Bhalji Pendharkar

Bhalji Pendharkar (3 May 1897 – 26 November 1994) was an Indian film director and producer, and a recipient of Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the most prestigious award in the field.

Early life and family He was born to Radhabai and Gopal Pendharkar. Several of his relatives were also active in the Indian film industry, including his elder brother Baburao Pendharkar, his half-brother Master Vinayak Karnataki, and his cousin V. Shantaram.

Personal life Bhalji had two wives. One of whom, Leela Chandragiri, acted and sang in Hindi and Marathi films in 1930s under the name Miss Leela. Leela-bai already had two children when she first met Bhalji. Bhalji adopted both of them, a boy (Jayasingh) and a girl. The girl later married novelist Ranjit Desai and she is better known as Madhavi Desai (died in 2013); she wrote the book 'Naacha Ga Ghumaa'. His second daughter's name was Saroj Chindarkar.

Bhalji's son with his first wife, Prabhakar Pendharkar (1933–2010), was associated with making of Do Aankhen Barah Haath in 1950s, wrote the book रारंगढांग, and was author-director of noteworthy documentaries. Bhalji named his studio Jayaprabha, combining in it the names of Leela's son Jayasingh (whom Bhalji had adopted) and his own son Prabhakar.

Film career Bhalji started his career in the era of silent films. He was associated with Prabhat Film Company's earliest talkies, and also worked with other studios in hometown of Kolhapur. Later he acquired his own studio in form of Jayprabha Studio and became a film producer and director. He also wrote lyrics for some film songs in Marathi. His more famous films are: Netaji Palkar, Thoratanchi Kamala, Chhatrapati Shivaji, Mohityanchi Manjula, Maratha Titutka Melvava, Sadhi Manse, Tambdi Maati.

Bhalji was awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1991 by the Indian Government.

Directed films

Screenplay writer

As producer 1939 Netaji Palkar 1927 Vande Mataram Ashram 1986 Shabas Sunbai

As actor 1924 Prithvi Vallabh