Veteran Bollywood actor and theatre personality Shriram Lagoo – remembered for his memorable performances in films like “Kitaab”, “Kinara” and “Gharaonda” and iconic Marathi films like Sinhasan, Samna and Pinjra – died at his residence in Pune on Tuesday night.
He was 92. He had not been keeping for quite some time. After keeping his body at the Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital in Pune for a day, the last rites of Dr Lagoo would be performed on Thursday.
An ENT surgeon, Dr Lagoo practised medicine and surgery in Pune and Tabora (Tanzania) in fifties and sixties. Even while he was a surgeon, he was actively involved with Marathi theatre 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.
Known for his portrayal as the first protagonist of famous Marathi play Natasamrat, written by Vishnu Vaman Shirwadkar --- better known as Kusumagraj. A man with legendary status, he made a name for himself among the Marathi film goers with never forgettable roles in films like Sinhasan, Samna, Pinjra and Mukta.
Similarly, Dr Lagoo was a name to reckon with in Bollywood. Among the prominent films in which his performances were appreciated were: Kitaab”, “Kinara”, “Gharaonda”, Heera Pheri, Ponga Pandit,Des Pardes., Sajan Bina Suhagan, Vidhaata, Kaamchor, Khudaar,
A man of many parts, Dr Lagoo acted in Marathi and Hindi films till 2016, his last film being Shasan, a Marathi political film starring Makrand Anajpure and Bharat Jadhav. In all, he acted in more than 100 Hindi films and 40-odd Marathi films. Apart from winning 1978 Filmfare best supporting actor awar for Gharaonda (1977), he bestowed with the Life Time achievement award by the Deenanath Mangeshkar Memorial Foundation. He had written an autobiography titled Lamaan, which means "the carrier of goods".
His wife Deepa Lagoo is also a noted theatre, TV and film actress. He had two sons and a daughter. Lagoo had also instituted the prestigious Tanveer Samman, given to most promising stalwart in theatre industry of India, in the memory of his late son Tanveer Lagoo.
