The Maharashtra State Film Award for Best Director is an award presented annually at the Maharashtra State Film Awards to the best director in Marathi cinema. The awards are managed directly by the Government of Maharashtra under the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Maharashtra. The recipients are selected by a jury appointed by the state government.

The award is presented across three tiers: Director I, Director II, and Director III; following the same structure as the Best Film awards. The Director I award is renamed the Bhalji Pendharkar Award for Best Director, in honour of Bhalji Pendharkar. The Director II award is named the Raja Paranjape Award for Best Director, honouring Raja Paranjape. The Director III award is named the Raja Thakur Award for Best Director, in tribute to Raja Thakur.

Achievement records

Multiple wins Total Wins across all categories Director 13765432

+ Wins Director I 8 4 3 2 + Wins Director II 3 2 + Wins Director III 3 2

Other achievement records

Rajdutt holds the record for the most wins overall with 13 awards, including the most wins in the Director I category with 8. He also holds the distinction of winning the Director I award five consecutive times from 1982 to 1986, the longest winning streak in any single category. Raja Thakur won the same category three times in a row from 1970 to 1972. Several directors have won the same category in two consecutive years: Rajdutt (1968–1969), Raja Paranjape (1962–1963), Anant Mane (1965–1966), Madhav Shinde (1969–1970), Kamlakar Torne (1977–1978), and Sachin Pilgaonkar (1989–1990). Rajdutt is the only director to have won two categories at the same ceremony on more than one occasion, winning Director I and Director II in 1984, and Director I and Director III in 1986. Other directors to have won two categories at the same ceremony are Sumitra Bhave–Sunil Sukthankar (2002) and Gajendra Ahire (2003). Smita Talwalkar, Shrabani Deodhar, Veena Lokur, and Sumitra Bhave (of the duo Sumitra Bhave–Sunil Sukthankar) are the only female directors to have won the award in any of the three categories. The award has been tied on only two occasions: in 1964 between Ram Gabale and Raja Paranjape in the Director I category, and in 2011 between Umesh Vinayak Kulkarni and Ravi Jadhav in the Director II category.

Winners Year, directors and their associated films Year Director I(Bhalji Pendharkar Award for Best Director) Director II(Raja Paranjape Award for Best Director) Director III(Raja Thakur Award for Best Director)1962Madhukar Pathak (Prapanch)Raja Paranjape (Suvasini)Anant Mane (Shahir Parshuram)1963Raja Thakur (Rangalya Ratri Asha)Raja Paranjape (Haa Maza Marg Ekla)Chandrashekhar (Phakira)1964Ram Gabale (Chhota Jawan)Raja Thakur (Pahu Re Kiti Vaat)Madhav Shinde (Thoratanchi Kamala)Raja Paranjape (Pathlaag)1965Shantaram Athavale (Vavtal)Anant Mane (Sawaal Majha Aika!) Not awarded1966Bhalji Pendharkar (Sadhi Mansa)Anant Mane (Kela Ishara Jata Jata)Vasant Joglekar (Shevatcha Malusara)1967Madhukar Pathak (Santh Wahate Krushnamai) Raja Paranjape (Kaka Mala Vachva)Chandrawadan (Swapna Tech Lochani)1968Rajdutt (Gharchi Rani) Kamlakar Torne (Aamhi Jato Amuchya Gava)Raja Thakur (Ekti)1969Rajdutt (Aparadh)Madhukar Pathak (Mukkam Post Dhebewadi)Madhav Shinde (Dharmakanya)1970Raja Thakur (Mumbaicha Jawai)Vasant Painter (Warnecha Wagh)Madhav Shinde (Laxmanresha)1971Raja Thakur (Gharkul)Satyadev Dubey (Shantata! Court Chalu Aahe)Govind Kulkarni (Songadya)1972-73Raja Thakur (Jawai Vikat Ghene Aahe)Rajdutt (Bholibhabdi)Dada Kondke (Andhla Marto Dola)1974Vasant Painter (Sugandhi Katta) Datta Mane (Kartiki)Murlidhar Kapadi (Ashi Hi Sataryachi Tarha)1975Dada Kondke (Pandu Havaldar)Jabbar Patel (Samna) Dattatray Kulkarni (Bayanno Navre Sambhala)1976Babasaheb Fattelal (Choricha Mamla)Dada Kondke (Tumcha Aamcha Jamala)Anant Mane (Pahuni)1977V. Ravindra (Farari)Kamlakar Torne (Bala Gau Kashi Angai)Murlidhar Kapadi (Naav Motha Lakshan Khota) 1978 Rajdutt (Devaki Nandan Gopala) Kamlakar Torne (Bhairu Pehelwan Ki Jai) Jabbar Patel (Jait Re Jait)1979Vasant Joglekar (Janaki)Rajdutt (Ashtavinayak)Dada Kondke (Bot Lavin Tithe Gudgulya)1980Nachiket Patwardhan (22 June 1897) Jabbar Patel (Sinhasan)Babasaheb Fattelal (Paij)1981Jabbar Patel (Umbartha)V.K. Naik (Gondhalat Gondhal) Amol Palekar (Akrit) 1982 Rajdutt & Arvind Deshpande (Shapit) Ravi Namade (Ek Daav Bhutacha) Dada Kondke (Aali Angawar)1983Rajdutt (Raghu Maina) V.K. Naik (Gupchup Gupchup)Kamlakar Torne (Thorli Jau)1984Rajdutt (Hech Maze Maher)Rajdutt (Mumbaicha Faujdar)Satish Randive (Bahurupi)1985Rajdutt (Ardhangi)Bhaskar Jadhav (Deva Shappath Khara Sangen) Babasaheb Fattelal (Streedhan)1986Rajdutt (Pudhcha Paaul)Damu Kenkre (Tuzya Vachun Karmena) Rajdutt (Aaj Zale Mukta Me)1987Girish Ghanekar (Prem Karuya Khullam Khulla) Sachin Pilgaonkar (Gammat Jammat)N. S. Vaidya (Khatyal Sasu Nathal Soon)1988Sachin Pilgaonkar (Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi)N. S. Vaidya (Nashibwan) Girish Ghanekar (Rangat Sangat)1989Kanchan Nayak (Kalat Nakalat)Sachin Pilgaonkar (Atmavishwas) Purushottam Berde (Hamaal De Dhamaal)1990 Ramakant Kavthekar (Aaghat)Sachin Pilgaonkar (Eka Peksha Ek)N. S. Vaidya (Kuldeepak)1991Sanjay Surkar (Chaukat Raja)Pradip Berlekar (Vedh) Sanjiv Naik (Anpekshit)1992Jabbar Patel (Ek Hota Vidushak)Sanjay Surkar (Apli Mansa) Girish Ghanekar (Vaajva Re Vaajva)1993Sanjay Rawal (Vazir)Smita Talwalkar (Savat Mazi Ladki)Shrabani Deodhar (Lapandav)1994Jabbar Patel (Mukta) Madhukar Pathak (Varsa Laxmicha)Mahesh Kothare (Majha Chakula)1995Sumitra Bhave–Sunil Sukthankar (Doghi)Amol Palekar (Bangarwadi)Amol Shedge (Aboli)1996Sanjay Surkar (Raosaheb)Bhaskar Jadhav (Putravati)K. Radhaswami (Suna Yeti Ghara)1997Yashwant Bhalkar (Paij Lagnachi) Shrabani Deodhar (Sarkarnama) Girish Ghanekar (Navsacha Por)1998Sanjay Surkar (Tu Tithe Mee)Ajay Phansekar (Ratra Aarambh) Subhash Phadke (Hasari)1999Rajeev Khandagale (Gabhara)Chandrakant Kulkarni (Bindhaast)Sanjay Surkar (Gharabaher)2000Amol Palekar (Dhyaas Parva)Mahesh Manjrekar (Astitva) Satish Rajwade (Mrugjal)2001Millind Ukley (Devki)Ajay Phansekar (Ek Hoti Vadi)Rajdutt (Zanzavat)2002Sumitra Bhave–Sunil Sukthankar (Dahavi Fa)Sumitra Bhave–Sunil Sukthankar (Vastupurush) Chandrakant Kulkarni (Bhet)2003Sandeep Sawant (Shwaas)Gajendra Ahire (Not Only Mrs. Raut)Gajendra Ahire (Vitthal Vitthal)2004Bipin Nadkarni (Uttarayan) Rajiv Patil (Savarkhed Ek Gaon)Sanjay Surkar (Saatchya Aat Gharat)2005Nishikant Kamat (Dombivli Fast)Chandrakant Kulkarni (Kaydyacha Bola)Mahesh Kothare (Khabardar)2006Sumitra Bhave–Sunil Sukthankar (Nital)Sachin Kundalkar (Restaurant)Rajendra Talik (Savali)2007Mangesh Hadawale (Tingya)Bipin Nadkarni (Aevdhese Aabhal)Sanjay Jadhav (Checkmate)2008Paresh Mokashi (Harishchandrachi Factory)Rajiv Patil (Jogwa) Rajendra Patil (Dhudgus)2009Santosh Manjrekar (Me Shivajiraje Bhosale Boltoy) Nitin Nandan (Jhing Chik Jhing) Sumitra Bhave–Sunil Sukthankar (Ek Cup Chya)2010 Anant Mahadevan (Mee Sindhutai Sapkal)Amol Palekar (Dhoosar) Veena Lokur (Platform)2011 Sujay Dahake (Shala)Umesh Vinayak Kulkarni (Deool)Kiran Yadnopavit (Taryanche Bait)Ravi Jadhav (Balgandharva)2012 Mahesh Manjrekar (Kaksparsh)Chandrakant Kulkarni (Tukaram) Nitin Chandrakant Desai (Ajintha)2013 Nitin Dixit (Avatarachi Goshta) Nitish Bharadwaj (Pitruroon) Shantanu Rode (Jayjaykar)2014 Shrihari Sathe (Ek Hazarachi Note)Paresh Mokashi (Elizabeth Ekadashi) Om Raut (Lokmanya: Ek Yugpurush)2015 Makarand Mane (Ringan)Sameer Vidwans (Double Seat)Chandrakant Kanse (Dagadi Chawl)2016 Sumitra Bhave–Sunil Sukthankar (Kaasav)Sandeep Patil (Dashakriya)Rajesh Mapuskar (Ventilator)2017Sagar Vanjari (Redu)Varun Narvekar (Muramba)Manoj Kadam (Kshitij Ek Horizon)2018 Shivaji Lotan Patil (Bhonga)Milind Lele (Bandishala) Sachin Jadhav, Nachiket Waikar (Tendlya)2019Ajit Wadikar (Y)Sameer Joshi (Miss U Mister)Vikram Phadnis (Smile Please)2020Nipun Dharmadhikari (Me Vasantrao)Makarand Mane (Baaplyok)Shantanu Rode (Goshta Eka Paithanichi)2021Mangesh Joshi (Karkhanisanchi Waari)Vikram Patwardhan (Frame)Nikhil Mahajan (Godavari)2022Pravin Tarde (Dharmaveer)Sachin Kundalkar (Pondicherry)Abhijeet Deshpande (Har Har Mahadev)2023Shrikant Bhide (Bhera)Mahesh Limaye (Jaggu Ani Juliet)Sudhakar Reddy Yakkanti (Naal 2)2024Anil Bhalerao (Chabila)Navjyot Bandiwadekar (Gharat Ganpati)Paresh Mokashi (Nach Ga Ghuma)

References

External links