Sadashiv Amrapurkar deserved far more and far better given his talent

In Sadashiv Amrapurkar we have lost not only one of our finest acting talents but an exceptional human being. I was aware he was battling illness for quite a long time and there were some rumours of his passing away around Diwali. I went to Kokilaben hospital and met his family. They assured me that though critical, he was responding positively to treatment so one was expecting him to get better.

His Rama Shetty in my 1983 film Ardh Satya has stood the test of time and is still recalled by many as one of the most powerful characters of Indian cinema. But the recall value has mostly to do with how powerfully the late playwright Vijay Tendulkar wrote that character and the way Sadashiv grabbed its pulse.

You know no sooner had he written Rama Shetty, I told Tendulkar that I wanted a fresh face to play him. He had seen Sadashiv's work and recommended I consider and meet him. Accordingly, we met. I was immediately drawn to the raw appeal in his face and mannerisms. The best thing about him were his mischievous eyes which were always full of life.

I knew his looks would fit the role but asked him if I could watch him act. He invited me to watch Hands Up!, a brilliant comedy in which he and the amazing late actress Bhakti Barve-Inamdar had the audience eat out of their hands. Unlike Shetty of Ardh Staya, here Sadashiv was playing a bumbling fool of a constable in what was a comedy. His sheer timing and the way he had a grip on the character right down to the fine mannerisms and twitch had me smitten. Even before the interval, I decided I wanted to cast him and was very happy at my find.

During the Ardh Satya shoot we just had one meeting for an hour to discuss the character's minutiae. Even as I explained Rama Shetty, without an iota of pride this man who was a big name in Marathi patiently heard me out and came up with the body language and accent on his own. I found myself in agreement with him. After that we never discussed the character apart from scene-specific nuances here and there.

He'd deliver 10-12% more than what I expected and would be phenomenal in the first take itself. Given my nature, I'd insist on two-three takes and he'd always agree. In fact his camaraderie and dedication was such that the whole unit would wait expectantly to see how he would surprise them next with his brilliance. Though he didn't have scenes with Smita (Patil), his scenes with Om (Puri) are such a delight, given how their acting prowess match, even if I say so myself.

It was much later that I learnt how closely involved he was with social and philanthropic causes. Yet unlike many others he didn't go about shouting from the rooftops about that side of his persona.

You know by 1985, I made another film Aaghat with Sadashiv in the role of a corporate honcho. The film which looked at what was then a contemporary burning issue of labour and trade unions also had Om Puri, Naseeruddin Shah, Deepa Sahi and Amrish Puri. Unfortunately it never got released. Like all film makers I too felt deep regret that it hadn't seen the light of day but eventually moved on. Today in Sadashiv's passing away that regret about not being able to find space for another project which showcased his phenomenal talent has come back.

While it's true that most people remember him for Rama Shetty and for playing the brothel-keeper eunuch Maharani in Mahesh Bhatt's Sadak, one needs to remember that there is a formidable body of work he left behind with his work on stage, films and television.

Of course there will always be a feeling that Sadashiv deserved far more and far better given his talent. It has been a privilege knowing and working with him.

— As told to Yogesh Pawar