Marathi cinema boasts many versatile actors, who have made a significant impact on cinema with their acting prowess. One such actor is Ashok Saraf, who is known with names such as ‘Mahanayak’, ‘Ashok Samrat’ and ‘Mama’ of the Marathi film industry. Ashok began his career in theatre and made a significant presence on the silver screen.
Apart from being a prominent name in the Marathi film industry, Ashok was seen in many Hindi films like Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, Koyla, Gupt, Yes Boss, Karan Arjun, Singham and a few others. Just like Ashok, Nana Patekar too is a prominent name in both Marathi and Hindi cinema. Many people don’t know that Ashok and Nana are best of friends, and their friendship goes back to the time when they started their careers.
Ashok Saraf gave Rs. 5 to Nana Patekar for pressing his feet
Ashok started his career way before Nana. Both of them did theatre and performed in many shows together. When Nana started his career, Ashok was already an established actor, and the former was struggling to gain a foothold in the industry. He also faced many financial constraints, and it was Ashok who helped him.
In an event, Nana Patekar talked about his friendship with Ashok Saraf and revealed that whenever Ashok was travelling for play, Nana would massage his feet and head with oil. For doing so, Ashok would give Nana Rs. 5.
Ashok Saraf once gave Nana Patekar a blank cheque
While performing in the play Hamidabaichi Kothi, Ashok Saraf received Rs. 250, while Nana got Rs. 50. The two actors often played card games in their free time, and Ashok would deliberately lose the game and give Nana money in return. Nana knew about Ashok’s tactic and would still take the money because of his financial constraints.
Once, when Nana was in dire need of money, Ashok visited him in his home and gave him a blank cheque. Ashok told Nana that he had Rs.15,000 in his account and that Nana could take as much as he wanted. Nana withdrew Rs. 3000 from Ashok’s account, but even to this day, the latter has not asked Nana about the money.
Ashok Saraf started off his career as a banker
Born on June 4, 1947, in Mumbai, Ashok Saraf grew up in the Chikhalwadi area. He was named after the popular actor, Ashok Kumar. Not many people know this, but Ashok Saraf began his career as a bank employee for nearly a decade. Even after making his acting debut in the Marathi film, Janaki in 1969, Ashok continued working in the bank and managed both works simultaneously.
Ashok Saraf is known for his perfect coming timings and has delivered more than 100 commercially successful films in Marathi cinema. Some of his hits include Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi, Aayatya Gharat Gharoba, Balache Baap Brahmachari, Bhutacha Bhau and Dhum Dhadaka, among others. Despite his stint in Hindi and Marathi films, Ashok Saraf gained popularity as ‘Anand Mathur’ in the popular serial, Hum Paanch.
He also worked in plays like Hamidabaichi Kothi, Anadhikrut, Mano-Milan, He Ram Cardiogram, Darling Darling, Sarkha Chatit Dukhtay, etc. With more than 300 films to his credit, Ashok was recently honoured with the Padma Shri by President, Droupadi Murmu for his outstanding contribution to Indian cinema.
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