Mumbai: Veteran Marathi and Bollywood films, television and theatre actor Ashok Saraf will be conferred with the coveted Maharashtra Bhushan Award-2023, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said in Mumbai on Tuesday. It is the highest award given by the State Government.
Saraf, 76, has been selected for his substantial contribution to the field of arts. He has straddled from comedy to serious to villainous roles through his acting and won the hearts of the audiences.
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Saraf started his acting career in 1969 with the Marathi film ‘Janaka’. Since then, he has worked in over 250 Marathi films, mostly in comic roles, besides acting in more than 50 Bollywood movies and 10 television serials, along with a dozen theatre productions.
He has teamed up with actors like Laxmikant Berde and Sachin Pilgaonkar in different films. Some of the prominent Bollywood films in which Saraf could be seen include ‘Damaad’, ‘Pratighat’, ‘Benaam Badshah’, ‘Aa Gale Lag Ja’, ‘Karan Arjun’, ‘Army’, ‘Koyla’,‘Gupt’, ‘Yes Boss’, ‘Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya’, ‘Khubsoorat’, ‘Joru Ka Gulam’, ‘Jodi No. 1’ and ‘Singham’, among others.
Saraf was also seen prominently on various channels in teleserials like ‘Hum Paanch’, ‘Professor Pyarelal’, ‘Aa Bail Mujhe Maar’, ‘Ye Chhoti Badi Batein’, ‘Don’t Worry Ho Jayega’, and many more in both Hindi and Marathi. Over the years, he has been decorated with several awards and honours, including Maharashtra State Film Award (‘Pandu Havaldar’), 10 State Government Awards for acting in Marathi films, Marathi Filmfare and Screen Awards, and now the latest feather of Maharashtra Bhushan Award-2023.
In his congratulatory message, Shinde complimented his versatility and said that Saraf was not only amazing in his comedic roles but also gave stellar performances as a villain and in other serious roles.
Saraf is known for his iconic roles in hit Marathi films such as ‘Ashi hi Banva-Banvi’, ‘Gammat Jammat’, ‘Navari Mile Navryala’, ’ ‘Vajeer’, ‘Chaukat Raja’ and more. He achieved fame nationally with the hit Hindi comic series ‘Hum Paanch’.
