DADA KONDKE--CENSORS FIND MY SIMPLE GESTURES SEXY AND HOLD MY FILMS----FILM NAGAR ATTRACTS BOLLYWOOD FILMS

  With Dada Kondke and Usha Chavan

 C R Gowri Shanker

It was an afternoon in 1986 I went to review a Hindi film “Andheri Raat Mein Diya Tere Haath Mein” starring the golden jubilee hit Marathi superstar Dada Kondke at Anand Theatre in Secunderabad on behalf of Deccan Chronicle newspaper along with other journalists. The theatre was packed.

Dada Kondake is known for double meaning dialogues and sexually implicit signs in his films. But to my surprise, there were large number of women in the theatre during the interval, where the organisers gave us chai and snacks. The move was full of fun. The film had star cast of Dada Kondke, Usha Chavan, Amjad Khan and others.

Prior to the release of the movie on May 16, 1986, there was get together with select media persons at Nizam Club, Hyderabad in the evening, which I attended on behalf of Deccan Chronicle English Daily.

 From Left: Advertisement rep Rahim, C R Gowri Shanker, Dadakondke, Usha Chavan, Hemanth Kumar Pusthey.

True to his filmy dialogues, Dada Kondake entertained us with his spicy jokes and how he gets entangled with Censors everytime his films go to censors for scrutiny.

 

“Even if I do a simple namaste, the censors objects to it. Haath me kya hai? Namasthe kare toh be galte samajthe. (What is there in the hand? Even a simple namasthe is objected). For every thing, they take a different meaning though I don’t mean it! (laughs)

He adds, “My film stories are simple, musical concerning day to day life of people in rural areas, towns and has a social message. I  entertain people and make them laugh. The three hours they spent in theatre should make them forget miseries of life. Contrary to popular belief, large number of women see my films in Maharashtra and other parts of the country. I love Hyderabad and its culture. I am sure they like my films.”

Dadakondke, Usha Chavan, Vijay Kondake along with journalists and advertisement representatives at Nizam College, Hyderabad

Dada Kondake also has Hyderabad connection. His  relative Vijay Kondake had a film  distribution office near my house in Old Ghasmandi, Secunderabad. Rashtrapathi Road, Hill Street etc was the hub of film exhibitors and distribution offices.

Along with Daka Kondake, his heroine of multiple films, Usha Chavan was also present at the press meet. She said coyly in Hindi,” Sometimes his gestures go off my head. I don’t understand what he means. But people like our Jodi, songs and dialogues, especially in rural areas. We are a hit pair.”

   With Usha Chavan

Krishna "Dada" Kondke, was born in 1932 and passed away on 14 March 1998. 

He was actor, film producer, a renowned personality of Marathi cinema.

He is famous for his double entendre dialogues in his movies.

Kondke family owned a grocery shop and chawls in Morbaug area of Mumbai. Kondke was called "Dada", an honorific Marathi term meaning "elder brother", which led to his popular name Dada Kondke. 

From the early 1970s to the 1990s, Dada Kondke and his films dominated the Marathi film industry. Kondke’s Marathi films was full of dance, music and songs, including comic with double entendre. Infact, he can be called father of then new genre of sex comedy in Marathi and Hindi cinema, which became a big hit among rural masses since his films also had a social message.

Kondke entered in the Guinness Book of World Records for the highest number of films (nine) that achieved silver jubilee (running for 25 consecutive weeks).

Kondke was a born to and raised in a Koli family of cotton-mill workers in a chawl, a community building in Naigaon, near Lalbaug in Bombay, now Mumbai. His family originally hailed from the village of Ingavali which was in the erstwhile Bhor State near Pune.

Kondke began his entertainment career with a band, shifted to stage actor and subsequently films. Vichha Majhi Puri Kara brought Kondke into spotlight and in 1969, he debuted in Marathi movies through a role in Bhalji Pendharkar’s movie Tambdi Maati which won the National award for best Marathi feature film.

Later, he turned producer with Songadya in 1971 which was big hit. Many of his movies, produced under the "Kamakshi Pictures" banner, had Usha Chavan as the lead actress, Rajesh Mujumdar as screen play writer (from Pandu Hawaldar onward), Raam Laxman as music director, Jayawant Kulkarni and later Mahendra Kapoor as the male playback singer, Usha Mangeshkar as the female playback singer, and Bal Mohite as the chief assistant.

Kondke roped in veteran actor-dancer Bhagwan Dada in dancing sequences in his films such as Aali Angavar, Hyoch Navra Pahije, Bot Lavin Tithe Gudgulya, and Ram Ram Gangaram.

Some of his Marathi super hit songs like “Dhagala Lagali Kala’ sung by Mahendra Kapoor and Usha Chavan and picturised on Dada Kondke and Usha Chavan is popular even today.

Teaming up with his nephew Vijay Kondke who later produced the blockbuster Maherchi Saadi, and Vijay's brothers, the Kondke family reached zenith of their careers and stayed united till Dada demised.

 

Year	Film	Role	Language	Notes
1969	Tambdi Maati	Nana	Marathi
1971	Songadya	Namdeo (Namya)	Marathi
1972	Ekta Jeev Sadashiv	Sadashiv	Marathi
1973	Andhala Marto Dola	Shripati (Shirpya)	Marathi
1975	Pandu Havaldar	Pandu Hawaldar	Marathi	Maharashtra State Film Award for Best Director
1976	Tumcha Aamcha Jamala	Krushna	Marathi	Maharashtra State Film Award for Best Director
1977	Ram Ram Gangaram	Gangaram	Marathi
1977	Chandu Jamadar	Chandu	Gujarati
1978	Bot Lavin Tithe Gudgudalya	Chhotu	Marathi	Maharashtra State Film Award for Best Director
1980	Hyoch Navra Pahije	Gopal (Gopi)	Marathi
1982	Aalee Angawar		Marathi	Maharashtra State Film Award for Best Director
1984	Tere Mere Beech Mein	Gangaram	Hindi
1985	Khol De Meri Zuban	Gangaram	Hindi
1986	Andheri Raat Mein Diya Tere Haath Mein	Gullu	Hindi
1988	Mukaa Ghya Mukaa	Mukund (Mukya)	Marathi
1988	Aage Ki Soch	Ganpat	Hindi
1989	Mala Gheun Chala	Ganpat (Ganpa)	Marathi
1990	Palva Palvi	Shripati (Shirpya)	Marathi
1992	Yeu Kaa Gharaat?		Marathi
1994	Saasarche Dhotar		Marathi
1995	Vajavu Ka?		Marathi
2000	Le Chal Apne Sang		Hindi

Courtesy: Wikipedia

At Sarathi Studio Ameerpet Hyderabad during a film shoot of Marathi actor Kasinath Ghanekar, Kamini Kaushal etc in 1960s along with my mother C R Sugala Devi, Sheruyu of Pavan Studios Secunderabad. I am beside the actor. My brother C R Chandrasekhar and sister Hemalata also seen.