Master Krishnarao Phulambrikar (1891-1974)
Music composer and actor born in Alandi, Maharashtra. Trained by Bhaskarbua Bakhle in music school Bharat Gayan Samaj. Employed by Bal Gandharva’s Gandharva Natak Mandali as male lead and composer. With Govindrao Tembe, he helped shape Bal Gandharva’s enormously influential populist versions of North Indian classical music. Entered film at Prabhat Studio with Bal Gandharva in Shantaram’s Dharmatma and stayed on to do several films, developing a reputation as an orthodox Sangeet Natak classicist, distinguishing him from his Prabhat contemporary, Keshavrao Bhole. His songs for Manoos/Admi? (esp. Hublikar’s seduction number, Ab kis liye kal ki baat) and the musical spoofs of Bombay Talkies and New Theatres were among the few original compositions when, particularly at Prabhat, most songs drew on the repertoire of traditional gharanas (notably the Jaipur gharana). His only success after the studio era was at Rajkamal in Mali, also playing the lead role.
FILMOGRAPHY (* also act): 1935: Dharmatma; 1936: Amar Jyoti; 1937: Sadhvi Meerabai; Wahan; 1938: Gopal Krishna; 1939: Manoos/Admi?; 1941: Shejari/Padosi?; 1942: Vasantsena; 1944: Bhakticha Mala/Mali?*; 1945: Lakhrani; 1947: Meri Amanat (act only); 1949: Sant Ramdas; 1953: Tai Teleen; 1959: Keechaka Vadha; 1962: Vithu Mazha Lekurvala. Krishna Shastry, Devulapalli see Sastry, Devulapalli Krishna