Saturday, August 28, 2010

Pu La

Dunno why, but reading "Stick to Drawing Comics...." brings to mind another favorite writer (whom, to be honest, i consider in a league above scott), P.L.Deshpande, a marathi humourist known to millions of loving fans simply as Pu La.  His stories are filled with the trials and tribulations of lower middle class working communities, yet will beat the shit out of these myriad "comedy shows" dominating our tv channels. 

Actually my marathi reading speed is quite bad, so i listen to Pu La instead.  For a long time now, we've had these few audio cassettes of his stage readings.  Even though i now have his complete mp3 collection on my pc, its those cassettes which bring back fond childhood memories.  There's been a tradition in my home, whenever anyone falls ill we play the Pu La cassettes...and we feel better, immediately transported to a better place.

My fav ones are:
  • Asa Mi Asami
  • Antu Barwa
  • Hari Tatya
  • Mhais
  • Sakharam Gatne
  • Rao Saheb
  • Paliv Prani
  • Mi Ani Majha Shatrupaksha
  • Batatyachi Chaal


He passed away in June 2000 after a full life of 81 years, but maybe the world would be a much better place if it was possible for such people to live on...

He was also an accomplished actor, music composer, singer and orator, but we all remember him most for his simple unpretentious comedy.  And i guess we all love him so much because he teaches us to laugh at all the ups and downs of a middle class life that we immediately recognize as our own.


A beautiful thing, this humour...
:-)

5 comments:

Minal said...

Rao,
We share so much in common when it comes to literary interests and otherwise! We should've connected more in JB!!!:-(((

My marathi has been poor (ashamed of it - not proud at at all) but PuLa is my all time favourite! I know his "Mumbaikar Punekar Nagpurkar" by heart!!!
"Cricket ha maidani khel aahe ha ek gaisamaj aahe - amchyakade Mumbaichya chalichya verandyat test matches chaltat:-))"

I miss him - but his collection keep me laughing out loud all the time! Brilliant guy! Yes he is way ahead of Scott Adams!

Vivek Rao said...

hmmm... der sahi durust sahi minal; we've loads of time to catch up now...
;-)

out of all his work the first line that pops into ur head is a cricket related one!
hahahahaha

have u heard any of the ones i've listed?

Rashmi said...

he was one amazzing dude... will continue to rule the hearts of maharashtrians.. comedy likho to aise...
I was introduced to PL by our DD channels, when we used to have these comedy reading sessions by him.. they were so amazing.. never missed it, even during my exams..

Have managed to read a couple of books written by him; 1 of which was a book of definitions, where he has defined all sorts of things in a rather funny way , or should i say, in his own way. :-)

Felt really sad when he expired.. Marathi manoos lost a part of himself that day!

Vivek Rao said...

hmmm...even i'd love to read his books some day...gotta improve my marathi reading speed...i've promised myself i'll read mrityunjay one day.

Anonymous said...

i love reading his books, started to read any marathi literature because of him - by far "mumbaikar,punekar .." is my favorite ... also "daru mhnaje kay re bhau?" still splits me up every time i listen to this .... although reading marathi books is a rarity now, i make do with mp3's and audio books of PuLa :)