Vishnu Sakharam Khandekar (1898-1976)
Influential Marathi writer and essayist born in Sangli, Maharashtra. Closely associated with the progressive, secular tradition of the reformist G.G. Agarkar. A former schoolteacher, his bestknown novels (Ulka, 1934; Hirva Chafa, 1938; Pandhre Dhag, 1939) are often deliberately pedagogical, with characters presented as social ‘types’ in situations devised as guides to morally correct behaviour. Wrote several original scripts, e.g. for Master Vinayak (Jwala, 1938; Amrit and Junnarkar’s Sangam, both 1941) some of which he later novelised (Rikama Devhara based on Devata, 1939; Sukhacha Shodh, 1939, etc.). His literary world is ‘peopled on the one side by ambitious men who have lost their humanity and, on the other, by the poor [w]ho suffer but never lose their humaneness; poverty is always perceived as a social consequence of crippling ambition’ (Mordekar, Aug 1941). His stories are high melodrama full of sacrifices bravely borne, passionate revenge and holy sin in extraordinarily convoluted plots (Chhaya, 1936; Mazhe Bal, 1943), exerting a strong influence in Marathi cinema, e.g. on Raja Paranjpe/G.D. Madgulkar. Based scripts on C.V. Joshi’s popular political satires featuring the bumbling duo Gundyabhau and Chimanrao: Lagna Pahave Karun (1940) and Sarkari Pahune (1942). Scripted C. Raghuvir’s Soneri Savli (1953), Madhav Shinde’s Antaricha Diva (1960), Mansala Pankh Astaat (1961) and Sunbai (1962; also providing the lyrics together with Shanta Shelke).