Laxmikant Berde

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Laxmikant Berde was born in Mumbai on 3rd November, 1954. Right since childhood he was involved in dramatics and took regular part in inter-school competitions. This continued when he entered college. He was born and brought up in Girgaum and took part in the Ganesh festival celebration at the Kokanastha Vaishya Samaj there which involved stage plays. He later started acting in the Marathi Sahitya Sangha which also based out of Girgaum. It was only in 1983-1984 did he first acquire his major role in a play titled Tour Tour which was directed Purshottam Berde. His performance in Tour Tour got him great popularity.

Laxmikant Berde hails from a humble background. He grew up in the chawls of the working class neighbourhood of Mumbai. This is something he shares with other stars of Marathi cinema – Dada Kondke and Ashok Saraf . He was married to Roohi Berde , but the marriage did not last. Though they did not have an official divorce, the two had separated. Laxmikant Berde later got into a relationship with his costar for many films Priya Arun. She is the daughter of actor Latar Arun. The two however did not officially get married but started living together. They even had two children Tejaswini and Abhinay from their marriage. Laxmikant Berde passed at the age of 50 years on 16th December, 2004 after a kidney ailment. The untimely death was mourned by the whole of Maharashtra. He was also a very good guitarist and ventriloquist, a fact unknown to most people.

Theatre Career Laxmikant Berde is a product of the Marathi stage like many of his other co-stars. He took part in stage plays right since childhood. Inter-school, inter-collegiate and participation in Ganesh festivities is what moulded him as an actor. He started doing plays professionally at the Marathi Sahitya Sangha in Girgaum and that when he got his first major role in the play directed by Purshottam Berde by the title Tour Tour in 1983-84. His style of acting caught the attention of the masses. He quickly rose to become a big star. Even after he achieved great success in films he didn’t abandon theatre and regularly did plays. Here is a list of plays he did in his career: Abab Vitoba bolu lagala , Gharat Hasare tare , Pandit ata tari shahane vha , Tour Tour (1983), Shantecha Karta Chalu Aahe (1989), Bighadale Dwar Swargache, Ashvamedh, Sir aale dhaun , कार्टी प्रेमात पडली, लेले वि. लेले , नांदा सौख्यभरे, उचलबांगडी Film Career Marathi Cinema Berde ’s Marathi film career is closely associated with two other stalwarts of Marathi cinema of that period – Mahesh Kothare and Ashok Saraf. After making his appearance in Doordarshan in the Marathi program Gajra, Laxmikant Berde bagged a role in De Danadan as the second lead to Mahesh Kothare who was also directing the film. This was after he made his debut in the film Lek Chalali Sasarla. He started getting regular offers post De Danadan, but it was again a Mahesh Kothare film that got him a hit. He starred alongside Ashok Saraf in Dhoom Dhadaka in the 1986 film and it was a super hit. It made Laxmikant Berde an overnight star. Following Dhoom Dhadaka, Laxmikant Berde gave a string of hits that catapulted him to super stardom. Amhi Doghe Raja Rani, Hamal De Dhamal, Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi, Balache Baap Brahmachari, Eka Peksha Ek, Bhutacha Bhau, Thartharat and Zapatlela were some of the films that were adored by the masses. As mentioned before, he appeared alongside Ashok Saraf in many of his films and the two are supposedly one of the most commerically successful pairs in the history of Indian cinema. Hindi Cinema Laxmikant Berde got his first break in Hindi films with Maine Pyar Kiya in 1989. He was cast in the role of the lead actor’s help and later got typecast in that role throughout his career in Hindi films. 100 days, Saajan, Hum Aapke Hain Kaun are some of the other Hindi films in which his roles are memorable.