Laxmikant Berde Age, Death, Wife, Children, Family, Biography & More

Some Lesser Known Facts About Laxmikant Berde

• Laxmikant Berde was a veteran Indian actor who acted in Hindi and Marathi films. Apart from being an actor, he was also a renowned Marathi theatre artist.

• Berde was born into a middle-class family and used to live in a chawl. As his family’s financial condition was not good, he used to sell lottery tickets in childhood. ^[2]Amar Ujala

• The veteran Marathi actor Ravindra Berde is his uncle.
  

  Laxmikant Berde’s uncle Ravindra Berde

• He used to perform in naataks organised at the Konkanast Samaj Ganesh Festival in his locality, and from there he developed an interest in acting.

• While he was in school and intercollege, he used to win awards in various acting competitions.

• Later, he started working at the Mumbai Marathi Sahitya Sangh, Maharashtra, where he used to pull the curtains during the theatre plays organised at the auditorium. After observing the actors performing on stage, he decided to pursue his career as a theatre artist.

• While he was working there, a theatre play director offered him a role in a stage play. He accepted the offer and later, he played small roles in various Marathi theatre plays.

• In 1983, he got a big role in the Marathi theatre play ‘Tur Tur’ directed by the Indian play writer Purshottam Berde.

• Subsequently, he appeared in various theatre plays such as ‘Shantecha Karta Chalu Aahe,’ ‘Karti Premat Padli,’ and ‘Uchalbangadi.’ In an interview, while sharing his experience as a theatre artist, Laxmikant said,
  

  The stage was a learning process for me. When I travelled all over, I had the opportunity to read the pulse of the audience. What I learned during these jaunts, is that “laughter was different everywhere. For a single situation, people from different places react differently.”

• The Marathi duo Berde and Mahesh Kothare (Marathi actor) became very popular after they were cast together in various Marathi films like ‘De Danadan’ (1987), ‘Thartharat’ (1989), ‘Zapatlela’ (1993), and ‘Majha Chakula’ (1994).
  

  Laxmikant Berde with Mahesh Kothare

• The Marathi actors trio Laxmikant Berde, Ashok Saraf, and Sachin Pilgaonkar gained immense popularity after appearing in the Marathi film ‘Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi’ (1989).
  

  Laxmikant Berde, Ashok Saraf, and Sachin Pilgaonkar on the sets of Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi

• The onscreen jodi of Laxmikant Berde and the legendary Marathi actor Ashok Saraf was one of the popular jodis of the Marathi cinema. The duo acted in various films together including ‘Bhutacha Bhau’ (1989), ‘Changu Mangu’ (1990), and ‘Aayatya Gharat Gharoba’ (1991).
  

  Laxmikant Berde with Ashok Saraf

• Some other Marathi films of Berde are ‘Khatarnak’ (2000), ‘Dekhni Bayko Namyachi’ (2001), ‘Aadharstambh’ (2003), and ‘Pachadlela’ (2004).
  

  ‘Dekhni Bayko Namyachi’ (2001) film poster

• Laxmikant acted in Hindi films like ‘Saajan’ (1991), ‘Phool Aur Angaar’ (1993), ‘Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!’ (1994), ‘Dil Kya Kare’ (1999), and ‘Meri Biwi Ka Jawaab Nahin’ (2004) in which he mainly played the supporting roles. He was cast along with his wife Priya Berde in the popular Hindi film ‘Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!’ (1994) in which he played the role of Lallu Prasad, while Priya played the role of Chameli.
  

  Laxmikant Berde in Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!

• In several films, his character’s name was Lakshyaa, and after gaining popularity with the name his fans started calling him Lakshyaa. ^[3]YouTube
• After the death of his first wife Ruhi Berde, he fell in love with his co-star Priya, and the couple started living together without getting married. ^[4]Amar Ujala Berde used to introduce Priya as his wife in the media.

• Berde, along with his wife Priya, started a film production house ‘Abhinay Arts’ in Mumbai a few years before his death.

• Reportedly, he was trained in playing the guitar, and he was a ventriloquist.

• He was cremated at the Oshiwara Crematorium, Jogeshwari West, Mumbai, on 16 December 2004. At his funeral, the Marathi actors and his close friends Ashok Saraf, Sachin Pilgaonkar, and Mahesh Kothare were present. On his demise, a leading Indian newspaper wrote,
  

  He had been ailing for three months and had been undergoing dialysis for a considerable time. However, his condition deteriorated early this morning and he passed away at his suburban home.”

• In an interview, while remembering Berde, the Indian actress Bhagyashree said,
  

  It was my first film, and Salman, me and Sooraj all were fairly young and new to the industry. But Laxmikant ji was a star on our set. His comic timing was impeccable, no matter what the scene was, he had this amazing ability to transform that only by his funny expressions. He was also very humble, and never showed that he came from an industry where he was a superstar.”

• During an interview, while talking about Laxmikant, his former co-star and close friend, Mahesh Kothare said,
  

  He was clearly passionate and dedicated to acting, which was reflected in his work. He would go to any extent without thinking of the consequences, Kothare recalls. We were filming a shooting sequence for Dhadakebaaz and I put an arrangement of bullet and barrel on his palm connected to a battery. The sequence went really nice. But later we found out that the bullet had backfired during the sequence and Berde injured himself. He never told us and continued with the scene.”