Background
Daji Bhatwadekar was born on 15 September 1921 at Mumbai in the Indian state of Maharashtra and did his schooling at Arya Education Society, Mumbai.
Daji Bhatwadekar was born on 15 September 1921 at Mumbai in the Indian state of Maharashtra and did his schooling at Arya Education Society, Mumbai.
He graduated from Wilson College, Mumbai and followed it up with by a post graduate degree (Master of Arts) in Sanskrit from Mumbai University.
He was credited with the revival of Sanskrit and Marathi theatre in India. He started his career with an office job but was drawn towards theatre and began involving with Mumbai Marathi Sahitya Sangh, a Mumbai-based literary association. Bhatwadekar acted in many Marathi, Sanksrit, Hindi and English language plays and was associated with actors such as Durga Khote and directors like Purushottam Laxman Deshpande and Herbert Marshall.
He was reported to have acted 78 different roles, some of them multiple times.
Tochi ek Samarth, Mitra, Hee Tar Premachi Khari Gammat Ahe, Lagnachi Goshta, Macbeth and Tuzha Ahe Tuzhpashi are some of his well known plays. He also acted in a film, Vijeta (1982) and in two episodes of the television series, Byomkesh Bakshi (1993).
A scholar in English and Sanskrit, Bhatwadekar wrote a book on Sanskrit theatre, with emphasis on aeshetics (rasa) and expression (abhinaya). He pursued his studies into his 70s and secured a doctoral degree at the age of 74.
He was a recipient of several awards such as Natya Bhooshan, Kala Guarav, Maharashtra Ratna and Nata Samraat.
He lived in his ancestral home at Bhatawadekar Wadi along Charni Road in Mumbai. Mumbai Marathi Sahitya Sangh observes the date of his death, 26 December, as Doctor Daji Bhatawadekar Memorial day.