(In commemoration of Shri Vasant Desai’s 36th Death Anniversary on 22nd December, 2011 and his Birth Centenary on 9th June, 2012)

 

 

Vasant Desai (1912 - 1975) was one of the greatest music composers of Hindi and Marathi films. He was born on 9th June, 1912 in a wealthy family in Sonwad village, in the princely State of Sawantwadi (now in Maharashtra), then ruled by the Bhonsale clan. He grew up in Kudal, Sindhdurg district (of present day Maharashtra). (Some sources indicate that he was born in Kudal). He got an impression as a classist for most of his career, which made him not to come up in commercial films. He was limited mainly to mythological and historical films. 

Vasantji was fascinated by music when he was living with his maternal uncle. He bought an old harmonium and started learning music. Fascinated by films, he went to Kolhapur where he met the legend V.Shantaram, who was then working in Prabhat Film Company.

Vasantji was associated with Prabhat Film Company in his early film career. He entered into films as an actor in Prabhat’s silent film Khooni Khanjar (1930). He worked as an assistant under music director Govindrao Tembe for Prabhat Co.’s first talkie ‘Ayodhyecha Raja (1932)’, which was the first Marathi talkie. The film was also made simultaneously in Hindi as Ayodhya Ka Raja (1932). After the 2003 More >