Nilu Phule (Marathi pronunciation: [niɭuː pʰuleː]; 4 April 1930 – 13 July 2009) was an Indian actor known for his roles in Marathi movies and Marathi theatre. Nilu Phule acted in around 250 Marathi and Hindi movies during his film career. He was most prominently seen playing the roles of notorious villains in the movies. He is recipient of numerous accolades including a Filmfare Award Marathi, four Maharashtra State Film Awards, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and Zee Chitra Gaurav Lifetime Achievement Award.
Phule was also a social worker, and was associated with Rashtra Seva Dal.
Early life Phule was born in 1930 in Pune as Nilkanth Krushnaji Phule in a Mali (gardener) family. He is the great grandson of Indian social reformer Jyotirao Phule. He was involved in the independence movement. According to his interview in a serial 'Vastraharan' on a Marathi channel, he was a freedom fighter from Pune.
Phule's first job was that of a gardener at the Armed Forces Medical College, Pune aged 17. He used to get a salary of Rs. 80 per month, out of which, he used to donate Rs. 10 to the Rashtriya Seva Dal, a social organization he was involved with. He wanted to pursue his gardening career forward, but due to lack of financial support, he could not start his own plant nursery. During this time, at the age of 20, Nilu was inspired by Rabindranath Tagore's writings and went on to write a drama, Udyan. His composing for the drama Yerya Gabalache Kam Nahi during the 1957 Indian general election garnered him fame.
Acting career Nilu Phule began his theatrical career with the Marathi folk performances (Loknatya). His first professional drama was Katha Akalecha Kandyachi, which went on to have over 2000 shows. It was based on this success that he was offered his first movie Ek Gaav Baara Bhangadi, by Anant Mane in 1968.
Nilu often played villains; most notably his portrayal of Sakharam Binder. Some of his notable film roles include: Hindurao Dhonde Patil, a zamindar and a sugar tycoon in Samna, a power-drunk politician in Mahesh Bhatt's Saaransh and a political journalist in Jabbar Patel's Sinhasan.
He also played the role of 'Nathu Mama' in the 1983 hit Hindi movie Coolie where he worked with Amitabh Bachchan.
One of Phule's most notable theatrical performances include his role as the eponymous hero of Vijay Tendulkar's Sakharam Binder (first staged in 1972). Kamlakar Sarang, who directed the first production of the play in 1972, was apprehensive of Phule's reticence. However, he was convinced that Phule would be fit for the role, when Vijay Tendulkar reminded him of Phule's aggressive performance as a minister in another play, Katha Aklechya Kandyachi.
He was known for his voice and dialogue delivery. His dialogues in his films remains one of the most popular dialogues across Marathi Film Industry.
In May 2013, when Forbes India, the Indian edition of American Business Magazine Forbes, declared 25 Greatest Acting Performances of Indian Cinema, the list included Phule's performance as Hindurao Dhonde Patil in the film Samna.
Death Nilu Phule died on 13 July 2009, aged 79, from esophageal cancer. His wife Rajani Phule died in 2011. They are survived by their daughter Gargi Phule Tathe.
Awards Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1991), by the President of India Maharashtra State Film Award for Haat Lavin Tithe Sone (1973) Maharashtra State Film Award for Samna (1974) Maharashtra State Film Award for Choricha Mamla (1975) Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Marathi for Sahkar Samrat Jayantrao Tilak Memorial Life Time Achievement Award' given by Kesari Maratha Trust, Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth and Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Natya Parishad, Pune chapter. Zee Chitra Gaurav Lifetime Achievement Award
Plays Acted Katha Akalecha Kandyachi Sakharam Binder
Filmography Year Title Role Film Language Notes1968Ek Gaon Bara BhangadiJhele AnnaMarathi1969Mukkam Post DhebewadiChandrakant1969Gan GaulanBhau1970Dhartichi LekareNilu1970Ganane Ghungroo HaravaleChandaraoMarathi1971SongadyaBattashyaAsheech Ek RatraNagyaLakhat Ashi DekhaniBapusaheb Batate1972PinjaraSarkarMarathi1972Harya Narya ZindabadNaryaMarathi1973ThapadyaRaoMarathiHaath Lavin Tithe SoneNiluMaharashtra State Film Award for Best ActorSonarane Tochale KaanBaban Sonar1975SamnaHindurao Dhonde PatilMarathiVaraatSopanMarathiKarava Tasa BharavaBabuMarathiDhoti Lota Aur ChowpattyStreet VendorHindi1976FarrariShripat's FatherChoricha MamlaChanderraoPudhariZumbar Sethji1977SoyrikRautMarathiBanya BapuKakaNaav Motha Lakshan KhotaUsha's FatherMarathiJait Re JaitNagya's FatherMarathiBhingriDaulatrao PatilMansa Paris Mendhra BariHari BaramatikarMarathi1978SarvasakshiBalasahebMarathiPadrachya SavlitNilubhauMarathiSasurvasheenBalasahebMarathi1979Do Ladke Dono KadkeChampa's husbandHindiBhayaanakThakur SahabHindiSunbai Oti Bharun JaShekharMarathiSobatiLambatya (Laxman)Chaandal ChowkadiDeshmukhSinhasanDigu TipnisPaijjecha VidaSakhyaMeri Biwi Ki ShaadiFernandesHindiHaldikunkuHimselfMarathiSpecial appearanceDeed ShahaneBabnyaMarathiAaitya Bilavar NagobaBhujangraoMarathi1980FataakadiDamu SaavkaarMarathiBhalu Ramrao RunkMarathiSau Din Saas KeKhubchand (Lalla Ji)HindiKadaklakshmiVamanMarathiZiddJeeva DadaMarathiSinhasanDigu TipnisMarathiSavatBandu MasterMarathi1981Kasam Bhawani KiManiram LalaHindiNaram GaramGurujiHindi(Special appearance)ShamaBarristerHindiSatichi PunyayeeKishenseth ThoratPatalinAmrut ShethMarathiNaginRanjana's FatherSoon Majhi LaxmiGaffur SethSahakar SamratSampatrao KodgeSaubhagyadaanDadasahebMosambi NarangiMumbaji alias SuryajiraoMarathiAaiGurujiSundara SatarkarSundara's FatherSulavarchi PoliKaka1982ShapitRangyaMarathi Laxmichi PauleSudama PawarChatak ChandniSarpanchRamnagariHimselfMarathiSpecial appearanceRaakhandarRajabahuGalli Te DilliSahebMarathiDon Baika Phajeeti AikaAburaoDiste Tasa NasteSarjerao Patil (Anna)BhujangBhujangraoMarathiBhannat BhanuKakasahebAplech Daat Aplech OthNanaBhamtaNiluMarathiSavitrichi SoonBhujangrao Kale1983Gumnaam Hai KoiLajpatZara Si ZindagiJaggu (Kusum's father)HindiWoh Saat DinMaya's maternal grandfatherHindiCoolieNathu MamaHindiSasu Varchad JavaiJyotish (Gangaram Teli) Golaram TeliRaghumainaRaghu's FatherMardaniPrataprao RamdokheyHindiKashyala Udyachi BaatNilkanth SagleBaiko Asavi AshiBalu (Balaram Mohite)MarathiPaaygoonSampatrao1984Aao Jao Ghar TumharaUnnamedHindiSmall RoleMashaalVithal RaoHindiSaaranshGajanan ChitreHindiZakhmi SherLala (Anandi's father)HindiThakas MahathakSarpanch Nanasaheb UchleSage SoyareNanu MamaShraadhaInamdarBin Kamacha NavraSahebraoBahuroopiDadasaheb Bhole1985 Gaon Tasa Changla Pan Veshila TanglaHinduraoMarathiDevashappath Khara SangenSuperintendent K. BhanudasHaqeeqatRickshaw DriverHindiRao SahebRadhika's FatherHindiDhagala Lagli KalaNilkanthMarathi1986Kaanch Ki DeewarLakhsmi SinghHindiSutradharBhauraoMaa BetiRaghunandanHindiPudhcha PaoolBabasahebInsaaf Ki AwaazBalwant AzaadHindiGadbad GhotalaKhalaveBijliNiluba - SonarMarathiMi Chairman BoltoyChairmanMarathi1987HirasatDhirubhaiHindiSarjaRustamMarathiPurnasatyaPatang RaoPorichi Dhamaal Baapachi KamaalDigamber AvdhootMohreSocial WorkerHindiKalatay Pan Valat NahiRaosaheb DeshmukhJaago Hua SaveraUnnamedHindiUnreleasedBhatak BhavaniKaluram Landge SahebMarathi1988Aurat Teri Yehi KahaniThakurHindiMaza Pati KarodpatiLaxmikant KuberMarathiTamachaJwala Pratap SinghHindiKabzaaMandar BhagawatHindiBandiwan Mi Ya SansariGuruSarvashreshtaBhauSaglikade BombabombAppasaheb DharadharMarathiMamla PorinchaNilu BhauMajjach MajjaKaka SahebMarathi1989Prem PratigyaaMohan 'Dadhu' RaoHindiOonch Neech BeechSadhuHindiGaribon Ka DaataPost MasterHindiHamaal De DhamaalNilkanth PhuleMarathiEk Ratra MantarleliRamsharanMarathiAuntyne Wajavli GhantiDhanajiraoMarathi1990GhanchakkarNagraj BabaRickshawaliNK DadaKalat NakalatNana GarudKuldeepakBahu KasbePatli Re PatliMamasahebDishaDashrath 'Dadji' MandreHindiDhamal Bablya GanpyachiNarsinghrao1991SuryodayaHalad Rusli Kunku HaslaDadasahebPratikaarDadasaheb / AppajiHindi1992Shubh Mangal SavdhanRajesh's FatherZunz Tujhi MajhiBapujirao 'Nagoji' NagvekarMarathiThan Than GopalGopal RaoMaalmasalaManmohanEk Hota VidushakNanaMarathiDharpakadDadasaheb DharpakadMarathi1993JanmathepInspector Tirsinghrao LabadeTakkarMr. Saple1995PainjanJairambapu ShingarwadikarSenani Sane GurujiAppa RaneLimited ManuskiJyotish AcharyaMarathi1996PratidaavRaoMarathiPutravatiPolice Commissioner Krishnakant DeshmukhDurga Aali GharaDadasaheb DeshmukhAshi Asavi SasuMama1997Paij LagnachiAabasaheb1998Ghar BazarKishan MurariHindi2001ZanzaavatGamblerMarathi2004Prem SakshiAajobaPandharFarmerSaatchya Aat GharatYuvraj's GrandfatherMarathi2005Chalta Hai YaarMalhar Rao PatilHindi2007KadachitGayatri's GrandfatherMarathi2008Gaav Tasa Chaangla Satpute MasterMarathiMohiniKakaMarathiAara Aara Aaba Aata Tari ThambaSutradharMarathi2009Goshta Choti DongraevadhiHimselfMarathiGuest Appearance his last film before he died2010Ladi GodiRajesh's Dead GrandfatherMarathi(final film role)
References
External links
Phule's interview with DD Sahyadri