P. L. Deshpande

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Purushottam Laxman Deshpānde (Devanāgari: पुरुषोत्तम लक्ष्मण देशपांडे) (November 8, 1918 - June 12, 2000) was a noted Marāthi writer from Mahārāshtra, India. He was also an accomplished performing artist and an excellent orator. He wrote in Marathi under the name पु. ल. देशपांडे (Devanagari script), and was popularly known by just his initials पु. ल. ("Pu. La.") .

Purushottam Laxman Deshpande
Known as पु. ल. (Marathi/Devanagari)
Life Span 8 November 1919 (Mumbai)
to
12 June 2000 (Pune)
Spouse Sunitā Deshpānde (Married in 1946)
Education M.A., LL. B.
Areas of Work Writer, TV Producer/Director,
Actor, Music Director
Awards Padma Shri (1966)
Padma Bhushan (1990)
Maharashtra Bhushan
Sāhitya Akādemi Award
Sangeet Nātak Akādemi Award















Contents

[edit] Life sketch

Born in Mumbai (Bombay) to Laxman and Lakshmibāi Deshpānde, "पु. ल." received his college education at Fergusson College in Pune and Willingdon College in Sāngli.

For some years, he worked as a college professor and a school founder/teacher before embarking on his career in writing and in the multiple fields of acting, directing, and composing music in the world of movies.

In 1946, "पु. ल." married Sunitā Thākur, who is an accomplished authoress and has acted in some plays in the past.

Wit was a hallmark of the writings of "पु. ल.". He wrote plays, essays, life sketches, short stories, novels, travelogues, and screen plays and lyrics for movies.

"पु. ल." took lessons in playing harmonium from Dattopant Rajopādhye of Bhāskar Sangitālaya. He had proficiency in Hindustāni classical music and deep interest in Marathi musical theater. He was an accomplished music director and a singer.

[edit] Literary accomplishments

("पु. ल." preferred to identify his Marathi adaptations of English plays and novels as भावानुवाद --"adaptations conveying the essence of the original works").

Plays:

  • तुका म्हणे आता (Tukā Mhane Ātā) – 1948
  • पुढारी पाहिजॆ (Pudhāri Pāhije) – 1951
  • अंमलदार (Ammaldār) – 1952...based on Nikolai Gogol's Inspector General
  • भाग्यवान (Bhāgyawān) – 1953
  • तुझे आहे तुजपाशी (Tujhe – 1976he Tujapāshi) – 1957
  • सुंदर मी होणार (Sundar Mi Honār) – 1958
  • पहिला राजा/आधे अधूरे (Pahilā Rājā/Ādhe Adhure) – 1976...based on Jagadish Chandra Mathur's Adhe Adhure
  • तीन पैशांचा तमाशा (Teen Paishānchā Tamāshā) – 1978...based on Bertolt Brecht's The Three Penny Opera
  • राजा ओयदिपौस (Rājā Oyadipaus) – 1979...based on Sophocles's Oedipus Rex
  • ती फुलराणी (Ti Fulrāni)...based on George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion
  • एक झुंज वार्याशी (Eka Jhunja Wāryāshi)


One-Act Plays:

  • मोठे मासे आणि छोटे मासे (Mothe Māse Āni Chhote Māse) – 1957
  • विठ्ठल तो आला आला (Withthala To Ālā Ālā) -1961
  • आम्ही लटिके ना बोलू (Āmhi Latike Nā Bolu) – 1975


Children's Plays:

  • वयं मोठं खोटं (Wayam Motham Khotam) – 1956
  • नवे गोकुळ (Nawe Gokul) – 1958


Collections of Humorous Essays:

  • खोगीरभरती (Khogir Bharati) – 1949
  • नस्ती उठाठेव (Nasti Uthāthewa) - 1952
  • बटाट्याची चाळ (Batātyāchi Chāl) – 1958
  • गोळाबेरीज (Golāberij) – 1960
  • असा मी असामी (Asā Mi Asāmi) – 1964
  • ह(फ)सवणूक (Ha(pha)sawanuk) – 1968
  • खिल्ली (Khilli) –
  • कोट्याधीश पु. ल. (Kotyādhish Pu La.) –
  • मराठी वाङ्मयाचा गाळीव इतिहास (Marāthi Wāngmayāchā Gāliw Itihās) –
  • टेलिफोनचा जन्म (Teliphonachā Janma) –
  • पोरवय (Porawaya) –


Novels:

  • काय वाट्टेल ते होईल (Kāy Wāttel Te Hoeel) - 1962...based on Helen and George Papashvily's Anything Can Happen
  • एका कोळीयाने (Ekā Koliyāne) -1965...based on Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea
  • कान्होजी आंग्रे (Kānhoji Āngre) –


Biography:

  • गांधीजी (Gāndhiji) – 1970


Collections of Life Sketches:

  • गणगोत (Ganagot) – 1966
  • व्यक्ती आणि वल्ली (Wyakti Āni Walli) (life sketches of imaginary personalities) – 1966
  • गुण गाईन आवडी (Guna Gāeena Āwadi) – 1975
  • रविन्द्रनाथ : तीन व्याख्याने (Ravindranāth : Teen Wyākhyāne) –


Travelogues:

  • अपूर्वाई (Apurwāi) - 1960
  • पूर्वरंग (Purwarang) - 1963
  • जावे त्यांच्या देशा (Jāwe Tyānchyā Deshā) – 1974
  • वंगचित्रे (Wyanga Chitre) - 1974


A List of Some of the Humorous Essays:

  • एका रविवारची कहाणी (Ekā Rawiwārchi Kahāni)
  • बिगरी ते मॅट्रिक (Bigari Te Matric)
  • हरी तात्या (Hari Tātyā)
  • पुणेकर, मुंबईकर, का नागपूरकर? (Punekar, Mumbaikar, Kā Nāgpurkar?)
  • म्हैस (Mhais)
  • मी आणि माझा शत्रुपक्ष (Mi Āni Mājhā Shatrupaksha)
  • पाळीव प्राणी (Pāliwa Prāni)
  • पानवाला (Pānwālā)
  • काही नवे ग्रहयोग (Kāhi Nave Grahayog)
  • माझे पौष्टिक जीवन (Mājhe Paustik Jeewan)
  • पेस्तन काका (Pestan Kākā)
  • रावसाहेब (Rāosāheb)
  • सखाराम गटणे (Sakhārām Gatane)
  • नामू परीट (Nāmu Parit)
  • उरलासुरला (Uralā Suralā)


(Cartoons by Vasant Sarwate accompanied some of the humorous works of "पु. ल.".)

[edit] Movies

  • कुबेर (Kuber) – 1947: Actor and Playback Singer
  • भाग्यरेषा (Bhāgyareshā) – 1948: Actor and Playback Singer
  • वंदेमातरम् (Wandemātaram) – 1948: Actor and Playback Singer
  • जागा भाड्याने देणे आहे (Jāgā Bhādyāne Dene Āhe) – 1949: Writer of Screenplay and Dialogues
  • मानाचे पान (Mānāche Pān) – 1949: - Writer of Story, Screenplay, and Dialogues; and Co-Music Director in collaboration with Ga Di Madgulkar
  • मोठी माणसे (Mothi Mānase) – 1949: Music Director
  • गोकुळचा राजा (Gokulachā Rājā) – 1950: Writer of Story, Screenplay, and Dialogues
  • जरा जपून (Jarā Japoon) – 1950: Writer of Screenplay and Dialogues
  • जोहार मायबाप (Johār Māybāp) – 1950: Actor
  • नवरा बायको (Nawarā Bāyako) – 1950: Music Director and Writer of Story, Screenplay, and Dialogues
  • ही वाट पंढरीची (Hi Wāt Pandharichi) – 1950: Actor
  • पुढचे पाऊल (Pudhache Pāool) – 1950: Actor and Writer of Screenplay and Dialogues in collaboration with Ga Di Mādgulkar
  • वर पाहिजे (War Pāhije) – 1950: Actor and Writer of Screenplay and Dialogues in collaboration with Achyut Rānade
  • देव पावला (Dewa Pawalā) – 1950: Music Director
  • दूध भात (Doodh Bhāt) – 1952: Music Director and Writer of Story, Screenplay, Dialogues, and Lyrics
  • घरधनी (Ghardhani) – 1952: Music Director and Writer of Screenplay, Dialogues, and Lyrics
  • नवे बिर्हाड (Nawe Birhād) – 1952: Writer of Story and Screenplay
  • माईसाहेब (Māisaheb) – 1952: Music Director and Writer of Screenplay and Dialogues
  • संदेश (Sandesh) [in Hindi] – 1952: Writer of Story, Screenplay, and Dialogues (translated by Mir Asgar Ali)
  • गुळाचा गणपती (Gulāchā Ganapati) – 1953: Director, Music Director, Actor, and Writer of Story, Screenplay, Dialogues, and Lyrics
  • देवबाप्पा (Dewabāppā) – 1958: Music Director and Writer of Story, Screenplay, Dialogues, and Lyrics
  • फूल और कलियाँ (Phool Aur Kaliyān) [in Hindi] – 1960: Writer of Story and Screenplay
  • आज और कल (Āj aur Kal) [in Hindi] – 1966: Writer of Story and Screenplay
  • चिमणराव गुंड्याभाऊ (Chimanarāo Gundyābhāu) – : Narrator
  • एक होता विदूषक (Eka Hotā Widushaka) – 1993: Writer of Screenplay and Dialogues


[edit] One-Man Stage Shows

  • बटाट्याची चाळ (Batātyāchi Chāl)
  • असा मी असामी (Asā Mi Asāmi)
  • हसविण्याचा माझा धंदा (Hasawinyāchā Mājhā Dhandā)
  • वा-यावरची वरात (Wāryāwarachi Warāt)

[edit] Plots of Plays

  • सुंदर मी होणार (Sundar Mi Honār):

The play highlights the struggle of a middle-aged woman who is unable to walk because of an ailment. She is a daughter of a King or Zamindar of a small princely state in India. The play captures the conflict between her father and her brothers, and depicts changes in their lives after the British Raj took over their princely state. A poet, who is a pen friend of the protagonist, helps her gain confidence which enables her to start walking again.

  • तुझे आहे तुजपाशी (Tujhe Āhe Tujapāshi):

The play casts criticism on authoritarian religious leaders and also depicts the positive and colorful view of life and generous spirit of a character in the play, which is in stark contrast to that of another character, an authoritarian religious leader. In the end, the latter recognizes the shallowness of his life.

[edit] Awards and Recognitions


  • पु. ल. was the first interviewer to interview Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the Prime Minister of India, for the then newly founded Doordarshan.
  • A cultural center, P. L. Deshpānde Kalā Academy at the Ravindra Nātya Mandir in Mumbai, has been named after पु. ल..

[edit] External links

Languages