself actively once my kids
are a little older.”
Laxmikant, therefore, without much complain, takes charge
of Abhinay Arts, their production house which has been named
after the couple’s three-year-old son. Best identified
as one-man comic strength in so many serials and films, both
Hindi and Marathi, Laxmikant is eager to talk about his show,
Lakshatilya Goshthi. 20 episodes of the show have already
been aired on the Tara Channel every Thursday at 8.30 pm.
Based on short stories by some of eminent Marathi writers
(including Jaywant Dalvi, SN Navre and Bappu Kale, to name
a few), the serial has Berde himself enacting different roles
each time.
Positive reactions from the audience have urged the producer
couple into requesting for an extension for their show, which
initially was allotted only 28 episodes. Berde, who plans
to shoot in Kohlapur next, explains that “Until now,
I shot all over Mumbai, but since old stories have a different
flavour, I want to present them authentically.”
For an actor who realised his passion for acting by participating
in the Konkanast Samaj Ganesh festival in Girgaum during his
early days, and after winning prizes in school and at inter-collegiate
plays, Berde gradually became the pet artiste of the Mumbai
Marathi Sahitya Sangh. “Stage was a learning process
for me. When I travelled all over, I had the opportunity to
read the pulse of the audience,” he says. What he learned
during these jaunts, he says, is that “laughter was different
everywhere.” For a single situation, people from different
places react differently, he adds, revealing that on this
very basis he has worked on his roles. His struggle, incidentally,
materialised only in 1983, when he found success and acclaim
with his brother Purshottam Berde’s play Turtur, and
subsequently with Prakash Budhisagar’s Shantecha Kaartha
Chaalu Aahe.
Luckily for him, there was no looking back since. Offers to
act in Marathi films came pouring in, and Berde only strengthened
his popularity with parts in such movies as Dhumdhadaka, Lekh
Chaalali Sasarla, Dedhanadan, Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi, Hamal De
Dhamal, Chalre Lakshya Mumbaila and Thartharat amongst others.
A chance meeting with Sooraj Barjatya helped him land his
first Hindi film role in Maine Pyar Kiya, and he followed
that up with interesting parts in Beta, Saajan, 100 Days and
Hum Aapke Hain Koun among others. In the mega-hit Hum Aapke
Hain Koun, Barjatya also cast Priya, interestingly.
For the moment, however, Priya says her career as an actress
has taken a back seat even as she spends most of her time
with her children.
Nevertheless, it is difficult to ignore her body of work,
which started way back when she first appeared on screen as
a child artiste. Daughter of director Arun Karnataki, her
other illustrious relatives include film-maker V Shantaram,
and aunts Nanda, Maya Jadhav and Jayshree T. Although essentially
a dancer, Priya says it was almost natural for her to become
an actress courtesy her roots in this industry. As a heroine,
she made her bow in the Marathi film, Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi,
and then went on to feature in almost 45 films including such
Hindi potboilers as Beta, Hum Aapke Hain Koun, Anadi and Deedar.
She was also seen on the small screen in Marathi serials like
Ek Shunya Shumya, Gavakadhchi Goshth, Awaaz, Mala Kahi Sagayacha
Ahe and the Hindi serial Padosan. Cast together, the couple
have acted in about 40 films.
Berde, for his part, has his hands full. He recently completed
75 shows of his Marathi play, Lavangi Mirchi Kolhapurchi and
finished work on his forthcoming Hindi films, Hum Aapke Hain
Sanam, Beti No 1 and Kirti Kumar’s untitled venture.
Meanwhile, Baiko Chukli Standwar and Dekhni Baiko... are his
two Marathi films awaiting release.
For this comedian, venturing into production was a major decision
and now that he has his fingers in the pie, he claims he’s
thoroughly enjoying it. There are plans for a telefilm too.
Direction, however, “is a far away dream,” he concludes.
Namita Nivas
Also
See: Making waves
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Cover
Story 
