| 4 | | Marathi and Hindi director, best known as a writer, born in Amravati, Eastern Maharashtra. Started with Sangeet Natak company Balwant Sangeet Mandali as playwright-lyricist. Moved to film-making when the theatre group expanded its box-office draw by producing Krishnarjun Yuddha, starring the group’s writer-actor Chintamanrao Kolhatkar. Unlike other films produced by [[SANGEET NATAK|Sangeet Natak]] companies (e.g. Lalitkaladarsh), the film succeeded commercially and he co-directed three more with the group’s owner-producer Vamanrao N. Bhatt. Scripted the mythological Pundalik (1936) and, according to his autobiography, co-d the film with V.N. Bhatt. Briefly studied film-making in the UK (1938); published his first novel, Ranangan (1938), on his return. Joined [[Prabhat]] briefly to write [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shantaram|Shantaram]]’s [[Shejari/Padosi]] (1941), returning to the studio to script [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramshastri|Ramshastri]] (1944, a re-edited version of which, credited to him, was later released as a children’s film entitled Ramshastri Ka Nyay) and to direct [[Guru Dutt]]’s début, [[Lakhrani]]. Made classic melodramas for Baburao Pendharkar’s New Huns, [[Baburao Pai |
| | 4 | Marathi and Hindi director, best known as a writer, born in Amravati, Eastern Maharashtra. Started with Sangeet Natak company Balwant Sangeet Mandali as playwright-lyricist. Moved to film-making when the theatre group expanded its box-office draw by producing Krishnarjun Yuddha, starring the group’s writer-actor Chintamanrao Kolhatkar. Unlike other films produced by [[SANGEET NATAK|Sangeet Natak]] companies (e.g. Lalitkaladarsh), the film succeeded commercially and he co-directed three more with the group’s owner-producer Vamanrao N. Bhatt. Scripted the mythological Pundalik (1936) and, according to his autobiography, co-d the film with V.N. Bhatt. Briefly studied film-making in the UK (1938); published his first novel, Ranangan (1938), on his return. Joined [[Prabhat]] briefly to write [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shantaram|Shantaram]]’s [[Shejari/Padosi]] (1941), returning to the studio to script [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramshastri|Ramshastri]] (1944, a re-edited version of which, credited to him, was later released as a children’s film entitled Ramshastri Ka Nyay) and to direct [[Guru Dutt]]’s début, [[Lakhrani]]. Made classic melodramas for Baburao Pendharkar’s New Huns, [[Baburao Painter|Baburao Pai]]’s Famous Pics and [[Minerva Movietone]]. Wrote Shantaram’s [[Amar Bhoopali]] (1951). Directed some of the [[Ramsay Brothers]]’ early productions ([[Rustom Sohrab]], Ek Nannhi Munni Ladki Thi). Works in modernist frame defined by |