Shriram Lagoo

Dr. Shriram Lagoo
Dr. Shriram Lagoo
	Lagoo in 2010
Born	16 November 1927; Satara, Bombay Presidency, British India
Died	17 December 2019 (aged 92); Pune, Maharashtra, India
Education	M.B.B.S, M.S
Alma mater	B.J.M.C., Pune
Occupations	Actor; Theatre Artist; ENT Surgeon;
Years active	1927–2019
Spouse	Deepa Lagoo
Honours	• Kalidas Samman (1997); • PunyaBhushan (2007); • Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship (2010)

Dr. Shriram Lagoo (16 November 1927 – 17 December 2019) was an Indian film and theatre actor, in Hindi and Marathi, in addition to being an ENT Surgeon. He was known for his character roles in films. He acted in over 250 films including Hindi and Marathi films as well as Hindi, Marathi and Gujarati plays, and directed over 20 Marathi plays. He was also very vocal and active in furthering progressive and rational social causes, for example in 1999, he and social activist G. P. Pradhan undertook a fast in support of anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare.^[1] He won the 1978 Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for the Hindi film Gharaonda. His autobiography is titled Lamaan (लमाण), which means "the carrier of goods".^[2]^[3]

Early life

Shreeram Lagoo was born in Satara district, Maharashtra, India to Balakrishna Chintaman Lagoo and Satyabhama Lagoo, and was the eldest of four children. He attended Bhave High School, Fergusson College (University of Pune) and B. J. Medical College (University of Pune), India and received MBBS & MS degrees-both medical degrees.^[4]

Career

Shreeram Lagoo started acting in plays while attending Medical College. Once bitten by theatre bug, he continued his dramatic activity through a group "Progressive Dramatic Association", which he started with like-minded senior friends like Bhalba Kelkar.^[5] Meanwhile, he received a degree in ENT Surgery from University of Mumbai in the early fifties and practised in Pune for six years before going to Canada and England for additional training.^[6]

He practised medicine and surgery in Pune, India and Tabora, Tanzania in the sixties,^{[citation needed]} but his theatre activity through Progressive Dramatic Association in Pune and "Rangaayan" in Mumbai continued when he was in India. Finally, in 1969 he became a full-time actor on Marathi stage, debuting in the play Ithe Oshalala Mrityu, written by Vasant Kanetkar.^{[citation needed]}

Lagoo finally started working as a full-time drama actor in the year 1969, from Vasant Kanetkar's play "Where Death Shied Away".^{[citation needed]} He played a leading role in the play 'Natsamrat' written by Kusumagraj (Vishnu Vaman Shirwadkar) and was best remembered for that role. He had a legendary status in Marathi cinema^{[citation needed]}, where he did many memorable movies which included successes like Sinhasan, Pinjra and Mukta.

His wife, Deepa Lagoo, is also a noted theatre, TV, and film actress.^[7] He had two sons and a daughter. Lagoo also instituted the prestigious Tanveer Samman, given to most promising stalwart in theatre industry of India, in the memory of his son Tanveer Lagoo.^{[citation needed]}

Some of his best^{[citation needed]} performances in Hindi films were when he was pitted with Rajesh Khanna in films like Thodisi Bewafai, Maqsad, Souten, Nasihat, Awam. His other best performances came in films like Devata, Des Pardes, Lawaris, Muqaddar Ka Sikander, Inkaar, Sajan Bin Suhagan, Kinara, Lootmaar, Sau Crore, Jyoti Bane Jwala, Neeyat, Nishana, Swayamvar, Shriman Shrimati, and Sadma.^{[citation needed]}

Filmography

Marathi movies

Pinjra (1972) as Teacher
Samna (1975) as Master
Kathputli (1976)
Bhingri (1977)
Sinhasan (1979) as Vishwasrao Dabhade
Zaakol (1980)
Khichadi (1982)
Gupchup Gupchup (1983) as sir sahab
Mukta (1994) as Mukta's Grandfather
Masala (2012)^[8]
Nagrik (2015) as Nana Chitnis
Shasan (2016) as Vishwasrao Tidke

Marathi plays

Vedyache Ghar Unhat
Jagannathacha Rath
Gidhade
Kachecha Chandra
Himalayachi Sawali
Natsamrat
Surya Pahilela Manus
Aadhe Adhure
Garbo
Atmakatha
kanyadaan
Pappa saanga kunache!
Premachi Goshta
Khoon pahava karoon
Dubhang
Sundaar Mi Honaar
Kirwant
Mitra
Ithe Oshadhla Mrutyu

Hindi movies

Sugandhi Katta (1974)
Mere Saath Chal (1974) as Ravi
Ponga Pandit (1975) as Professor
Raeeszada (1976) as Shiv Narayan Saxena
Hera Pheri (1976) as Police Commissioner Khanna
Bullet (1976) as Seth. Ghanshyamdas
Chalte Chalte (1976) as Roy
Barood (1976) as Inspector Durgaprasad Saxena
Aaj Ka Ye Ghar (1976) as Sajjan
Immaan Dharam (1977) as Govind Anna
Shankar Hussain (1977)
Mandir Masjid (1977)
Kitaab (1977) as Baijuram
Kinara (1977)
Inkaar (1977) as Haridas Choudhury
Gharaonda (1977) as Modi
Duniyadari (1977) as Panditji
Agar... If (1977) as Ashok Saxena
Mera Rakshak (1978) as Avinash Rai
Naya Daur (1978) as Jenny's dad
Arvind Desai Ki Ajeeb Dastaan (1978) as Dharmsi Desai
Damaad (1978) as Shreedhar Mazgaonkar
Des Pardes (1978) as Mr. Bond
Phool Khile Hain Gulshan Gulshan (1978)
College Girl (1978)
Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (1978) as Ramanath
Devata (1978) as Father Fernandez
Saajan Bina Suhagan (1978) as Gopal Chopra
Shalimar (1978) as Tolaram
Arvind Desai Ki Ajeeb Dastaan (1978) as Dharmsi Desai
Anjaam (1978) as Dinanath
Sargam (1979) as Masterji Chintamani Pradhan
Muqabla (1979) as Sabbarbaba
Magroor (1979) as Chacha
Jurmana (1979) as Prof. Dayashankar Sharma
Meera (1979) as Raja Biramdev Rathod
Manzil (1979) as Mr. Kapoor
Tarana (1979) (Mithun Chakraborty, Ranjeeta Kaur, Bhagwan) as Rana
Hum Tere Ashiq Hain (1979) as Pradhan
Ladke Baap Se Badke (1979) as Verma
Dooriyaan (1979) as Prabhakar
Aapli Manse (1979)
Fatakadi (1980)
Do Aur Do Paanch (1980) as Rai Bahadur Mathur
Kashish (1980)
Lootmaar (1980) as Seth Ramniklal
Thodisi Bewafaii (1980) as Surendra Deshmukh
Jyoti Bane Jwala (1980) as O.P. Bakshi
Neeyat (1980) as Arvind - Vijay's brother
Gehrayee (1980) as Chennabassapa
Insaaf Ka Tarazu (1980) as Mr. Chandra (Lawyer)
Jwalamukhi (1980 film) as Anand
Swayamvar (1980) as Ratanlal
Nishana (1980) as Poonam's father
Kasturi (1980) as Prof. Prashant
Bin Maa Ke Bachche (1980) as Motiram - Ashok's & Gauri's father
Yeh Kaisa Nashaa Hai (1981)
Sweety (1981)
Ehsaan Aap Ka (1981) as Meeta's Uncle
Aakhri Mujra (1981) as Anand Narayan
Chehre Pe Chehra (1981) as Priest
Agni Pareeksha (1981) as Advocate Anupam
Laawaris (1981) as Gangu Ganpat
Ghungroo Ki Awaaz (1981) as Jasbir Singh 'Mamaji'
Shama (1981) as Governor
Zamaane Ko Dikhana Hai (1981) as Mr. S.K. Nanda
Sansani: The Sensation (1981) as Kumar Rajdev
Raaz (1981) as Handicapped Man
Professor Pyarelal (1981) as Kishanchand / King
Plot No. 5 (1981) as Verma
Mosambi Narangi (1981)
Khara Khota (1981)
Hum Paagal Premee (1982)
Do Dishayen (1982)
Raaste Pyar Ke (1982) as Dwarka Prasad (uncredited)
Chorni (1982) as Judge Sinha
Shriman Shrimati (1982) as Surajmal
Ghazab (1982) as Vikram Singh
Deedar-E-Yaar (1982) as Nawab Mirza Firad Ali Changezi
Samraat (1982) as Gomes
Gandhi (1982) as Professor Gopal Krishna Gokhale
Vidhaata (1982) as Sir Mizia
Kaamchor (1982) as Rai Bahadur Chunilal Sanghvi
Main Intequam Loonga (1982) as Madan Agnihotri
Dil Hi Dil Mein (1982) as Major Mahendra Pratap Singh
Daulat (1982) as Ghanshyam / Vikram Singh
Baawri (1982) as RajaRam Sharma
Gumnaam Hai Koi (1983)
Zara Si Zindagi (1983) as Mr. Shastri - Rakesh's father
Chatpati (1983)
Souten (1983) as Gopal
Sadma (1983) as Khandeparkar (uncredited)
Mujhe Insaaf Chahiye (1983) as Viswanath Agarwal - Malati's father
Mawaali (1983) as Goyal Verma
Pukar (1983) as Purandare
Kalaakaar (1983) as Rohit Khanna
Hum Se Hai Zamana (1983) as Kalicharan
Gupchup Gupchup (1983) as Sir Saheb
Faraib (1983) as Bansi / Upadhyay
Bad Aur Badnaam (1984) as R. C. Dutta
Meri Adalat (1984)
Maqsad (1984) as Vishnupratap
Love Marriage (1984) as Mehra
Tarang (1984) as Sethji
Kahan Tak Aasmaan Hai (1984)
Hanste Khelte (1984) as Principal Dwarkadas
Chakma (1984)
Sarfarosh (1985) as Police Commissioner
Holi (1985) as Chairman of collegembmmb
Sitamgar (1985) as Mr. Nath
Ghar Dwaar (1985) as Dhanraj
Hum Naujawan (1985) as Home Minister Desai
Khichdi (1985)
Bond 303 (1985) as Prem's father - master evilmind
Ankahee (1985) as Jyotishbhaskar Pandit Satyanarayan Chaturvedi
Dilwaala (1986) as Ganesh Vithal Kolhapure
Singhasan (1986) as Mahamantri Shrikant
Raat Ke Baad (1986)
Saveraywali Gaadi (1986) as Chhediram
Locket (1986) as Diwan Sardarilal
Maanav Hatya (1986)
Kala Dhanda Goray Log (1986) as Haji Irshad Patel
Muddat (1986) as Vikram Singh
Nasihat (1986)
Ek Aur Sikander (1986) as Inspector Verma
Samay Ki Dhaara (1986) as Ajay's Employee
Jeeva (1986) as Thakur
Ghar Sansar (1986) as Satyanarayan
Ek Pal (1986) as Priyam's father
Ek main aur ek Tu (1986)
Chhota Aadmi (1986)
Mahananda (1987)
Besahara (1987) as Dindayal
Majaal (1987) as Pujari Vishnu Prasad
Awam (1987) as Minister / Lawyer
Insaf Ki Pukar (1987) as Jagannath
Sher Shivaji (1987)
Purnasatya (1987) as Baba
Mera Karam Mera Dharam (1987) as Sarjuprasad
Mard Ki Zabaan (1987) as Zamindar Raghupathi Sahay
Kaamaagni (1987)
Chhakke Panje (1987)
Dukh-Dard (1988)
Aurat Teri Yehi Kahani (1988) as Dharamraj
Tamacha (1988) as Chandra Pratap Singh
Charnon Ki Saugandh (1988) as Govind
Waqt Ki Awaz (1988) as Ishwar Prasad
Namumkin (1988) as Ashok Saxena
Muhabbat Ki Hai Humne (1989)
Apne Begaane (1989)
Touhean (1989) as Deepika's Father
Daana Paani (1989) as D. R. Singh
Ek Din Achanak (1989) as Professor (Neeta's father)
Nache Nagin Gali Gali (1989) as Seth Girdharilal
Gharana (1989) as Prem Mehra
Galiyon Ka Badshah (1989) as Abdul
Ek Ratra Manterleli (1989) as Solicitor Pradhan
Kuldeepak (1990)
Kishen Kanhaiya (1990) as Sunder Das
Suryodaya (1991)
Dushman Devta (1991) as Master Dina Nath
Sau Crore (1991) as Judge
Phoolwati (1991)
Lakhpati (1991)
Baat Hai Pyaar Ki (1991) as Anjali's father
Rajoo Dada (1992)
Naya Sawan (1992)
Current
Sarphira (1992) as Judge B. K. Sinha
Geet Milan Ke Gaate Rehenge (1992)
Immaculate Conception (1992) as Dadaji / Samira's grandfather
Zunz Tujhi Majhi (1992) as Nagvekar
Naseebwaala (1992) as Sharda's Father
Kisme Kitna Hai Dum (1992)
Hach Sunbaicha Bahu (1992)
Maya (1993)
Badi Bahen (1993) as Dwarkaprasad
Pyaar Ka Tarana (1993)
Shivrayachi Soon Tararani (1993) as Badshah Aurangzeb
Khuddar (1994) as Shastri Suri
Gopalaa (1994) as Chief Minister
Sajan Ka Dard (1995)
Hahakaar (1996) as Commissioner of Police
Aurat Aurat Aurat (1996) as Barrister Vajpai
Aatank (1996) as Catholic Priest
Dhyasparva (2001)
Pandhar (2004)
Aahat – Ek Ajib Kahani (2010)
One Room Kitchen (2011) as Special appearance
Nagrik (2014) as Nana Chitnis
The Great Freedom Fighter Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak - Swaraj My Birthright (2018) as Dadabhai Navroji (final film role)

Awards and recognition

1978, Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for Gharaonda
1978, Nominated - Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for Kinara
1981, Nominated - Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for Insaf Ka Tarazu
1997, Kalidas Samman
2006, Awarded the Master Dinanath Mangeshkar Smruti Pratisthan for his contribution to cinema and theater.^[9]
2007, Punyabhushan Puraskar^[10]
2010, Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship^[11]

Religious beliefs

Shriram was a known non-religious rationalist.^{[citation needed]} Once after being conferred with an award called Punyabhushan (Pride of Pune) on behalf of the organization called Tridal, he was interviewed by Sudhir Gadgil. When asked about Jabbar Patel's play, wherein Lagoo had to stand before Lord Vitthal, "Did you stand there as a devotee or only as per the demand of the script?" Lagoo replied "I stood there as if I was standing in front of a stone idol that is known as Panduranga".^[12]

He has written an article titled "Time to Retire God", which provoked hot discussions in the print media and other public platforms in India. This article was written as an introduction to a book on Abraham Kovoor. In this article, Lagoo logically came to the conclusion that the concept of God is defunct.

He was actively associated with the anti-superstition movement in Maharashtra. He used to call God as another superstition and his lectures during the ANS programs used to go like this:^[13]

I do not believe in God and I feel it is now time to retire God. Concept of God is a very beautiful product of poet’s imagination and was essential during the initial stages of civilization but the time has come when one should face the world with a completely rational attitude. For the past five thousand years, there has been no proof of the existence of God and faith in a phenomenon, which cannot be proved scientifically, is nothing short of superstition. Many inhuman practices, atrocities and wars have taken place in the name of "God". It is not only necessary, but also our duty to abolish the concept of God to end these consequences because it is a great injustice committed against humanity.

Only rational thinking has the capacity which places person above all living beings, but when he/she believes in God he/she gives up this ability and blindly accepts what has been told. He/she submits his/her intellect to passive conditioning and then there is no difference between him/her and an animal.

In the early stages of civilization, when human beings began to live in a society, the concept of superior being was necessary to maintain morality, which came out of fear. Also many of the natural phenomena, which scared human beings and to which they could not attribute any reason, came to be regarded as manifestations of the divine power. But today, when man has the mastery over nature and accepts any theory only after verifying it on a scientific basis, there is no need for the concept of a supreme being. What is needed is a broad based value system of humanity.