V  Shantaram’s genius cannot be summed up in an article or a book. It spans six decades, several technological breakthroughs, diverse subjects and the launching of unknown talents. Beginning from silent films to coloured chronicles, straddling both Marathi and Hindi cinema, he was peerless. His spectrum includes classics like Do Ankhen Barah Haath (about reforming criminals), Aadmi (accorded dignity to the prostitute),  Dahej (highlighted the evil of dowry) and Duniya Na Mane (a young girl protests against her much older husband). While dance and music assumed a vibrant flavour in Navrang, Sehra, Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje, Pinjara as did patriotism
in Dr Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani.

But a quality that remains striking is that he was a true feminist. On reel and in real. Usually, when the arc lights dim, the performer and the person split into two entities. But Shantaram, who espoused dignity of women on screen, displayed a similar veracity in his personal life. Where ‘muse’ is often used as an euphemism for ‘mistress’, Shantaram refused to seek refuge in such chauvinistic terms. He married the women he loved – actors Jayashree and Sandhya. He also upheld the dignity of his first wife Vimal. Here, his daughter from his first marriage to Vimal, Madhura Jasraj, who has written the biography V. Shantaram – The Man Who Changed Indian Cinema, reveals why she reveres her father...

ONE MAN, MANY SHADES
The first memory of my father is of the time he’d been to Madras for a theatre inauguration. We spoke to each other via a trunk call made from Prabhat Studio in Pune. For a child it was a rare thrill. Though my father was a busy man, he had time for us. He enjoyed swimming and he’d take us children, my brother Prabhat Kumar, older sister Saroj, younger sister Charusheela and me to the pool. I was full of masti and would jump on his back.  Papa had simple tastes. His breakfast would be sabzi, bhakri, boiled eggs. His lunch was sent from home. But he loved cars. His favourite was a Cadillac, which would break down all the time. So another car would follow this one. He was particular about what he wore at functions. He liked the bow tie. Also, he had a bhayankar (terrible) temper. But he never touched alcohol.

As I grew, I developed an equation with him as I had a creative slant. I was unafraid and didn’t hesitate to ask questions. Even he’d be keen to know my views on a film. “Tula kashi avadhli (did you like it)?” he’d ask. For instance, his film Chaani (1977), with the late actress Ranjana Deshmukh based on CT Khanolkar’s story, showed a man having sex with a corpse in the bullock cart. I argued it was not in good taste. Papa explained that the writer wanted to convey that lust has no limit. Papa’s films were ahead of their times. Kunku (based on the novel Na Patnari Goshta by Narayan Hari Apte), released in Hindi as Duniya Na Mane, was about a young girl (Shanta Apte), who denies conjugal rights to her much older husband. Unlike, Devdas (1935, director PC Barua), which was about despair, his Aadmi (Manoos in Marathi) was about strength, where even after losing the girl, the hero doesn’t wallow in self-pity. Shejari (titled Padosi in Hindi) was about Hindu-Muslim unity. It formed the trinity of social dramas from his production house Prabhat Films. He liked the image of the Indian woman but at the same time not someone who would take things lying down. She had to be someone who fought against the ills of society.
When I fell in love with Pandit Jasrajji, he was a rising musician. The economic difference between us was huge. Also, Panditji’ is a Haryanvi. I’m a Maharashtrian. When Papa came to know about our keenness to marry he asked me, “Will you be able to adjust? Because you cannot come back home.”

Years ago, I wrote Papa’s autobiography titled Shantaram in Marathi (also translated in Hindi and Kannada). In that, he shared truths about his personal life. But this biography records his achievements, which he, being humble, was averse to talking. While writing his autobiography, one particular day he began talking about his personal life. We ended up conversing for five hours. Once incident followed another. He opened up about his failures, his flaws. We didn’t even break for lunch. No calls and no visitors were entertained. After he was done, he turned around and asked me, “How do you regard your father now?” I replied, “As a human being.” He came across and hugged me. We grew closer from that day onwards. He was my father, my guru. If God gave me talent he sharpened it. I had made a documentary on him titled Portrait of a Pioneer. The first cut ran for five hours. He said firmly, “Never be in love with your subject. Cut it!”

WOMEN AND MORE…
Papa was a handsome man. Women took to him easily. He shared some of these instances in his autobiography. While doing Baburao Painter’s Surekha Haran (1921), Papa would check everyone’s make-up before shooting. He went to the heroine’s room only to find her standing
nude. The other women actors were lurking in the background only to watch how he’d behave with her. Papa told the heroine nonchalantly, “Wear your clothes! I’ll come back
in 15 minutes.”

On another instance, he had taken Sairandhri (1933), the first colour film, to the UFO Studios in Germany to process and print. There Jenny, a German, was his assistant. She fell madly in love with Papa. Once she tried to seduce him by appearing in a state of undress. Shocked, he threw a sheet on her and asked her to get dressed. His idea of beauty was unique. “A woman well-attired looks far more beautiful. Nudity, on the other hand, is static,” he’d say. Though my mother Vimal (Aai) was his first wife, Papa, later got involved with his actresses – first Jayshree (Kamulkar) and then Sandhya (Deshmukh). He chose to marry them. “The women I loved… I gave them my name and status,” he once said.

Shantaram with first wife Vimal and Shantaram in Do Ankhen Barah Haath
 
MY MOTHER VIMAL
My mother Vimal was 12 and Papa 20 when they married. Her younger brother had come along with her as they had no family. He grew up in our house. Later, he developed tuberculosis. My father took care of his expenses and welfare. Aai would often say, “Your father has done so much for me. What can I complain of?” Aai respected Papa and stood by him all through.  When my father married Jayashreeji (October 22, 1941) Aai was devastated. She developed hysteria and would laugh and cry for no reason. We children would get so scared. Once I asked her why she didn’t leave Papa then. “I had three children. I was uneducated. I’d have had to wash utensils in other people’s homes. Main shaan se apne hi ghar mein dholoon na,” was her stance. Her suffering was personal but her dignity remained unparalleled.

LIFE WITH JAYASHREE
Initially, Papa shared a working relationship with Jayashreeji. He made Shakuntala (1942) with Jayashreeji. It ran for 104 weeks in Mumbai. Then Jayashreeji went on to do the superhit Dr Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani.  Jayashreeji’s children (Kiran Shantaram, Tejashree and Rajashree) and we grew up as one family. We attended film shows together. We used to play tennis and other games in the compound of Rajkamal Studios. If there was any function at home, Jayshreeji came over and played host. Even after he had married Jayshreeji, Papa visited us and spent an hour with us daily. He’d also take us to the circus, ice shows and other outings. The entire family would squeeze into two cars and go.
Once during the making of Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje (with Sandhya), Papa asked for Aai’s and Jayashreeji’s jewellery to be mortgaged to ease funds. Aai agreed saying that all she had was given by him and that he could do whatever he wished with it. But Jayashreeji for some reason refused. This led to a misunderstanding between them. Also, she had grown possessive about him and his growing proximity to Sandhya. Jayashreeji tried to make peace with Sandhyaji by gifting her fine jewellery. But Sandhyaji refused them saying she had given up ornaments.  Papa and Jayashreeji divorced on November 13, 1956. He married Sandhyaji on December 22, the same year. But the truth remains that my father could never forget Jayashreeji. I believe she too could never get over him.

Shantaram with third wife Sandhya and Shantaram with son Kiran and daughters Tejashree and Rajashree
 
SANDHYA SAGA
Sandhyaji had featured in Papa’s Do Aankhen Barah Haath. She went on to feature in Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje, Jal Bin Machhli Nritya Bin Bijli, Pinjra and Navrang as well. Constancy is a virtue with Sandhyaji. She was hard working. She practised kathak with dance guru Gopi Krishen for eight to 10 hours daily for Jhanak... She came from a lower-middle class background and when people accused her for being after Papa’s money, she’d say, “I’m not after his money. I belong to Raj Kamal. I will stay committed to it.” She never worked for any other banner. Apparently, the late Mehboob Khan Khan offered her big money. But she refused. I was 20 when Papa married her. Yes, we were upset. Because after Jayashreeji had left, Papa had begun to live with us. We had got used to his presence. But once he married Sandhyaji he began living at the studio again.

Sandhyaji chose to remain austere. She wore plain white sarees, green bangles, a bindi and mangalsutra. Papa had undergone an operation after his third child with Jayashreeji. That’s why Sandhyaji never had a child of her own. But she’d say, “Hey sagle majhe mula aahet (all these are my kids).” She respected my mother deeply. During my son Sharang Dev’s thread ceremony unhone hi khana parosa (she served food).

LAST DAYS
Papa did the studio rounds every day. Once, while doing so he fell and suffered a hip fracture. He was admitted to the Bombay Hospital. He turned weak and stayed away from food. Even in an unconscious state, he’d call out to the cameraman and give directions ‘Light lava!’ Sandhayji looked after him devotedly. Once when he happened to vomit, she collected it in her hands. Only a fine lady like her could have done it. Even we children wouldn’t have been able to do such a thing. I wonder whether Papa attracted such great women or if they were influenced by him. Papa passed away in 1990. Jayashreeji attended his funeral. My mother, who was bed ridden for four years after his demise, passed away in 1996. Papa had arranged for his wives. Like he’d say, “Vimalchya sagla kharch Rajkamal karnar (Rajkamal Studio will look after Vimal’s expenses).” Today, Sandhyaji’s around 82. She reads, watches TV and stays at home… leading a quiet life.

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