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OBITUARY

minent theatre and film actor Shriram Lagoo, who casting Minister Prakash Javadekar said: “My tributes to all
played an important role in the growth of thea- time great artist Shreeram Lagoo. We have lost a versatile
tre movement in Maharashtra and was known personality. A unique theatre actor dominated silver screen
for his progressive and rationalist views that he and created impact. He was social activists simultaneously.
E expressed without fear, passed away on Decem- He started his career as actor in films with projects like
ber 17 evening. He was 92. Aahat, Pinjra, Mere Saath Chal and Samna. These films
Lagoo died of cardiac arrest at his Pune residence released in the early seventies but made filmmakers real-
around 8 pm. The last rites will be performed after his son ise Lagoo’s talent as a character artist. During the eighties
comes from the US, his wife Deepa Lagoo said in a state- and nineties, he became a very familiar face for the view-
ment. “He passed away due to age-related complications,” ers of Hindi and Marathi cinema as he acted in more than
playwright Satish Alekar was quoted as saying by a news five dozen films during this period. He started taking up less
agency. projects after 1990 but was very active on the theatre front.
As an actor, Lagoo’s roles in Marathi plays such as Nat- He earned many awards during his long career. In 1978,
samrat and Himalayachi Saoli, and films like Pinjra made him he received Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award for his
popular. He essayed memorable roles in Bollywood films work in Gharaonda. He was also a recipient of the Kalidas
such as Ek Din Achanak”, Gharonda and Lawaris to name a Samman in 1997. He was given the Master Dinanath Man-
few. Lagoo, who was a trained ENT surgeon, played a key geshkar Smruti Pratisthan in 2006. He was given the Sang-
role in the growth of theatre movement in Maharashtra eet Natak Akademi Fellowship in 2010. Dr Lagoo also wrote
in the post-Independence era along with Vijay Tendulkar, a book, an autobiography titled Lamaan.

Vijaya Mehta and Arvind Deshpande. As an actor, Lagoo’s roles Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav
Alekar said after the demise of La- in Marathi plays such as Thackeray on Tuesday paid tributes to
goo, affectionately known in theatre veteran actor Shriram Lagoo, who died
circles as ‘Doctor’, “we have lost a giant Natsamrat and Himalayachi in Pune, calling him Natsamrat (King
actor from the Indian theatre scene”. Saoli, and films like Pinjra among actors). Thackeray mentioned
Lagoo was at par with any stalwarts in- made him popular. He Lagoo’s roles in the play Natsamrat and
ternationally known. films such as Pinjra and Simhasan (in
He was the last soldier who stead- essayed memorable roles which Lagoo played a minister eyeing
fastly believed in the freedom of ex- in Bollywood films such as the CM’s post). “Dr Lagoo was a prolific
pression and he stood for the freedom Ek Din Achanak, Gharonda reader, writer and also aprominent
of expression during the Emergency, thinker. He expressed his view of social
according to Alekar. “He steadfastly and Lawaris to name a issues firmly. The people of Maharash-
stood behind Vijay Tendulkar and oth- few. He played a key role tra will remember him forever,” Thack-
er actors of Ghanshiram Kotwal and in the growth of theatre eray added.
Sakharam Binder,” the playwright said.
In a tweet, Information and Broad- movement in Maharashtra LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM

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