Source :
Times of India
NAGPUR: Ram Ganesh Gadkari was a multi-faceted personality whose dramas, poems and humour continue to rule the hearts of readers nearly 99 years after his demise as his literary works gave a new dimension to Marathi literature, said littérateur Ravindra Shobhane on Thursday.
Shobhane weaved Gadkari’s life through witty anecdotes and incidences at a programme organized by Vidarbha Sahitya Sangh at Sanskrutik Sankul Hall, Sitabuldi.
In his nearly eight-decade-long career, Gadkari wrote celebrated dramas like ‘Ekach Pyala’, ‘Bhavbandhan’, ‘Rajsanyas’ and ‘Punyaprabhav’. His play ‘Premsanyas’ was dedicated to his love interest
Hirabai Pednekar, a beautiful theatre actress of that time.
“When his mother expressed her desire to watch the play, Gadkari shied away from it, knowing that she would find it inappropriate. He dedicated his next play ‘Punyaprabhav’ to his mother. It had a strong traditional woman lead, portraying his mother’s traits,” said Shobhane.
“When he was in school, Gadkaris’s friend Girdhar introduced him to his father
Annasaheb, founder of famous Kirloskar Natak Mandali in Belgaum. This was the time his life took a turn for better though he started his career as an art and acting teacher in the company. Surrounded by artistes all through the day, his creative juices started flowing and that was how he ventured into playwriting,” he said.
Shobhane, who has read all of Gadkaris’s plays and poems, described him as a humble yet stubborn person. “His plays portrayed strong humane characters which were relatable to the audience. Gadkari drew a lot of inspiration from his early life experiences that made him such a popular writer,” he said.
‘Premsanyas’ made waves in an era when Shakespearean tragedies were drawing audiences. Such was the power of Gadkari’s words and command over the language,” he added.
Gadkari wrote poetry with pen-name ‘Govindagraj’ in memory of his two-year-old younger brother Govinda.
“Even after experiencing a flattering popularity during his time, Gadkari led quite an unstable social life. A two-time divorcee, he faced unhappy married and social life and a prolonged illness which ultimately took his life,” said Shobhane.
In his speech, Ghonge talked about Gadkari’s turbulent career and highlighted many ups and downs he faced in life.