The master of all ‘ARTS’

The multifaceted, known as ‘Bahurupi’ in Maharashtra, Dilip Prabhavalkar talks about his work and experiences with m4m

Neha Ghatpande

 We know him as the Chimanrao, Chaukat Raja, Gangadhar Tipre and a lovable Mahatma from Lage Raho Munnabhai- Dilip Prabhavalkar in his mid-sixties uses connotations such as exciting, novelty and possibilities almost after every two sentences that he speaks. The true thespian by nature, a lover of his profession- Acting and a noted writer sums up his journey of 30 years in just one word- versatility. As his new film release Narbachi Wadi approaches, the multitalented persona shares his feelings about his work and experiences with m4m.  

Why did you choose to do Narbachi Wadi?

As an actor I always like to pursue different things. In the case of Narbachi Wadi, I was delighted when the producer (Pintu Guha) narrated the story to me because I saw many possibilities as an actor in this project. Another soft corner that I had was that it was a Bengali film ‘Bancharamer Bagan’ made by Tapal Sinha. I can definitely say that my character ‘Narba’-the poor farmer has many shades and I only discovered them in the journey of this film.

You have been in the industry for over 30 years now, how would you describe this journey?

The remarkable fact about this journey is that i have always managed to play different characters and I must say that I have done that purposefully. In the past if a character that I played became popular then I have been offered similar types of roles and characters, for example Chimanrao or portrayal of lady characters or even Gandhi. After Lage Raho Munnabhai, I was continuously getting offers to play Gandhi. But I did not. This decision has given me an opportunity to explore novelty at every phase of my career. Even today whenever I do a character, I feel that it is incomplete, I can put in more efforts and I think it will continue.

After doing so many films, what kind of roles do you look for?

As I said earlier, I look for something different and novel. But I do get inspired and motivated when I see possibilities and several shades in the character that can be explored. No character can have only one shade, it has to have many shades. Along with Narbachi Wadi, I am doing interesting roles in Gajendra Ahire’s Postcard, Sujay Dhake’s Ajoba and many others. Exploring every aspect of the character still excites me; hence you will find me doing such roles in future as well.

You have done a substantial amount of work in Marathi and Hindi film industry; have you felt any striking difference in both?

The most obvious difference is the commercial scale at which films are made. The scale of making Hindi films is huge. But Hindi cinema gave me an opportunity to work with some noted actors and my personal favourites such as I did Sarkar Raj with Amitabh Bachchan, Encounter with Naseeruddin Shah, Chupke Se with Om Puri and Paheli with Shah Rukh Khan. All these actors were extremely professional and I am quoting the word ‘Professional’ in a good sense. My experience tells me that Hindi film artists give respect to everyone and especially to those who come from the theatre background. Whereas in Marathi films, it feels like my home ground, I feel more belongingness and comfortable while working in Marathi films.

It seems you are working with a lot of young directors, how has been your experience with them?

Yes, I have worked likes of Aditya Sarpotdar, Sujay Dahake and many others. I must say, it’s a learning experience. You get to learn new ideas and techniques from them. You know, an experienced actor like me can get an idea about how the person has a depth and capability as a director within first few shots. Once I realise that I give my full co-operation, I help whenever needed and I ask doubts if I have any. Working with young minds is an amazing experience.

Catch Dilip Prabhavalkar in a lead role in Narbachi Wadi releasing on September 20

The master of all Arts:
Dilip Prabhavalkar has won all three major awards in the field of Literature, Theatre and Films

National Award, November 2008
Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role, Male
Shevri [Marathi] and Lage Raho Munnabhai [Hindi]

Sangeet Natak Award, July 2010
Outstanding Contribution to the Field of Theatre
Sangeeta Natak Akademi of India

Children's Literature (Short Stories) in Marathi 2011
Bal Sahitya Puraskar, November 2011
Sahitya Akademi of India

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