2409:4060:290:8451:8932:2DE1:FD8F:55F2 at 10:39, 8 August 2021

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{{Infobox person
| name = Raja Thakur
| image = Raja Thakur.jpg
| imagesize =
| birth_name = Rajaram Dattatraya Thakur
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1923|11|26}}
| birth_place = [[Phonda]], [[Maharashtra]], [[British India]]
| residence =
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|1975|07|28|1923|11|26}}
| death_place = [[Pune]], [[Maharashtra]], [[India]]
| occupation = Film director
| nationality = [[India]]n
| salary =
| networth =
| years_active=
| other_name =
| spouse =
| children =
| website =
}}

'''Raja Thakur''' (1923–1975) was an Indian film director predominantly working in the [[Marathi cinema|Marathi film industry]]. He is best known for his films ''Me Tulas Tujhya Angani'' (1960), ''Rangalya Ratree Ashya'' (1962), ''Ektee'' (1968), ''Mumbaicha Jawai'' (1970), ''Gharkul'' (1971) and ''Jawai Vikat Ghene Aahe'' (1972); for which he won National and State-level awards.

== Career ==
Thakur was born in 1923 in [[Phonda]] near Kolhapur, [[Maharashtra]]. He started his film career as assistant to [[Master Vinayak]] and [[Raja Paranjape]]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://maharashtratimes.indiatimes.com/edit/manasa/-/articleshow/5826347.cms? | title=रुपेरी प्रतिभेचा राजा! | work=[[Maharashtra Times]] |language=Marathi | date=18 April 2010 | access-date=30 December 2015 | author=Pathak, Madhukar}}</ref> and directed various films in the 1960s based on storylines of middle-class [[Maharashtrian people]]. This genre was a repeated feature in directorial works of Thakur and [[Rajdutt]], who dominated the industry then before the comedies of [[Dada Kondke]] became popular in the 1970s. He also produced films under his banner "Nav Chitra".{{sfn|Rajadhyaksha|p=1994}}

The 1955 released social film ''Me Tulas Tujhya Angani'' was produced under his banner Nav Chitra and had [[Hindustani classical music]]-based songs sung by [[Bhimsen Joshi]].<ref name="Top40">{{cite web | url=http://www.lokprabha.com/20130419/lokprabha-40-01.htm | title=पाहिलेच पाहिजेत असे ४० मराठी सिनेमे | work=Lokprabha | date=19 April 2013 | access-date=30 December 2015 | author=Nandgaonkar, Sunil |language=Marathi}}</ref> The film won the [[National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Marathi|President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film]] at the [[3rd National Film Awards]].<ref name="3rdawardPDF"/> In continuation to the film adaptations of works written by [[Damuanna Malvankar]] and [[V. S. Jog]] which Master Vinayak made, Thakur directed the 1957 comedy ''Gharcha Jhala Thoda''.{{sfn|Rajadhyaksha|p=1994}}

The 1962 ''Rangalya Ratree Ashya'' was a musical film based on the story written by author [[Ranjit Desai]] and starring [[Arun Sarnaik]] as a talented drummer who falls in love with a courtesan.<ref name="hatrick">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=djUFmlFbzFkC&pg=PA81 | title=Routledge Handbook of Indian Cinemas | publisher=Routledge |author1=K. Moti Gokulsing |author2=Wimal Dissanayake | year=2013 | pages=81–82 | isbn=9781136772849}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://navshakti.co.in/editorial/kanosa/169780/ | title=जनमनाचा कानोसा | work=Navshakti |language=Marathi | access-date=30 December 2015 | author=Telang, Surendra}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nORkAAAAMAAJ&q=rangalya+raatri+ashya | title=Marathi Cinema: In retrospect | publisher=Maharashtra Film, Stage & Cultural Development Corp |author1=Sanjit Narwekar |author2=Raghuvir Kul |author3=D. B. Samant | year=1995 | pages=105}}</ref> The film won Thakur another President's Silver Medal at the [[10th National Film Awards]].<ref name="10thaward"/> Starring [[Kashinath Ghanekar]],<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.esakal.com/esakal/20100419/5415622686977164931.htm | title=मराठी नायक – लोकल ते ग्लोबल | work=[[Sakal]] | date=19 April 2010 | access-date=30 December 2015 | author=Kulkarni, Dhananjay |language=Marathi}}</ref> Thakur achieved his third National Film Award for ''Ektee'' (1968) at the [[16th National Film Awards]].<ref name="16thawardPDF"/>

The 1970s directorial venture ''Mumbaicha Jawai'' was a depiction of cosmopolitan Mumbai and how a newly married couple embrace the social values while living in the crowded ''[[chawl]]''.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.mumbaimirror.com/columns/columnists/shanta-gokhale/City-of-dreams/articleshow/48547421.cms | title=City of dreams | work=[[Mumbai Mirror]] | date=20 August 2015 | access-date=30 December 2015 | author=Shanta Gokhale | author-link=Shanta Gokhale }}</ref> The film was also released in the [[Soviet Union]] and was later adapted into a Hindi film by [[Basu Chatterjee]] as ''[[Piya Ka Ghar]]''.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ENI5AQAAIAAJ&q=Mumbaicha+Jawai | title=Cultural News from India, Volume 12 | publisher=Indian Council for Cultural Relations | year=1971 | pages=5}}</ref>{{sfn|Rajadhyaksha|p=1994}} The film won the fourth National Film Award presented at the [[18th National Film Awards]] and also the "Best Film" award at the [[Maharashtra State Film Awards]].<ref name="18thawardPDF"/> He went on to bag the Maharashtra State Film Award, presented by the [[Government of Maharashtra|State Government of Maharashtra]], consecutively for the next two years for ''Gharkul'' (1971) and ''Jawai Vikat Ghene Aahe'' (1972).<ref name="hatrick"/>

In 1975 Thakur directed his first Hindi film ''[[Zakhmee]]''. Produced by [[Tahir Hussain]], the film had a star cast of [[Sunil Dutt]], [[Rakesh Roshan]] and [[Asha Parekh]].<ref name="ZakhmeeHindu">{{cite web | url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/zakhmee-1975/article5809755.ece | title=Blast from the past: Zakhmee (1975) | work=[[The Hindu]] | date=20 March 2014 | access-date=22 December 2015 | author=Malhotra, Aps}}</ref> In 1976 his Hindi film ''Raeeszada'' was released. Produced by V. L. Khare, the film starred Vikram, [[Zarina Wahab]], [[Rakesh Roshan]], [[Shriram Lagoo]] and [[Helen (actress)|Helen]].<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ng_vVIcq5yQC&pg=PA250 | title=Helen: The Life and Times of an H-bomb | publisher=Penguin Books India | author=Jerry Pinto | year=2006 | location=India | pages=250 | isbn=9780143031246}}</ref> In 1972 he had also directed an English film ''Birbal My Brother''.{{sfn|Rajadhyaksha|p=1994}}

== Filmography ==
Thakur directed the following films:{{sfn|Rajadhyaksha|p=1994}}
{{columns-list|colwidth=30em|
* 1953 – ''Bolavita Dhani''
* 1954 – ''Reshamchya Gaathi''
* 1955 – ''Me Tulas Tujhya Angani''
* 1956 – ''Mazhe Ghar Majhi Manse''
* 1957 – ''Gharcha Jhala Thoda''
* 1957 – ''Uthavla Narad''
* 1958 – ''Gaja Gauri''
* 1959 – ''Rajmanya Rajashri''
* 1961 – ''Putra Vhava Aisa''
* 1962 – ''Rangalya Ratree Ashya''<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2X6RAAAAIAAJ&q=Raja+Thakur+1975 | title=Genres of Indian Cinema | year=1989 | pages=125}}</ref>
* 1963 – ''Pahure Kiti Vaat!''{{sfn|Rajadhyaksha|p=627}}
* 1965 – ''Raigadacha Rajbandi''
* 1966 – ''Dhananjay''{{sfn|Rajadhyaksha|p=591}}
* 1967 – ''Sant Gora Kumbhar''
* 1968 – ''Ekati''{{sfn|Rajadhyaksha|p=594}}
* 1970 – ''Mumbaicha Jawai''{{sfn|Rajadhyaksha|p=621}}
* 1970 – ''Gharkul''
* 1971 – ''Bajiravacha Beta''{{sfn|Rajadhyaksha|p=581}}
* 1971 – ''Ajab Tuzhe Sarkar''{{sfn|Rajadhyaksha|p=574}}
* 1972 – ''Birbal My Brother'' (English)
* 1973 – ''Jawai Vikat Ghene Aahe''
* 1975 – ''[[Zakhmee]]'' (Hindi)
* 1976 – ''[[Raeeszada (1976 film)|Raeeszada]]'' (Hindi)
}}

== Awards and recognition ==
Thakur's four directorial pursuits won the [[National Film Awards|National Film Award]] in the [[National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Marathi|Best Feature Film in Marathi category]]. He made a [[hat-trick]] by winning the [[Maharashtra State Film Awards]] in Best Film category from 1970 to 1972 and is the only director to do so.<ref name="hatrick"/>
In 2013, the Marathi-weekly magazine ''[[Lokprabha]]'' of the ''[[Indian Express Limited|Indian Express Group]]'' included ''Me Tulas Tujhya Angani'' and ''Mumbaicha Jawai'' in their "Must Watch 40 Marathi Films" list.<ref name="Top40"/>
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year !! Award !! Category !! Work !! Notes
! class="unsortable"| Ref.
|-
| 1955 || rowspan="4" | [[National Film Awards|National Film Award]] || rowspan="4" | [[National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Marathi]] || ''Me Tulas Tujhya Angani'' || Shared with production house Nav Chitra || <ref name="3rdawardPDF">{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/3rd_nff_1956.pdf|title=3rd National Film Awards |author= Ministry of Information and Broadcasting |author-link= Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India) |date=28 April 1957 |access-date=22 December 2015}}</ref>
|-
| 1962 || ''Rangalya Ratree Ashya'' || Shared with production house The Maharashtra Film Industrial Co-Operative Society Ltd. || <ref name="10thaward">{{cite web|url=http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Frm10thNFAAward.aspx|title=10th National Film Awards|publisher=[[International Film Festival of India]]|date=20 April 1963|access-date=22 December 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150929062243/http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Frm10thNFAAward.aspx|archive-date=29 September 2015}}</ref>
|-
| 1968 || ''Ektee'' || Shared with producer G. Chaugle || <ref name="16thawardPDF">{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/16th_nff_1970.pdf|title=16th National Film Awards|publisher=[[Directorate of Film Festivals]]|access-date=22 September 2011|page=2}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1970 || rowspan="2" | ''Mumbaicha Jawai'' || Shared with producer Tushar Pradhan || <ref name="18thawardPDF">{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/17th_NFF_1971.pdf|title=18th National Film Awards|publisher=[[Directorate of Film Festivals]]|access-date=26 September 2011}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="3" | [[Maharashtra State Film Awards]] || rowspan="3" | Best Film || || <ref name="hatrick"/>
|-
| 1971 || ''Gharkul'' || || <ref name="hatrick"/>
|-
| 1972 || ''Jawai Vikat Ghene Aahe'' || || <ref name="hatrick"/>
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

'''Bibliography'''
* {{cite book|last1=Rajadhyaksha|first1=Ashish |last2=Willemen |first2=Paul |title=Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema |year=2014 |publisher= Routledge |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=SLkABAAAQBAJ&q=Raja+Thakur+1975 |isbn=9781135943189 }}
* {{cite book|last1=Thakur|first1=Anjali |last2=Ajgaonkar |first2=Dinkar |title= Adhuri Ek Kahani |publisher=Granthali Publications |url= http://www.bookganga.com/Preview/BookPreview.aspx?BookId=280612114501&PreviewType=ebooks }}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb name|0856901}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thakur, Raja}}
[[Category:1923 births]]
[[Category:1975 deaths]]
[[Category:Marathi film directors]]
[[Category:People from Kolhapur district]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian film directors]]
[[Category:Film directors from Maharashtra]]

Raja Thakur - Revision history

2409:4060:290:8451:8932:2DE1:FD8F:55F2 at 10:39, 8 August 2021