Keshavrao Date

For Indian cardiologist, see Keshavrao Krishnrao Datey.

Keshavrao Date (1889–1971) was an Indian film actor, who worked in both silent and sound movies. He tried to run his own drama company but found it difficult to perform the dual roles of manager and actor.

Keshavrao Date
Keshavrao Date, Raja Nene and Shanta Apte in Duniya Na Mane (Kunku, 1937)
Born	28 September 1889 Adivare, Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, India
Died	13 September 1971 Bombay, Maharashtra, India
Occupation(s)	Actor, director
Years active	1934–1964

Career

His role in the drama Andhalyanchi Shala ("The Blinds' School", 1933) won him rave reviews, subsequently he became a star, and also joined the Prabhat Film Company.^[1]

After the advent of talkies, he tried his hand at that medium as well, though live theatre remained his chief love. His acting in the Marathi film Kunku (1937) set a standard which has rarely been approached since on the silver screen.^[2] He followed it with another sterling performance in Prabhat Film Company's Shejari (1941). Later he performed character roles in films made in Mumbai, where he lived. He also acted in V. Shantaram's Dr. Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani (1946), Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje (1955), Navrang (1959) and Geet Gaya Patharon Ne (1964).^[3]

Keshavrao directed four films, Kisise Na Kehna (1942), Andhon Ki Duniya (1947),^[4] and Maali or Mali in Hindi (1944) and its Marathi version Bhakticha Mala (1944). Maali and Bhakticha Mala (1944) were Date's the second and third of his directorial ventures, and were produced by V. Shantaram under his new banner Rajkamal Kalamandir.^[5]

Filmography

As actor

• Amrit Manthan (1934)
• Kunku (1937, Marathi)
• Chingari (1940)
• Shejari (Padosi) (1941)
• Kisise Na Kehna (1942) also director
• Dr. Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani (1946)
• Apna Desh (1949)
• Dahej (1950)
• Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje (1955)
• Toofan Aur Deeya (1956)
• Navrang (1959)
• Geet Gaya Patharon Ne (1964)

As director

• Kisise Na Kehna (1942)
• Andhon Ki Duniya (1947)
• Maali (1944) in Hindi
• Bhakticha Mala (1944) Marathi version of Maali