Purushottam Laxman Deshpande
Pu La Deshpande , popularly known by his initials or as P. L. Deshpande, was a Marathi writer and humorist from Maharashtra, India. He was also an accomplished film and stage actor, script writer, author, composer, musician, singer and orator. He was often referred to as "Maharashtra's beloved personality".
Deshpande's works have been translated into several languages including English and Kannada.
Biography
Early life
Purushottam was born in Krupal Hemraj Chawl located on Gamdevi Street, Chowpati, Mumbai in a Gaud Saraswat Brahmin family to Laxman Trimbak Deshpande and Laxmibai Laxman Deshpande. His maternal grandfather, Vaman Mangesh Dubhashi, was a poet and connoisseur of literature. He had translated Rabindranath Tagore's Gitanjali into Marathi under the title "Abhang Gitanjali".The family used to stay at Kenway House, Procter Road in the Grant Road locality in Mumbai. His family then moved to Jogeshwari. His first 8 years at the newly formed Saraswati Baug Colony are described in the story titled 'Balpanicha Kaal Sukhacha' or Bālpaṇicā Kāḷ Sukhācā in his book Purchundi. The family then moved to Vile Parle.His father was working at Advani Paper Mill on daily wages. He earned 150 rupees daily.
Education
Deshpande studied at Parle Tilak Vidyalaya. He attended Ismail Yusuf College after high school and then Government Law College, Mumbai for LLB. Later he attended Fergusson College in Pune and obtained his Bachelors in Arts, in 1950 and then obtained his Masters in Arts from Willingdon college, Sangli He also took lessons in playing harmonium from Dattopant Rajopadhye of ''Bhaskar Sangitalaya.Personal life
His first wife died soon after the wedding in the early 1940s. On 12 June 1946, Deshpande married his colleague, Sunita Thakur. Thakur was to go on to become an accomplished writer in her own right. The couple did not have any children, they loved their nephew, Dinesh Thakur like their own son.Professional life
Both Deshpande and his wife served as teachers in Orient High School, Mumbai. He also worked for some years as a college professor in Rani Parvati Devi College Belgaum, Karnataka and Kirti College, Mumbai.He also worked for newly founded Doordarshan, the state owned Indian TV. He was the first person to interview the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on Indian television. He was seconded to the BBC for a year-long training. After which he spent some time in France and in West Germany. It was this specific period and stays in these countries that his later travelogue "Apoorvai" was to be based upon. His other travelogue include "Poorvaranga" and "Jave Tyanchya Desha".
Accomplishments
Pu La Deshpande was a proficient Hindustani classical musician. He went on to gain fame as an author, screenplay writer, actor, director, music director and singer. He participated in several philanthropist activitiesDeath
Deshpande died in Pune, Maharashtra on 12 June 2000 due to complications from Parkinson's disease. He was aged 80. He was survived by his wife Sunita. He died on the 54th anniversary of their wedding. Sunita died after P.L. Deshpande, in 2009.Filmography
- :mr:चित्रपट कुबेर|कुबेर – 1947: actor and playback singer
- :mr:चित्रपट भाग्यरेषा|भाग्यरेषा – 1948: actor and playback singer
- :mr:चित्रपट वंदेमातरम्|वंदेमातरम् – 1948: actor and playback singer
- :mr:चित्रपट जागा भाड्याने देणे आहे|जागा भाड्याने देणे आहे – 1949: screenplay and dialogues
- :mr:चित्रपट मानाचे पान|मानाचे पान – 1949: – story, screenplay, and dialogues; co-music director in collaboration with Ga Di Madgulkar
- :mr:चित्रपट मोठी माणसे|मोठी माणसे – 1949: music director
- गोकुळचा राजा – 1950: Writer of Story, Screenplay, and Dialogues
- जरा जपून – 1950: Writer of Screenplay and Dialogues
- जोहार मायबाप – 1950: Actor
- नवरा बायको – 1950: Music Director and Writer of Story, Screenplay, and Dialogues
- ही वाट पंढरीची – 1950: Actor
- पुढचे पाऊल – 1950: Actor and Writer of Screenplay and Dialogues in collaboration with Ga Di Madgulkar
- वर पाहिजे – 1950: Actor and Writer of Screenplay and Dialogues in collaboration with Achyut Ranade
- देव पावला – 1950: Music Director
- दूध भात – 1952: Music Director and Writer of Story, Screenplay, Dialogues, and Lyrics
- घरधनी – 1952: Music Director and Writer of Screenplay, Dialogues, and Lyrics
- नवे बिर्हाड – 1952: Writer of Story and Screenplay
- माईसाहेब – 1952: Music Director and Writer of Screenplay and Dialogues
- संदेश – 1952: Writer of Story, Screenplay, and Dialogues
- देवबाप्पा – 1952: Music Director and Writer of Story, Screenplay, Dialogues, and Lyrics
- गुळाचा गणपती – 1953: Director, Music Director, actor, and Writer of Story, Screenplay, Dialogues, and Lyrics
- फूल और कलियाँ – 1960: Story writer –
- सुंदर मी होणार – 1966: Story writer –
- चिमणराव गुंड्याभाऊ – : Narrator
- एक होता विदूषक – 1993: Screenplay and Dialogues
Awards and recognition
- Punyabhushan – 1993
- Padma Bhushan – 1990
- Maharashtra Gaurav Award
- Padma Shri – 1966
- Sahitya Akademi Award – 1965
- Sangeet Natak Akademi Award – 1967
- Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship – 1979
- Maharashtra Bhushan Award – 1996
- Kalidas Samman – 1987
- Honorary Doctor of Literature Degrees from Rabindra Bharati University, University of Pune and Tilak Maharashtra University
- First interviewer to interview Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, for the then newly founded Doordarshan.
- The "P. L. Deshpande Maharashtra Kala Academy" was established by the Government of Maharashtra in Mumbai to honour his contributions to Marathi literature– 2002
- A garden, Pu. La. Deshpande Udyan, in Pune was named after him in commemoration.
Social work
- Seed donation to Muktangan Deaddiction and Rehabilitation Center
- Donation to IUCAA Muktangan Vidnyan Shodhika
- Donation to Neehar, a hostel for the children of prostitutes
- Donation for closed-door auditorium and an open theatre for the blind students at Baba Amte's Anandvan
- Supporter of Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti, promoting cultivation of scientific temperament
Movie
Documentary
- This is a Films Division documentary in which Pu. La. himself reveals his life journey. It was filmed on occasion of his 60th birthday. There are two other documentaries made on Pu La. One by Mukta Rajadhyakshya and Sudhir Moghe called Ya Sama Haa on his 75th birthday, and Pu La Vruttant, made by Dr. Jabbar Patel, in which Pu La himself talked about his life.'Namune', a new serial is arriving on television based on Dehpande's literature.In this serial actor Sanjay Mone will play Deshpande's role. It will be broadcast ed on 'Sony Sab' channel on the television. Along with Sanjay Mone there will be various actors from
Hindi and Marathi film industry.