Chandrakant Kulkarni

Chandrakant Kulkarni Biography

Chandrakant Kulkarni is a well known personality of Marathi Theater and cinema. He is an actor, director as well as playwright. He is a screenwriter and film director also. His popular plays include - Wada Chirebandi, Dhyanimani, Gandhi Virudh Gandhi and remake of Hamidabaichi Kothi. His notable films include Bindhaast (1999) and Tukaram (2012). Bindhast was remade to Tamil (by a different climax) by Priyadarshan one year later titled, “Shehithaye” and released its dubbed Malayalam and Hindi versions 7 years later. This movie is noted for its ‘Ladies only’ star cast. Kulkarni was briefly married to Bollywood film actress Sonali Kulkarni. Tukaram won Best Film and best director awards at Colors Screen Awards.

Kulkarni’s home town is Aurangabad, Maharashtra. He came to Mumbai dreaming a career in movies and theatre. In 1994, Kulkarni directed the eight hour long trilogy play Wada Chirebandi in three parts as Wada Chirebandi, Magna Talyakathi and Yuganta. In 2006, director Chetan Datar edited and staged it in a single play. His second play was Dhyanimani, written by Prashant Dalvi. In 1995-96 he directed the play Gandhi Virudh Gandhi which was written by Ajit Dalvi. This play told the conflicts between Mahatma Gandhi and his eldest son Harilal Gandhi. He directed its Hindi version as well. It was later made a critically well acclaimed Hindi movie by director Feroz Abbas Khan, Gandhi, My father.

Kulkarni presented monologues in the 2009 play Maunaraag and in 2011, he directed the play Adhi Basu Mag Bolu, quoting reasons of divorces of present Indian society. He has about 65 plays to his credit of which Shantata! Court Chalu Aahe, Hamidabaichi Kothi, Varyavarchi Varaat and Batatyachi Chal became popular. Kulkarni has also appeared in a few movies as an actor. Bangarwadi and Pipani are a few such. As a director, he has directed one Hindi movie in 2008 – Meerabai Not out.

Published: N/A

Updated: September 28, 2017