Photo-book on Sai baba makes record sales

A movie on the life of Sai Baba of Shirdi made a decade ago has now inspired a photo-book that narrates the story of the saint.

The 46-page book uses stills from the 2001 film Shirdi Sai Baba to narrate the incidents in the life of the saint.

Along with an earlier film of the saint made in 1977, the 2001 film had a large role to play in spreading the popularity of the saint beyond Maharashtra.

Made for Rs2.9 crore, the film earned Rs4.5 crore. It won the 2002 President’s Award for National Integration. The saint’s role was played by actor Sudhir Dalvi who had also playing the title role in the 1977 film.

Dharmendra had played a special role in the film which also featured actors like Rohini Hattangadi, Suresh Oberoi and Vikram Gokhale.

Though the film had a modest run in Mumbai, it did well in north India and brought a large number of north Indian devotees to Shirdi for the first time.

The film was followed by several television series on the saint.
“The film was a great catalyst in popularising the saint in other parts of India and abroad,” said Aushim Khetrapal, the film’s producer whose Brindavan’s based Shirdi Sai Baba Foundation has published the photo-book.

Khetrapal had played the role of the ‘sutradhar’ or story teller in his film.

Khetrapal said, “The film on Sai Baba was recognised at the national level and won the national integration award at the hands of the then President KR Narayanan. I am pleased to announce the release of the picture book which is an adaptation of this film. We have received an overwhelming response for the book from Sai devotees,” he said.

The book in English and Hindi priced at Rs30 is largely aimed at children and the youth.

It was released last week and has already sold 20,000 copies.