Happy Birthday Wishes to Amol Palekar ji

Amol Palekar was born on 24 Nov 1944 to Kamlakar and Suhasini Palekar in a lower-middle-class family in Mumbai. He was raised along with his three sisters, Neelam, Rekha and Unnati, by his father who worked in the General Post Office and his mother who worked in a private company.  He used to work at the Bank of India before he switched full-time to a career in acting. He also does some social work. He has two daughters and married writer Sandhya Gokhale after his divorce from his first wife, Chitra. Palekar regards himself as an agnostic atheist. He studied Fine Arts at the Sir JJ School of Arts, Mumbai, and commenced his artistic career as a painter. As a painter, he had seven one-man exhibitions and participated in many group shows. He has been active in the avant garde theatre in India. He has been active in Marathi and Hindi theatre as an actor, director and producer since 1967. His contribution to modern Indian theatre often gets overshadowed by his popularity as a lead actor in Hindi films..

As an actor, he was most prominent for over a decade from 1970. His image as a "boy next door" contrasted with the larger-than-life heroes prevalent at that time in Indian cinema. He received one Filmfare and six State awards as Best Actor. His performances in regional language films in Marathi, Bengali, Malayalam and Kannada fetched him critical acclaim as well. He decided not to act after 1986 in order to concentrate on filmmaking.

As a director, he is known for the sensitive portrayal of women, selection of classic stories from Indian literature, and perceptive handling of progressive issues. He has directed several television serials on the national network such as "Kachchi Dhoop", "Mrignayani", "Naquab", "Paool Khuna" and "Krishna Kali".

Palekar made his debut in 1971 with the Marathi film Shantata! Court Chalu Aahe directed by Satyadev Dubey, which started the New Cinema Movement in Marathi. In 1974 he was cast as an actor by Basu Chatterjee in Rajnigandha, and in the surprise low-budget hit, Chhoti Si Baat. This led to many other such roles in "middle-class" comedies, mostly alternative cinema. These were often directed by Chatterjee or Hrishikesh Mukherjee and include such films as Gol Maal and Naram Garam. He won the Filmfare Best Actor Award for Gol Maal.

He is noted for his image of the "middle-class everyman" who struggles to get a job (Gol-Maal), his own flat (Gharonda), a girlfriend/wife (Baaton Baaton Mein), and appreciation from his boss.

In 1979, he was paired with a 16 year old Sridevi in Solva Saawan , which was her debut Hindi movie as a heroine. Amol played the role of a mentally retarded, handicapped man, a character played by Kamal Haasan in the original Tamil movie.

Filmography

Aks, Teesra Kaun?, Baat Ban Jaye, Ankahee, Jhoothi, Khamosh, Tarang, Pyaasi Aankhen, Rang Birangi, Damaad, Jeevan Dhaara, Olangal, Shriman Shrimati, Chehre Pe Chehra, Naram Garam, Agni Pareeksha, Akriet, Sameera, Apne Paraye, Aanchal, Baaton Baaton Mein, Do Ladke Dono Kadke, Golmaal, Jeena Yahan, Meri Biwi Ki Shaadi, Solva Sawan, Agar, Bhumika, Gharaonda, Kanneshwara Rama, Safed Jhoot, Taxi Taxi, Chitchor, Chhoti Si Baat, Jeevana Jyoti, Rajnigandha and Shantata! Court Chalu Aahe.