Sachin Pilgaonkar hits a half-century

In an industry where people come and go, 50 years later, you're still going strong as actor, director, producer, singer, reality show judge and now with your autobiography an author.

This is entirely due to God's and my parents' blessings and the audiences’ love. Without these, there’s little even the most formidable talent can do.

Is the autobiography an attempt to document your extraordinary success?
No. This book is an attempt at acknowledging all the special people who touched my life and helped me reach where I have. The narrative only helps me move from one person to another.

You didn't hail from a film family.
That's right. My family’s roots are in Goa and my father Sharad Pilgaonkar migrated to Mumbai where he ran a printing press. But as luck would have it, destiny thrust me in front of the camera when I was only four-and-a-half.

How did that happen?
I was barely three-and-a-half when film maker Madhavrao Shinde noticed me and approached my father with a role for me in Soonbai in 1961. That didn't work out though it piqued interest in my father who began talks with other film-makers. It worked out for the best...

You gave your first shot in 1962 while burning with fever?
Yes. I was burning with 103 degree fever on the day I was to give my first shot. Concerned, my father tried to dissuade Raja Paranjape who was giving me the break in Ha Maza Marg Ekla. But he pleaded arrangements had been made and promised not to keep me long and my father agreed.

And guess what? The moment they started putting on make-up, my fever began going down. By the time I stood up to say my first line, it'd vanished.

This first-ever-role got you the national award.
Yes. Though it seems like many years ago, I remember everybody from my family and film industry doting over me when I received the award at the hands of the then President Dr Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan.

 You became a much in demand child star in both Hindi and Marathi...
I was approached for child roles in both Marathi and Hindi. That meant that I was in demand. In a decade I went and bagged the national award again for Ajab Tuje Sarkar.

Junior Mehmood was also a well-known child artiste then...
You know his name is Naeem Sayyed. I've always called him Nammo affectionately. We have done 15 films as child artistes together. He'd say I'll be a star one day even when we worked in Brahmachari together and would insist we should work together if I became a producer or director. Our friendship has only grown over the years. He agreed to do a guest appearance, as a watchman in my recent film Ideachi Kalpana. While I've always respected this immense storehouse of talent, he's always praised my doing scenes quickly, without mistakes.

Didn't your education suffer because of your career?
Yes and no. By now its well-established that a formal education doesn't always help you. In that sense I'm happy life has taught me everything I know.

You have performed with all the greats in Bollywood.
I feel privileged to have been able to not only work with legends like Meena Kumar, Sanjeev Kumar and Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Their contribution to my growth as an actor is immense. There isn't a single day that I don't remember the former since she helped me with my Urdu pronunciation. While Sanjeev Kumar helped me practice difficult scenes for perfection and variety, Hrishida taught me film editing.

While many child artistes are unable to transition as grown-ups, you have been a run-away success...
Even as a child artiste, I closely observed how films were made. I always wanted to be a director and studied even the smallest aspects of production, while on set. Without being stuck on doing any one particular thing I have realised that doing my best with what is at hand gives me most satisfaction and it has worked with audiences too. To keep on re-inventing oneself is the only way to succeed.

Your lead roles in romances as a grown-up also became hits.
After Geet Gaata Chal with Sarika (who was also a child artiste) became a hit, it brought us many roles as a lead pair. Balika Badhu, College Girl, Ankhiyon Ke Jharokhon Se and Nadiya Ke Paar all did very well even in small towns and interiors and are still talked about and used as reference points.

Was the dream to direct then a result of lead offers drying up later?
Nothing could be further from the truth. I was busy with roles in some of the biggest banner productions like Trishul, Sholay, Avtar, Sur Sangam and Satte Pe Satta. Audiences still come up to me and congratulate me on my performances in them. The point is never how big or small the role you are doing but the impact it leaves.

You training in film making began on the sets of Sholay.
After completing the Sholay shoot, I asked Ramesh Sippy, if I could stay back on-location and learn direction. I used to sit on the floor behind his camera and closely observe shots. Seeing my dedication, he made me an assistant and handed over responsibility of the 2nd unit of the film, being managed till then by Amjadbhai (Amjad Khan) at another location. After the film's completion, when Sippy Sir praised scenes picturised under my supervision (including the ones where a train hits a pile of logs) it felt great!

You've achieved a reputation as a director who is seen as a hit-maker in the Marathi film industry.
The critical acclaim for Mai Baap in 1982 told me I'm on the right track but the thundering success of Navri Mile Navryala (where he starred opposite Supriya who he then married) followed by Gammat Jammat, Maza Pati Karodpati and Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi (starring himself and with the reigning superstar duo of Marathi cinema, Ashok Saraf and Laxmikant Berde) established me as a hit-maker.

While your comedies have been run-away hits, your attempts at serious cinema haven't met the same success.
You could say that. But you see this was a difficult time for Marathi cinema. This cradle of Indian cinema which saw legendary stalwarts take on social issues had moved into tamasha-based fare which was getting repetitive. All those who criticise Ashok, the late Laxmikant Berde or me calling our work assembly line should give us credit for holding on to the audience with comedy which helped Marathi cinema survive despite competition from Bollywood.

You often speak with pride of the new waves that Marathi cinema is making.
It is true that Marathi films are coming into their own, once again. We’ve had some of the best critically acclaimed cinema being made on out-of-the-box subjects more diverse than even Hindi. Many like Zee’s Duniyadari has crossed Rs22 crores collections in the box office are becoming commercial successes. We need to guard against the release of several films together as this ends up hurting everyone.

You managed to carve a niche for yourself on the small screen too...
I realised the potential of this medium in the 1990s, when my Hindi comedy show, Tu Tu Main Main with Supriya and Reema Lagoo became a super-hit. Later 1 2 3 which parodied Bollywood movies and Hudd Kar Di starring the late Dara Singh, too did well. Music shows like Chalti Ka Naam Antakshari and Marathi film award ceremonies introduced me to anchoring.

The 2006 Nach Baliye win for my wife Supriya and me inspired me to start my own dance-based reality show Eka Peksha Ek on Zee Marathi for contestants from across Maharashtra.

How did Bhojpuri cinema happen?
I did Nadiya Ke Paar (NKP) in 1982. It was based on a novel set in UP and we even shot quite a bit of it in Jaunpur. For authenticity, we had to use the local dialect Bhojpuri. That was how we did the Rajshri movie. We did not know it had ended up becoming the most popular movie across UP and Bihar. A song from NKP picturised on me has become continues to be a popular song over three decades since the film released.

You don’t speak the language, yet you directed a hit Kannada movie in 2007.
(Laughs) That was all late Dr Vishnuvardhan’s doing. He had seen my Navra Mazha Navsacha and liked it. When he asked for rights to a remake I gladly agreed but he insisted I direct. Though initially reluctant, I gave in because Ekadanta was a line-by-line remake and I knew exactly what the characters were saying.

You’ve launched your daughter Shriya with Ekulti Ek. Do you want her to be the torch-bearer to your legacy?
Which parent wouldn’t be happy see their daughter excelling in their fields? That applies to me as well. Having said that, this is her choice. As parents we can only be supportive and let her know we are around to lean on, if she needs to. I don’t believe in mollycoddling kids. She can only go so far as a star-kid. Going further ahead will have to happen on her own steam.

After wearing almost all hats in showbiz, is there anything you feel you haven’t done?
Though I’m already singing for movies I regret not training formally. It would’ve made a world of difference to my singing. But who knows? If I find a teacher, I may still learn.

 As actor: ‘‘Ekulti Ek (2013), ‘‘Sharyat (2011), ‘‘Teecha Baap Tyacha Baap (2010), Ideachi Kalpana (2010), ‘‘Aayatya Gharat Gharoba’(1991), ‘‘Amchyasarkhe Aamich (1990), Eka Peksha Ek (1990), ‘Abhi To Main Jawan Hoon (1989), Amar ‘‘Atmavishwas (1989), ‘Bhutacha Bhau (1989), ‘Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi (1988),‘‘Mazha Pati Karodpati (1988), ‘Gammat Jammat (1987), ‘‘Navri Mile Navryala (1984), Satte Pe Satta (1982), ‘Nadiya Ke Paar (1982), Sweety (1981), ‘Judaai (1980),‘‘Ashta Vinayak (1979), ‘Paradh (1979), ‘‘Gopal Krishna (1979), ‘Aur Kaun (1979), Trishul, ‘College Girl & ‘Ankhiyon Ke Jharokhon Se (1978), ‘Geet Gaata Chal & Balika Badhu (1976), Sholay (1975)

As a child artiste: Ajab Tuje Sarkar (1972), Bramhachari (1968), ‘‘Jewel Thief (1967), Majhli Didi (1967), ‘Ha Maaza Marg Ekla (1962).

As a director: ‘‘Ekulti Ek (2013), Ekadanta (2007), ‘Aamhi Saatpute (2008), ‘Navra Mazha Navsacha (2004), ‘‘Kunku (1994) ‘Aayatya Gharat Gharoba (1991) ‘Eka Peksha Ek (1990) ‘‘Amchyasarkhe Aamich (1990), ‘Atmavishwas (1989), ‘Bhutacha Bhau (1989), ‘‘Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi (1988), ‘Mazha Pati Karodpati (1988), ‘Gammat Jammat (1987),‘Navri Mile Navryala (1984), Savvasher (1984), Mai Baap (1982),