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Ashok Saraf (Hindii pronunciation: [əʃoːk səɾaːf]; born 4 June 1947) is an Indian film and stage actor[1] and comedian.[2] He has appeared in many Marathi language films and stage plays in lead roles and in Hindi language films and TV serials in supporting roles. He received five Filmfare Awards, Maharashtra government award for the film Pandu Havaldar, Screen Award for Sawai Havaldar, Bhojpuri Film Award for Maika Bitua, ten state government awards for Marathi films and Best Comedian in Maharashtracha Favorite Kon.

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Ashok Saraf
Born	(1947-06-04) 4 June 1947 (age 75) Bombay, Bombay Presidency, British India (present day, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India)
Years active	1969 – present
Spouse	Nivedita Joshi-Saraf ​ ​ (m. 1990)​
Children	1
Website	www.ashoksaraf.in

From the early 1980s, Saraf started getting cast as the leading hero in Marathi films. The combination of Ashok Saraf, Laxmikant Berde, Sachin Pilgaonkar and Mahesh Kothare created the "comedy films wave" in Marathi cinema from 1985 that lasted for more than a decade. His successful Marathi films as the lead hero include Ek Daav Bhutacha, Dhoom Dhadaka, Gammat Jammat, Ashi hi Banawa Banavi and Vazir. Saraf has also starred in television serials like Yeh Choti Badi Baatein and Hum Paanch (as Anand Mathur).

In Bollywood, he is best remembered for the comic "Munshiji" in Rakesh Roshan's 1995 action thriller Karan Arjun, in Yes Boss as Shah Rukh Khan's friend and as Ajay Devgn's colleague in Singham as head constable. In the Marathi film industry, he is popularly known as "Mama" (maternal uncle).[3][4]

Early life

Saraf was born in Bombay, (present day Mumbai) on 4 June 1947.[5][6] He grew up in the South Mumbai neighbourhood of Chikhalwadi and went to DGT Vidyalay for his education.[7] He was named "Ashok" after veteran actor Ashok Kumar.[6] He spent his childhood at Chikhalwadi in South Mumbai. He completed his schooling at DGT Vidyalay Mumbai.[5]

Career

Saraf has been working in the film and television industry since the year 1969. He has acted in more than 250 Marathi films, out of which more than 100 were commercially successful. He has mostly acted in comedy films. He has played many roles in Marathi cinema, Marathi plays, Hindi cinema, Marathi television serials and Hindi television serials. He started his career with the Marathi movie Janaki in 1969. He then acted in the films like Donhi Gharacha Pahuna, Jawal Ye Laju Nako, Tumacha Amacha Jamala, Chimanrao Gundyabhau, Deed Shahane, Haldikunku, Duniya Kari Salam and more during the 1970s and 1980s. He continued to work in Marathi films with Laxmikant Berde, Sachin and Mahesh Kothare. The Marathi films moved in to a different term of comedy during that phase. Ashi Hi Banava Banavi, Aayatya Gharat Gharoba, Balache Baap Bramhachari, Bhootacha Bhau and Dhum Dhadaka are some of the notable Marathi films in which Saraf acted.[8][9]

Saraf has also acted in various Marathi plays and Hindi serials. He then developed his own production house "Aniket Telefilms", which is handled by his wife Nivedita Saraf.[10]

Marathi film career

Ashok Saraf had success pairing with Laxmikant Berde, another comedian from Marathi cinema who has also acted in many Hindi films. With Saraf, Sachin Pilgaonkar and Laxmikant Berde, together they played many Marathi films and most films were super-hits.[11] Both Laxmikant and Ashok were known to be good friends of actor-director Sachin Pilgaonkar and actor-producer-director Mahesh Kothare. He tasted major success in Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi (1988), in the lead role with the two reigning superstars of Marathi cinema, Sachin Pilgaonkar and Laxmikant Berde. The movie was a runaway hit.[12][13]

Hindi film career

Saraf played important roles in Bollywood. Some of the roles which are remembered are from the films Singham, Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, Gupt, Koyla, Yes Boss , Joru Ka Gulaam and Karan Arjun. His performance in films against powerful comedy actors like Govinda, Johny Lever and Kader Khan was praised.

Hindi television serials

Saraf has also starred in television serials like Yeh Choti Badi Baatein and Hum Paanch (as Anand Mathur), which tasted a major success.[14] Ashok Saraf's comedy show Don't Worry Ho Jayega which was at that time telecast on Sahara TV was very popular in the 1990s. Audiences were very excited to watch this show at that time.

Marathi play career

Saraf has played number of roles in Marathi plays in his career. Some of the important plays are Hamidabaichi Kothi, Anidhikrut, Manomilan, He Ram Cardiogram, Darling Darling, Sarkha Chatit Dukhtay, Laginghai, and Vacuum Cleaner.[15]

Awards and recognitions

• 1977 - first Filmfare award for Ram Ram Gangaram. In total, 5 Filmfare awards[16]
• Maharashtra government award for the movie Pandu Havaldar
• Screen award for the movie Sawai Havaldar
• Bhojpuri film award for Maika Bitua[17]
• 10 State government awards for Marathi films[16]
• Best Comedian in Maharashtracha Favorite Kon?[18]

Personal life

He is married to actress Nivedita Joshi-Saraf in 1990.[19] They married at the Mangueshi Temple in Goa, where Saraf's family, of the Baniya Agarwal caste, originally from Rajasthan used to live before moving to Maharashtra.[20] They have a son named Aniket Saraf who is a chef.[5][21]

Saraf survived a major car accident in the year 2012 on the Mumbai Pune Expressway near Talegaon.[22]

Filmography

Hindi

Marathi

Marathi Natak (Drama)

Television series

References

External links

• Ashok Saraf at IMDb 
• {{TV Guide person}} template missing ID and not present in Wikidata.
• Ashok Saraf at Rotten Tomatoes
• Ashok Saraf at Bollywood Hungama

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