Laxmikant Berde: Superhit comedy films of the actor you should not miss

Laxmikant Berde was an Indian actor who appeared in Marathi and Hindi movies. Known for his highly energetic slapstick performances, he was described as the Comedy King and Comedy Superstar of Marathi cinema. Berde started his career as an employee in the Marathi Sahitya Sangh production company and played supporting roles in a few Marathi stage plays. In 1983-84, he first tasted success with the superhit Marathi play 'Toor Toor'. After 1985, Berde virtually stormed Marathi cinema with a string of superhit comedy films that catapulted him as one of the two superstars of Marathi comedy cinema with actor Ashok Saraf. He was one of the few actors in Marathi film industry who had a massive fan following and his films were commercially successful. Laxmikant has acted in many Bollywood films too. Berde has received four nominations for Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role. Let's take a glance at some of his outstanding works in the Marathi industry.

'Dhoom Dhadaka' is a Marathi comedy movie, which was released in 1985. Directed by Mahesh Kothare, the film was based on the Tamil comedy 'Kadhalikka Neramillai'. The movie revolves around three young men who try all possible ways to impress a greedy industrialist to approve their marriages with his daughters. It can be called as cult comedy classic of Marathi cinema. Dhanaji Wakade is an arrogant and greedy industrialist. Seema and Gauri are his daughters and Laxmikant is his son. Mahesh Javalkar is an employee of his company. Gauri and Mahesh decide to marry but Dhanaji does not approve his daughter getting married to someone below his social status. Dhanaji's son Laxmikant is an aspiring filmmaker and desires to marry the daughter of Mr. Rede, who too is not as well off as Dhanaji.

'Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi' is a 1989 comedy Marathi film directed by Sachin Pilgaonkar and released in India on 23rd September 1988. The movie is a remake of the 1966 Hindi film 'Biwi Aur Makan' directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Four friends are searching for a rented accommodation. The landlady insists only on married couples, so two of the friends are forced to dress as women and pretend to be wives of the other two. Laxmikant Berde and Sachin perform the drag queen comedy-drama to the fullest. Their presence along with Ashok Saraf, Sushant Ray, Nivedita Saraf, Ashwini Bhave and Priya Arun is just priceless.

'De Danadan' (1987), directed by Mahesh Kothare, starring Laxmikant Berde, Mahesh Kothare and Jairam Kulkarni was an ultimate comedy hit. Lakshya (Laxmikant Berde) a police constable gets some extra ordinary powers in his body after he is saved from a blast. But the colour red proves to be a huge obstacle in the path of the execution of his superpowers. 'De Danadan' was another knockabout comedy hit given by this crew.

'Hamal de Dhamal' is a 1989 Marathi comedy, drama film. The film is directed, produced by Purushottam Berde, starring Aadesh Bandekar, Laxmikant Berde and Sonali Adhikari in the lead roles. Nandini, an actress, is given an ultimatum by her co-star to find a commoner to star in their upcoming movie. Desperate, Nandini finds her perfect commoner in Raja, a destitute porter. This humorous plot was again loved by the audiences and became a hit back then.

'Eka Peksha Ek' is a 1990 action, comedy, mystery Marathi film directed by Sachin Pilgaonkar. It starred Pilgaonkar, Ashok Saraf, Laxmikant Berde and Archana Joglekar. The movie is adapted from Arthur Hiller's 1989 American comedy film 'See No Evil, Hear No Evil'. Two friends, one deaf (Laxmikant) and the other blind (Sachin) are arrested for a murder they didn't commit. Despite their physical disabilities, whether the two will be able to prove their innocence is what forms the crux of the story. This film made people laugh their guts out and was a chartbuster back then.

'Balache Baap Bramhachari' (1989) was a comedy-drama directed by Girish Ghanekar, starring Ashok Saraf, Laxmikant Berde and Sudhir Joshi. The story follows two bachelors who find an abandoned baby boy outside their house. They have no other option but to take care of him. The difficulties they face while nurturing the baby will make you roll on the floor. Thus, this film was a family entertainer which was garnered a lot of praise by audiences.

'Zapatlela' is a Marathi horror comedy movie, which released in 1993. It is directed by Mahesh Kothare. The film starred the renowned ventriloquist Ramdas Padhye along with his famous evil puppet Tatya Bichu. Laxmikant Berde played Laxmikant Bolke and Mahesh Kothare essayed the role of CID inspector Mahesh Jadhav and Dilip Prabhavalkar as 'Tatya Vinchu'. Tatya Vinchu, a gangster, gets hold of a mantra to transfer his soul into any living or nonliving thing. He dies and transfers his soul into a doll while killing everyone who interrupts him. In terms of technicalities, the film does score high marks. This horror comedy became a blockbuster because of Laxmikant Berde's commendable acting and it was most loved by kids.