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{{Short description|Indian actor (1906–1969)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2016}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Master Vithal
| image = Master Vithal and Zubeida in Alam Ara, 1931.jpg
| imagesize = 200px
| caption = Master Vithal and [[Zubeida]] in ''[[Alam Ara]]'' (1931)
| birth_date ={{birth date text|1906}}
| birth_place =
| death_date = {{death date and age|1969|1906|df=y}}
| death_place =
| birth_name =
| occupation = actor
| yearsactive =
| spouse =
| children =
| awards =
}}

[[File:AlamAraStill.jpg|thumb|right|235px|[[Alam Ara]] (1931)]]
'''Master Vithal''' or '''Vithal''' (1906–1969) was an actor in [[Cinema of India|Indian cinema]], best known as the hero of India's first talkie ''[[Alam Ara]]'' (1931) and of [[Marathi language|Marathi]] and [[Hindi]] silent stunt films ([[silent film]]s had cue cards in a particular language), which gave him the epithet as the [[Douglas Fairbanks]] of India.

Vithal started his film career in Marathi films in 1924 and worked as a film technician and dancer. He was cast as the male lead in ''Ratan Manjari'' (1926) and followed with the swashbuckling roles of many silent stunt films and became a very popular actor. Though he was the male lead of ''Alam Ara'', he hardly had any dialogue due to poor Hindi diction. He returned to silent films and then to talkie Marathi films from 1932 till his last film in 1966. He also directed two films and gave music score to one film. He acted in more than 90 films during his career of 42 years from 1924 to 1966.<ref name=Data/>

==Pre 1930 career==
Master Vithal's début was on the stage as a child artist with ''Raja Pur Ka Natak Mandali''. He then started his career as a film editor with the film company in Maharashtra Films, [[Kolhapur]] which was owned by [[Baburao Painter]]. His first film role was as a female dancer in ''[[Kalyan Khajina]]'', the silent era film directed by Painter. He continued to work as film editor and a dancer and played minor roles in films. His first break as a male lead was in the film ''[[Ratan Manjari]]'' (1926) produced by Sharda Studios whom he had joined earlier in 1925. After that, he was a permanent fixture in the role of a hero and he was the star attraction of the Sharda Studios, owned by Nanubhai Desai, Anand Prasad Kapoor and Harshadrai Mehta. Nanubhai Desai was the studio founder and director of many stunt films produced by the company in which Vithal appeared in swashbuckling roles with [[Zubunissa (actress)|Zebunissa]] as his heroine. A professional wrestler,<ref name="KaurSinha2005">{{cite book|author1=Raminder Kaur|author2=Ajay J Sinha|title=Bollyworld: Popular Indian Cinema Through A Transnational Lens|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4bJz7s9h4WAC&pg=PA25|accessdate=7 April 2013|date=13 July 2005|publisher=SAGE Publications|isbn=978-0-7619-3320-5|pages=25}}</ref> he became a very popular fearless hero acting in films in historical themes related to [[Rajasthan]] and Maharashtra; thus giving him the title "the Indian [[Douglas Fairbanks]]", a title Vithal hated.<ref name="Ganti2012">{{cite book|author=Tejaswini Ganti|title=Producing Bollywood: Inside the Contemporary Hindi Film Industry|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Hb83FwNGuR4C&pg=PA14|accessdate=7 April 2013|date=7 March 2012|publisher=Duke University Press|isbn=978-0-8223-5213-6|pages=14}}</ref> Audience adored him in his stunt hero role, which became his "forte".<ref name=Debut>{{Cite web|url=http://indiaheritage.org/perform/cinema/person/silentstar.htm|title=Silent Screen Stars|work=Master Vithal (-1969)|accessdate=7 April 2013|publisher=A Living Portrait -India Heritage Organization}}</ref> By 1930, he was the highest paid male star in Indian cinema industry.<ref name="GulazāraNihalani2003"/>

==Post 1930 career==
In 1930, Vithal's popularity in Marathi films attracted [[Ardeshir Irani]] of Imperial Film Company to invite him to join his company to make India's first talkie, though [[Mehboob Khan]] was also vying for the role. Vithal, who was quite excited by Irani's offer, accepted and moved to Irani's newly formed film company Sagar Studios in Bombay, breaking his contract with Sharda Studios.<ref name=Cine/> Sharda Studios sued him and he was defended by the lawyer [[Muhammad Ali Jinnah]], who would later become the founder of [[Pakistan]]. Vithal won the case. The following year, Vithal played the hero in the first Indian talkie ''[[Alam Ara]]'' with [[Zubeida]] as the female lead.<ref name=Debut/><ref name=Cine/><ref name=Talk>{{cite journal|url=http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?281007|title=The Ghost Who Talked|date=4 June 2012|accessdate=7 April 2013|publisher=Outlook Online.com}}</ref> ''Alam Ara'' was also the first film in which music was introduced, as many as ten music scores were part of the film. As his Hindi diction was poor, he could not deliver the dialogues properly; his acting quality in histrionic roles was also questioned. He was thus shown mostly in a state of trans or semi consciousness in the film and hardly had any dialogue.<ref name="IndiaDivision1998">{{cite book|author1=National Film Development Corporation of India|author2=India. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Publications Division|title=Indian cinema: a visual voyage|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9uJkAAAAMAAJ|accessdate=7 April 2013|year=1998|publisher=Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Govt. of India|isbn=978-81-230-0646-8|pages=40}}</ref> It is said that Vithal could not adopt himself to the new genre of talking-singing films in Hindi as he was "reduced to a hero who is ''(was)'' magically stuck dumb in ''Alam Ara''."<ref name="GulazāraNihalani2003">{{cite book|author1=Gulazāra|author2=Govind Nihalani|author3=Saibal Chatterjee|title=Encyclopaedia Of Hindi Cinema|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8y8vN9A14nkC&pg=PT661|accessdate=7 April 2013|year=2003|publisher=Popular Prakashan|isbn=978-81-7991-066-5|pages=43, 253, 637}}</ref> His talkie debut ended without any demand for his acting roles in Hindi films. In 1932, he switched back to silent films, which were no more in flavour.<ref name=Cine>{{Cite web|url=http://cineplot.com/master-vithal-d-1969/|title=Master Vithal (d. 1969)|accessdate=7 April 2013|publisher= Cineplot.com}}</ref> The talkies led to his decline in Hindi films; Vithal would never get a major role in Hindi films again.<ref name="GulazāraNihalani2003"/> From 1934 onward, he switched back to Marathi films realizing his limitations. From the 1940s onward, he regularly appeared in films by [[Bhalji Pendharkar]] and those featuring [[Lalita Pawar]] and [[Durga Khote]]. He also played in a side role in the 1944 blockbuster film ''[[Ramshastri (1944 film)|Ramshastri]]''.<ref name=Debut/> Towards the end, he played only minor roles in Marathi films; his last film appearance was in 1966.<ref name=Data/><ref name=Talk/>

In 1933, Master Vithal introduced the concept of double role in Hindi talkie cinema by his directorial début ''Raja'' (in Marathi) and ''[[Awara Shahzada]]'' (Hindi), in which the role of a prince and a pauper was played by [[Shahu Modak]], whereas Vithal played his first double role in the silent film ''Raj Tarang'' (1928).<ref name="GulazāraNihalani2003"/><ref name="NarwekarKul1995">{{cite book|author1=Sanjit Narwekar|author2=Raghuvir Kul|author3=D. B. Samant |title=Marathi Cinema: in retrospect|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nORkAAAAMAAJ|accessdate=7 April 2013|year=1995|publisher=Maharashtra Film, Stage & Cultural Development Corp.|pages=52}}</ref>

==Films==
Master Vithal acted in more than 90 films, directed two films (''[[Swarajyacha Shiledar]]'' and ''[[Awara Shahzada]]''), and composed music for only one film, (''Kashmir Ki Kali''). The list of his movies, in the descending order of their release, has the following names.<ref name=Data>{{Cite web|url=http://www.citwf.com/detailPerson.asp?personID=427993&sortOn=YEAR&sortBy=UP|title=Master Vithal (?–1969)|accessdate=7 April 2013|publisher=CITWF}}</ref>
{{Div col|colwidth=15em}}
* ''Sheras Savva Sher'' (1966)
* ''Shodha Mhanje Sapdel'' (1966)
* ''Sadhi Manse'' (1965)
* ''Vavtal'' (1965)
* ''Mohityanchi Manjula'' (1963)
* ''Vanakesari'' (1960)
* ''Akashganga'' (1959)
* ''Matevin Bal'' (1958)
* ''Naikinicha Sazza'' (1957)
* ''Pavankhind'' (1956)
* ''Tai Teleen'' (1953)
* ''Vaadal'' (1953)
* ''[[Chhatrapati Shivaji (1952 film)|Chhatrapati Shivaji]]'' (1952)
* ''Mard Maratha'' (1952)
* ''Mayecha Pazhar'' (1952)
* ''Narveer Tanaji'' (1952)
* ''Swarajyacha Shiledar'' (1951)
* ''Shilanganache Sone'' (1950)
* ''Vikram Shashikala'' (1949)
* ''Garibanche Rajya'' (1948)
* ''Jai Bhawani'' (1947)
* ''[[Jadugar]]'' (1946)
* ''Kashmir Ki Kali'' (1946)
* ''[[Rukmini Swayamvar]]'' (1946)
* ''Sasurvaas'' (1946)
* ''Nagma-E-Sahra'' (1945)
* ''Pannadai'' (1945)
* ''[[Ramshastri (1944 film)|Ramshastri]]'' (1944)
* ''Bahirji Naik'' (1943)
* ''Soonbai'' (1942)
* ''[[Amrit (1941 film)|Amrit]]'' (1941) as Vilas
* ''Jagat Mohini'' (1940)
* ''Mohini'' (1940)
* ''Netaji Palkar'' (1939)
* ''Asiai Sitara'' (1937)
* ''[[Hind Mahila]]'' (1936)
* ''Raj Tarang'' (1935)
* ''Rangila Nawab'' (1935)
* ''Bhedi Rajkumar'' (1934)
* ''[[Chhatrapati Sambhaji (1934 film)|Chhatrapati Sambhaji]]'' (1934)
* ''Burkhewala'' (1932)
* ''Kalo Bhoot'' (1932)
* ''Zalim Jawani'' (1932) as Pratap
* ''Alam Ara'' (1931) as Adil
* ''Anangsena'' (1931)
* ''Daulat Ka Nasha'' (1931)
* ''Dilawar'' (1931)
* ''Gulam'' (1931)
* ''Hoor-E-Misar'' (1931)
* ''Meri Jaan'' (1931)
* ''Arunodaya'' (1930)
* ''Dav Pech'' (1930)
* ''Josh-E-Jawani'' (1930)
* ''Veer Na Ver'' (1930)
* ''Bhedi Sawar'' (1929)
* ''Chirage Kohistan'' (1929)
* ''Mirza Sahiban'' (1929)
* ''Nishan Danka'' (1929)
* ''Ranghelo Rajput'' (1929)
* ''Rank Nu Ratan'' (1929)
* ''Gul Badan'' (1928)
* ''Heer Sundari'' (1928)
* ''Kanak Kanta'' (1928)
* ''Karuna Kumari'' (1928)
* ''Raj Tarang'' (1928)
* ''Sassi Punnu'' (1928)
* ''Saundarya Sura''(1928)
* ''Sohni Mahiwal'' (1927/II)
* ''Asuri Lalsa'' (1927)
* ''[[Balidan]]'' (1927)
* ''Bansari Bala'' (1927)
* ''Bhedi Trishul'' (1927)
* ''Jaan-e-alam Anjuman Ara'' (1927)
* ''Kala Pahad''
* ''Mahasati Ansuya''
* ''Shiraz-Ud-Dowla'' (1927)
* ''Swadesh Seva'' (1927)
* ''Vande Mataram Ashram'' (1927)
* ''Veer Garjana'' (1927)
* ''Gunial Gulab'' (1926)
* ''Madan Kala'' (1926)
* ''Ratan Manjari'' (1926)
* ''Suvarna Kamal'' (1926)
* ''Vasant Bala'' (1926)
* ''Bajirao Mastani'' (1925)
* ''[[Kalyan Khajina]]'' (1924) as a dancing girl
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|0900010}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vithal, Master}}
[[Category:Male actors in Marathi cinema]]
[[Category:Male actors in Hindi cinema]]
[[Category:Indian male film actors]]
[[Category:Indian male silent film actors]]
[[Category:1969 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male actors]]
[[Category:Indian male child actors]]
[[Category:1906 births]]

Master Vithal - Revision history

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