Background
Bhagwan Dada was born in 1913 as Bhagwan Abhaji Palav in Amravati, Maharashtra. He was the son of a textile mill worker but was obsessed with films.
Bhagwan Dada was born in 1913 as Bhagwan Abhaji Palav in Amravati, Maharashtra. He was the son of a textile mill worker but was obsessed with films.
He is best known for his social film Albela (1951) and the song "Shola Jo Bhadke". He worked as a labourer but dreamt of films. He got his break with bit roles in silent films and got totally involved with the studios.
He learnt film making and at one stage used to make low-budget films (in which he arranged for everything including the design of costumes and arranging meals for the cast) for Rs.
65,000. K. After that Bhagwan did not have any more hits and eventually had to give up producing and directing films, sell his 25 room sea facing bungalow in Juhu and his fleet of seven cars (one for each day of the week). He took whatever roles he could get, but apart from Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baje and Chori Chori, none were roles of note, and he eventually took on bit parts in which he did his famous dance (made even more famous by Amitabh Bachchan using it as his default dance step).
Most of Bhagwan"s associates left him in his time of need, apart from C. Ramchandra, Om Prakash and lyricist Rajinder Krishan, who continued to meet him even in his chawl. Bhagwan died of a massive heart attack at his residence in Dadar in 2002 at age 89.
All his friends died long before him.