Legendary ‘villain’ Nilu Phule dead

Nilu Phule, the most hated villain on the Marathi screen and among the most respected actors in Marathi cinema owing to his relentless social work, died of cancer on Monday in Pune. He was 79. He is survived by his wife, daughter, and son-in-law.

According to doctors at the Jehangir Hospital in Pune, Phule died of advanced cancer of the oesophagus which had spread to various organs, including the brain.

Owing to his ill health, Phule had been confined to his house for the past three months. He was admitted to hospital last Sunday and shifted to the intensive care unit on Tuesday after which he was shifted back to a special room where he was kept on support systems. He died at around 2am on Monday.

Neelkanth Krushnaji Phule, better known as Nilu Phule, was one among six brothers and four sisters. Phule, who acted in over 150 films, including more than 25 Hindi films, had worked with legends like Dilip Kumar as well as Amitabh Bachchan. He was admired by Bachchan during the filming of Coolie, while Dilip Kumar insisted Phule be served the same meals as himself on the sets of Mashaal.

Phule began his career with the Kala Pathak (Performing Arts Troupe) of the Rashtra Seva Dal. He acted in Pudhari Pahije (written by PL Deshpande), Binbiyache Zhad (A Tree Without Seeds), and Kunacha Kunala Mel Nahi, which were essentially vag natyas (tamashas).

His performance in the late Amrut Gore's Katha Akalechya Kandyachi gave him recognition as an actor and his performances caught the attention of famous director Anant Mane. Mane offered him a role in his movie Ek Gav Bara Bhangadi, which proved to be the turning point in Phule's life, as the character Jhele Anna became a household name.

Phule soon became the most sought-after villain in the Marathi film industry. Due to his unassuming and shy nature, he, however, could not refuse many of the stereotypical roles offered to him, and his image of a cunning rural politician became a trademark.

Although he acted in some films like Harya Narya Zindabad as a hero, Phule was more famous as a villain. His role of Sakharam Binder in the late Vijay Tendulkar’s landmark Marathi play Sakharam Binder created history as the play had become controversial and resulted in statewide agitations.

Phule received the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Award from the president in 1991. The Maharashtra government also felicitated him with the best actor award on three successive occasions. Phule received the Natya Darpan Award for his role in the famous play Sooryasta (Sunset).

The Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Natya Parishad felicitated Phule with the Jayantrao Tilak Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008.