Vasanth Josalkar

Vasant Josalkar was a student of the National School of Drama in Delhi and is recognized as a Bishmacharya of Goan Theatre and a nationally acclaimed performer. Josalkar was the director of Kala Academy's Theatre Art Faculty and the recipient of several awards and medals.

Josalkar was a well-known Marathi and Hindi actor who was born on January 8, 1947, in Varkhande village in Pernem. He was inspired to theatre by traditional Sangeet-Natak performances in his village, where he performed alongside his father and brother. In 1976, he obtained his stagecraft diploma from the National School of Drama (NSD) in New Delhi. The following year, he joined the NSD Repertory Company, where he acted in a number of popular performances till 1986. Josalkar returned to Goa in 1987 to work at the Goa Kala Academy, where he served as Director until 2000, post which he went on to become an independent actor.

'Mukhyamantri' (1979), dramatized from Chanakya Sen's novel and directed by Ranjit Kapoor Ranjit Kapoor is a dialogue writer, actor, directo >> Read More... ; Basam Sabnis' 'Saiyan Bhaye Kotwal' (1980), directed by Usha Banerjee Usha Banerjee was born in Maharashtra. She is a fa >> Read More... ; and Rameshwar Prem's 'Charpai' (1975), directed by Manohar Singh Born on 1938, Manohar Singh was an illustrious the >> Read More... , are among Josalkar's plays with the NSD Repertory. He is most known for his roles in Athol Fugard's 'A Place with the Pigs' (1993), directed by Gyanesh Moghe in Goa, and Shirwadkar's 'Natsamrat' (1986), directed by Kirti Jain and presented by Sambhav in Delhi. Josalkar directed and designed several productions as Director of the Goa Kala Academy, including Mohan Rakesh's 'Ashad Ka Ek Din' (1993) and 'Aadhe Adhure' (1997), Chintamani Khanolkar's 'Ek Shoonya Bajirao' (1995), and Vijay Tendulkar's 'Kamla' (2007), as well as dramatic renditions of several short stories. He's also been in television shows and movies.

With his outstanding performances in plays like 'Mukhyamantri,' 'Saiyan Bhaye Kotwal,' 'Gateman's Gift' in ' Malgudi Days Click to look into! >> Read More... ,' and the national award-winning 'Parinati,' directed by Prakash Jha Prakash Jha, a director, film producer and screenw >> Read More... , Josalkar rose to prominence. 'Nadi Vahate' in Marathi, which won the Special Jury Award at the Pune International Film Festival, and the international award-winning Konkani film 'Poltodcho Munis' are also recalled. When he was the director of the Theater Art Faculty of Kala Academy, he directed 'Andha Yug,' which ushered in a new age of Hindi theatre in Goa. With his debut play, 'Gidhad Gatha,' he also founded Kala Academy's professional theatrical troupe, Rangmell.

He has received several awards throughout his career, including India's most prestigious Sangeet Natak Academy, which he received from then-President Pranab Mukherjee for his contribution to Indian theatre as an actor. Josalkar was also honored by the Kala Academy of Goa with the Rang Samrnan (2009) for his contributions to theatre. He has also received the Kala Gaurav award from the Directorate of Art and Culture in Goa (2010).

On January 10, 2019, Vasant Josalkar, one of Goa's biggest theatre stars and a Goan who made a substantial contribution and helped create the state's art and cultural landscape passed away. Josalkar, a prominent Goan theatre figure who lived in Saligao, died after a brief illness. At his native home in Varkhande, Pernem, as well as at the GMC hospital, artists from the Goan film and theatrical sectors paid him honor.