Kashinath Ghanekar

Kashinath Ghanekar (14 September 1930 – 2 March 1986) was a celebrated Indian stage and film actor who also practiced as a dental surgeon.

Born in Chiplun, Maharashtra, he completed his schooling there before pursuing dentistry, and he made his public stage acting debut in the Marathi play Shitu in 1952.

He became the first superstar of Marathi theatre, known for his glamour and as the highest-paid stage star from 1960 to 1980. The role that made him a widely popular actor was Sambhaji in Vasant Kanetkar's play Raigadhala Jevha Jaag Yete (When Raigad Awakens).

Full Name	Kashinath Ghanekar
Other Name(s)	Dr. Kashinath Ghanekar
Occupation	Theatre/Movie Actor
Date of Birth	14-September-1930 (55 years)
Birth Location	Chiplun, Maharashtra, British India
Gender	Male
Nationality	Indian
Religion	Hindu
Zodiac Sign	Virgo
Death Time	02-March-1986
Death Location	Amravati, Maharashtra, India
Height	168 cm
Weight	65 kg
Eye Colour	Blue
Hair Colour	Black
College	BDS (Mumbai)
Qualification	Graduate
Hobbies	Reading Books

Some of his other noted plays include Ithe Oshalala Mrityun, Ashrunchi Jhali Fule, Garambicha Bapu, Anandi Gopal, Shitu, Tujhe Aahe Tujpashi, Sundar Mi Honar, and Madhumanjiri. In Ashrunchi Jhali Phule, his most popular play, he portrayed the character Professor Lalya.

In cinema, he appeared in Marathi films during the 1960s and also took roles in Hindi movies. His early film appearances included Dharm Patni (1953) and Laxmi Aali Ghara in the early 1950s.

Pathlaag (1960) marked his re-entry to films, and he played both lead and supporting roles through the late 1970s before switching completely to theatre. The 1967 film Madhuchandra transformed him from a noted stage actor into a major Marathi film star.

His other Marathi films include Padchhaya (1963), Ekati (1968), Preet Shikwa Mala (1968), Deo Manus (1970), Manla Tar Dev (1970), Ajab Tuze Sarkar (1971), Zep (1971), and Ha Khel Savalyancha (1976). In Hindi cinema, he appeared in Abhilasha opposite Nanda and in Dadi Maa, where he played the son of Ashok Kumar and Bina Roy.

Kashinath Ghanekar enjoyed a huge fan following for more than two decades and left behind many memorable characters on both the Marathi stage and celluloid. Tragically, he died at the early age of 56 from a massive heart attack while on a theatre tour in Amravati, Maharashtra, during a rural drama tour across Maharashtra.