Shreeram Lagoo is literally the original Nata Samrat and versatile actor
What Dilip Kumar is to Bollywood or Sivaji Ganesan to South Film industry likewise Dr. Shreeram Lagoo is to Marathi cinema. A giant among actors Dr Shreeram Lagoo is the original Nata Samrat, literally because before Nana Patekar played the role and became immortalized on Marathi silver screen, it was Dr.Shreeram Lagoo who did hundreds of shows Nata Samrat on Marathi stage and won tremendous applause. In fact Dr.Shreeram Lagoo was the first actor to play Nata Samrat on stage in 1969.
Readers would be surprised to know that after Dr Shreeram Lagoo, many top most Marathi actors like Datta Bhatt, Yashwant Dutt, Satish Dubhashi, Chandrakant Gokhale, Madhusudan Kolhatkar and Raja Gosavi attempted Nata Samrat play on stage but it took a toll on their health as the role is demanding and drains out an actor but kudos to Dr Lagoo who did the role repeatedly for with immense success.
Later with his journey in Marathi cinema, Dr. Lagoo set new standards in acting with timeless classics Pinjara, Samna and Sinhasan. His aura in Marathi cinema and stage was so glorious that Bollywood could not resist itself and spared red carpet for him. With films like Gharaonda, Saajan Bina Suhagan, Laawaris, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar etc he ruled 70’s and 80’s as a versatile actor.
Dr Shreeram Lagoo’s first experience on stage was a failure
When Dr. Shreeram Lagoo was in class III he played a role in the school annual gathering for the first time but the experience was terrifying and he pledged never to act again.
He studied at Pune’s Bhave School which was famous in dramatics. Hence when he reached class V, slowly he was attracted to theatre.
As the school encouraged a lot of dramatics hence young Lagoo was again thrown on stage by his teachers. Soon his fear factor began to vanish and he began loving the claps and applause of the audience.
To polish his acting skill Lagoo began watching a lot of dramas and Hollywood movies. He was hugely influenced by Marathi legendary actors like Nanasaheb Phatak, Keshavrao Date, Mama Pendse and Master Dinanath.
Similarly he was highly inspired by Hollywood actors like Paul Muni, Spencer Tracy, Laurence Olivier, Greta Garbo, Norma Shearer and Ingrid Bergman.
Few know that the school that Lagoo attended had produced many great actors like Smita Patil, Rohini Hattangadi and Sonali Kulkarni.
Dr. Shreeram Lagoo quit is lucrative medical career for his passion in drama
The bug of acting that stunk Lagoo during his school days intensified during his college days. Though Lagoo was brilliant in academics and was pursued Medicine at B.J. Medical College, Pune; yet his penchant for drama continued.
He joined Progressive Dramatic Association in Pune. During the day he studied at Medical college and spent his evening at Progressive Dramatic Association.
During the five year of the Medical course, Lagoo did many plays and also did the most popular drama of his life Lagnachi Bedi. His performance as Dr Kanchan in the play won him his career’s first award.
On one side Lagoo was gaining name and fame in Marathi theatre and on the other hand he continued his medical study. He specialized in ENT. He went to Canada and England for additional training.
In the 50’s and early 60’s he practiced as a famous ENT doctor in Pune. He also went abroad and did practice at Tabora, Capital of Tanzania in East Africa.
He was in Africa for three years practicing as doctor and had abandoned theater. However during those three he realized that without theater he would not survive as acting was his life and his passion.
Hence in 1969 he quit his lucrative medical field and plunged into acting full-fledged.
Dr.Shreeram Lagoo had a love marriage
Dr.Shreeram Lagoo fell in love with his co-actress Deepa during his college days when he was doing theatre at Progressive Dramatic Association.
Love blossomed and the two married. Deepa Lagoo is theatre, TV and film actress.
Dr.Shreeram Lagoo was the first actor to play Natasamrat
At the age of 42 years Dr. Lagoo began profession theatre with the play the Oshalala Mrityu written by Vasant Kanetkar. The play was instant hit.
But the best was yet to come when he staged the famous Marathi play Natasamrat written by Marathi legendary playwright Kusumagraj (Vishnu Vaman Shirwadkar, who won - Sahitya Akademi Award for the same play).
The play was first staged in 1969 and Dr Shreeram Lagoo is the first actor to play the role of Ganpat Ramchandra Belwalkar alias Natasamrat. In this play Dr. Lagoo poured his emotions and pathos of the character so realistically that the audience went berserk and the play created history.
Dr Lagoo did many hundred stage shows of the play in India and aboard and became a name to reckon in theatre world.
Dr. Shreeram Lagoo gave new impetus to Marathi Cinema
In the mid-70 when Marathi Cinema was slowly losing its sheen due to the advent of double-meaning laced comedy films of Dada Kondke.
In such an era Dr.Shreeram Lagoo revived quality cinema with strong content and high level performances. Movies like Pinjara, Samna and Sinhasan. gave a new lease of life to Marathi Cinema.
In fact, Dr.Lagoo also played a lion’s share in taking Marathi cinema and Marathi Theatre to International heights.
Dr. Shreeram Lagoo left his imprints in Bollywood
For an actor of the caliber of Dr Shreeram Lagoo, Bollywood had nothing much to offer but still Dr Shreeram Lagoo left his imprint in Bollywood.
Among his memorable roles include Gulzaar’s Gharaonda in which he played an aged husband of a young girl. The role was tailor made for Dr.Lagoo and he well deservedly won the Filmfare Best Supporting Actor award. The award made Dr.Lagoo quite popular in Bollywood and he was flooded with character roles.
However most of the roles were mundane typical uncle/ father kind of roles but Dr. Lagoo did got some strong roles like the alcoholic father in Lawaris, the loving father of three daughters who suffers cancer in Saajan Bina Suhagan or the handicapped senior lawyer in Muqaddar Ka Sikandar etc
He also got opportunity act opposite thespian Dilip Kumar in Vidhaata, Amitabh Bachchan in Laawaris and another great actor Sanjeev Kumar in Devata.
His other hits are Inkaar, Hera Pheri, Insaaf Ka Tarazu, Gehrayee, Kishen Kanhaiya, Souten etc.
He also played an important role in Hollywood film Gandhi, directed by Richard Attenborough.
Awards
Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award in Gharaonda(1978)
Kalidas Samman (1997)
Master Dinanath Mangeshkar Smruti Pratisthan for his contribution to cinema and theater (2006)
2010, Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship (2010)
Other works
Milestones
With Pinjara Dr.Shreeram Lagoo became immortal
Though with Natasamart Dr. Shreeram Lagoo introduced his acting prowess in the world of theatre but it was Marathi film wizard V.Shantaram’s Marathi film Pinjara that established Dr.Shreeram Lagoo as an actor par excellence in Indian Cinema.
He played the protagonist school teacher, who is an upright teacher and tries to educate the illiterate villagers and stops them from the vice of alcohol and womanizing.
However, ironically, he himself is trapped in the charm of a beautiful dancer. The role was challenging and demanded a quality actor who could portray the gradual transformation of his character from a respected teacher to a disgraceful alcoholic fallen in the dirty muck of wine and woman!
Dr. Lagoo played the contrasting personalities so convincingly that he became immortalized in the annals of Indian Cinema. Just as Dilip Kumar will be remembered for his role in Ganga Jamna or Amitabh Bachchan in Deewaar likewise generations shall remember Dr.Shreeram Lagoo in Pinjara.
| # | Released Date | Type | Credited As | Movie |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 23 Jul 2018 | Film | Actor | The Great Freedom Fighter Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak - Swaraj My Birthright |
| 2 | 18 Mar 2016 | Film | Actor | Pinjra |
| 3 | 12 Jun 2015 | Film | Actor | Nagrik |
| 4 | 20 Apr 2012 | Film | Actor | Masala 2012 |
| 5 | 16 Dec 2011 | Film | Supporting Actor | One Room Kitchen |
| 6 | 26 Feb 2010 | Film | Actor | Aahat |
| 7 | 22 Apr 2004 | Film | Actor | Pandhar |
| 8 | 01 Jan 2001 | Film | Actor | Dhyaas Parva |
| 9 | 01 Jan 2001 | Film | Supporting Actor | Dhyasparva |
| 10 | 01 Jan 2000 | Film | Actor | Saubhagyadan |
| 11 | 05 Jul 1996 | Film | Supporting Actor | Hahakaar |
| 12 | 16 Feb 1996 | Film | Supporting Actor | Aurat Aurat Aurat |
