Vasant Shankar Kanetkar (20 March 1922 – 31 January 2000) was an Indian

Marathi-language Marathi (; ''Marāṭhī'', ) is an Indo-Aryan language predominantly spoken by Marathi people in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the official language of Maharashtra, and additional official language in the state of Goa. It is one of t ...

playwright and novelist from Maharashtra. He was born in the town of

Rahimatpur Rahimatpur is a city and a municipal council in Satara district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Rahimatpur has an average elevation of 657 metres (2155 feet). Demographics India census, Rahimatpur had a population of 25,539. M ...

Satara District Satara district (Marathi pronunciation: aːt̪aɾaː is a district of Maharashtra state in western India with an area of and a population of 3,003,741 of which 14.17% were urban (). Satara is the capital of the district and other major towns ...

, Maharashtra. His father, Shankar Keshav Kanetkar, was a poet who wrote poetry under the pen name ''Kavi Girish'' and was a founding member of a circle of poets named ''Ravikiran Mandal''. Vasant Kanetkar was educated in

Pune Pune (; ; also known as Poona, ( the official name from 1818 until 1978) is one of the most important industrial and educational hubs of India, with an estimated population of 7.4 million As of 2021, Pune Metropolitan Region is the largest i ...

and

Sangli Sangli () is a city and the district headquarters of Sangli District in the state of Maharashtra, in western India. It is known as the Turmeric City of Maharashtra due to its production and trade of the spice. Sangli is situated on the banks ...

. After passing M.A. exam in 1948 from

, he joined as a lecturer in

Nashik Nashik (, Marathi: aːʃik, also called as Nasik ) is a city in the northern region of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Situated on the banks of river Godavari, Nashik is the third largest city in Maharashtra, after Mumbai and Pune. Nashi ...

in 1950. He received wide admiration from the audience after his play 'Raigadala Jevha Jag Yete' (रायगडाला जेव्हा जाग येते). He kept the Marathi commercial theatre vibrant and live for more than two decades. Five of his plays received best play award of the year given by Maharashtra State Government. In 1966, Kanetkar received a Filmfare Award for Best Story for the Hindi movie Aansoo Ban Gaye Phool, which was an adaptation of

Ashroonchi Zhali Phule ''Ashroonchi Zhali Phule'', also known as ''Ashrunchi Jhali Phule'' (English: Tears Turned Into Flowers), is a Marathi play by Vasant Shankar Kanetkar. In 1966, Kanetkar received a Filmfare Award for Best Story for the Hindi movie '' Aansoo Ban ...

. Kanetkar received a

Padma Shri Padma Shri ( IAST: ''padma śrī''), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is conf ...

award in 1992 for his literary accomplishments.

List of plays

The following is a partial list of Kanetkar's plays: * ''Devanche Manorajya'' (देवांचे मनोराज्य) * ''Mala kahi Sangaychay!'' (मला काही सांगायचंय) * ''Beiman'' (बेइमान) * ''Vedyache Ghar Unhat'' (वेड्याचे घर ऊन्हात) * ''Prema, Tujha Ranga Kasa?'' (प्रेमा, तुझा रंग कसा?) * ''

'' (अश्रूंची झाली फुले) * ''Raigadala Jewha Jag Yete'' (रायगडाला जेंव्हा जाग येते) * ''Himalayachi Sawali'' (हिमालयाची सावली) * ''Wishawrukshachi Chhaya'' (विषवृक्षाची छाया) * '' Lekure Udanda Jahali'' (लेकुरे उदंड जाहली) * ''Premachya Gawa Jawe'' (प्रेमाच्या गावा जावे) * ''Jithe Gawatas Bhale Phutatat''(जिथे गवतास भाले फुटतात) * ''Suryachi Pille''(सूर्याची पिल्ले) * ''Ithe Oshalala Mrutyu'' (इथे ओशाळला मृत्यु) * ''Matsyagandha'' (मत्स्यगंधा)https://www.eventshigh.com/detail/pune/de23f9b6efef6596cfaff8154ec98c36-sangeet-matsyagandha-marathi-sangeet-natak * ''Akhercha sawal'' (अखेरचा सवाल) * ''Rang Umalatya Manache'' (रंग उमलत्या मनाचे ) * ''Kasturimrug'' (कस्तुरीमृग ) * ''Choo Mantar'' (छू मंतर!) * ''Fakta Ekach Karan'' (फक्त एकच कारण ) * ''Garudzep'' (गरुडझेप) (कादंबरीकार रणजीत देसाई यांच्याबरोबर) * ''Mira Madhura'' (मीरा मधुरा) * ''Nal Damayanti'' (नल दमयंती) * ''Mansala Dankha Maticha'' (माणसाला डंख मातीचा) * ''Ek Roop-Anek Rang'' (एक रूप -अनेक रंग) * ''Wadal Mansalataya'' (वादळ माणसाळतंय) * ''Madanbadha'' (मदनबाधा) * ''Sonchapha'' (सोनचाफा) * ''Aakasmithi'' (आकाशमिठी) * ''Sukha Pahata'' (सुख पाहता) * ''Tuza Tu Wadhavi Raja'' (तुझा तू वाढवी राजा ) * ''Mala Kahi Sangayachaya '' (मला काही सांगायचय) * ''Ithe Oshalala Mrityu'' (इथे ओशाळला मृत्यू) * ''Gharat Phulala Parijat'' (घरात फुलला पारिजात) * ''Goshta Janmantarichi'' (गोष्ट जन्मांतरीची) * ''Gaath Aahe Mazyashi'' (गाठ आहे माझ्याशी) * ''Kadhitari Kothetari'' (कधीतरी कोठेतरी) * ''Pankhana Odh Pawalanchi'' (पंखांना ओढ पावलांची) * ''Gaganbhedi'' (गगनभेदी) One Act Plays * '' Vyasancha Kayakalpa'' (व्यासांचा कायाकल्प) * '' Gad Gela Pan Sinha Jaga Zala'' (गड गेला पण सिंह जागा झाला) * '' Anandibai Anibani Puka Ratat'' (आनंंदीबाई आणीबाणी पुकारतात) * '' Madrashine Kela Marathi'' (मद्राशीने केला मराठी भ्रतार) * '' Zende-Patil Maqhavidyalayat'' (झेंडे पाटील महाविद्यालयात) * '' Divyasamor Andher'' (दिव्यासमोर अंधार) Kanetkar's plays covered a wide range of subject matters. His favorite subject matters were the life of warrior-king

Shivaji Shivaji Bhonsale I (; 19 February 1630 – 3 April 1680), also referred to as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, was an Indian ruler and a member of the Bhonsle Maratha clan. Shivaji carved out his own independent kingdom from the declining Adil ...

from Maharashtra, the cultural reformation in late nineteenth-century Maharashtra, human relationships, and the decline of morality in post-independence India.

List of Novels

Kanetkar wrote four novels. * ''Ghar'' (घर) * ''Pankha'' (पंख) * ''Porka'' (पोरका) * ''Tethe Chal Raani'' (तेथे चल राणी) (Translation of Jean-Paul Sartre's "Les Jeux Sont Faites")

Recognition

In 1970, Kanetkar received a Filmfare Award for Best Story for the

Hindi Hindi ( Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been ...

movie '' Aansoo Ban Gaye Phool'', the story having been an adaptation of his Marathi play ''Ashrunchi Jhali Phule''. He presided over

Marathi Sahitya Sammelan Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan (All India Marathi Literary Conference) is an annual conference for literary discussions by Marathi writers. Marathi is the official language of Maharashtra State. The first Marathi Sahitya Sammelan was h ...

in 1988. Kanetkar received a

award in 1992 for his literary accomplishments.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kanetkar, Vasant Shankar 1922 births 2000 deaths Recipients of the Padma Shri in literature & education Writers Marathi-language writers Presidents of the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award