Purushottam Laxman Deshpande (8 November 1919 – 12 June 2000) was a Marathi writer from Maharashtra, India. He was popularly known by his initials पु. ल. ("Pu. La.") or as P. L. Deshpande.

Deshpande was also an accomplished film and stage actor, music composer, harmonium player, singer, and orator.^[1]

Biography[link]

Purushottam Laxman Deshpande was born on 8 November 1919 in Gaodevi area (Krupal Hemraj Chawl) in Mumbai to Laxman and Lakshmibai Deshpande.He belongs to the Saraswat Brahmin community. His family then moved to Vile Parle before finally Pu La Deshpande settled in Pune for educational and work purposes.

Purushottam received his college education at Fergusson College in Pune and Willingdon College in Sangli. On 12 June 1946, he married Sunita Thakur, an accomplished writer. They were both school teachers in Orient High School in Mumbai. She is most famous for her book "Aahe Manohar Tari". She acted in some of his plays in the past. They had no children. It is also to be stated here that this was the second marriage for Purushottam whose first wife (former Miss. Diwadkar) had died in a relatively short span of time after marriage. This fact is not widely known but finds mention in an article by his brother-in-law Sarvottam ( Mohan ) Thakur on Purushottam. Sarvottam (Mohan) Thakur has stated that his sister herself i.e. Sunita Thakur told their mother about his first marriage and the death of first wife. This article has been published in a book named "Tuziya Jaticha Milo Aamha Koni" which is a compilation of articles on P.L.Deshpande by relatives, friends and other literary & well known figures of Maharashtra. (This book was published by the Mumbai based publishers Parchure Prakashan Mandir in November 2011)

For some years, Purushottam worked as a college professor in Belgaum in Northern Karnataka and as a school teacher before embarking on his career in writing, multiple fields of acting, directing, and composing music in the world of movies. As regards his stint as a college professor Deshpande was to write later that his job was to create hatred for Marathi language instead of love for it. This was more an attack on the system of education than on the teaching job itself^{[citation needed]}.

He also worked for Doordarshan - the state owned Indian TV and was deputed to BBC in UK for a year long training after which he spent some time in France and also what was then West Germany. It was this period and stays in these countries that his travelogue "Apurwai" is based upon.

Purushottam took lessons in playing harmonium from Dattopant Rajopadhye of Bhaskar Sangitalaya. He was proficient in Hindustani classical music and was an accomplished music director and singer. Being a proficient writer, he wrote screenplays, lyrics and directed music for several Marathi films.

On 12 June 2000, he died of Parkinson's disease in Pune aged 80.^[2]

A big park in Pune city ( the city which he had adopted as home town) has been named after him.

Literary accomplishments[link]

Deshpande was a prolific writer and produced numerous original works as well as adaptations of works from other languages into Marathi. He preferred to identify his Marathi adaptations of plays and novels in other languages as bhawanuwad (भावानुवाद), meaning "adaptation of the essence". Most of his writings are deeply rooted in Marathi language which some consider as his command over the language while some others consider it as a shortcoming. He is best known for his wit and his detailed observation and ability to put it succinctly. He was awarded a Sahitya Academy award for his book "Vyakti Ani Valli".

One-act plays[link]

• मोठे मासे आणि छोटे मासे - 1957
• विठ्ठल तो आला आला - 1961
• आम्ही लटिके ना बोलू - 1975

Plays[link]

• तुका म्हणे आता (Tuka Mhane Ata) – 1948
• पुढारी पाहिजॆ (Pudhari Pahije) – 1951
• अंमलदार (Ammaldar) – 1952...based on Nikolai Gogol's Inspector General
• भाग्यवान (Bhagyawan) – 1953
• तुझें आहे तुजपाशीं (Tujhe Ahe Tujapashi) – 1957
• सुंदर मी होणार (Sundar Mi Honar) – 1958
• पहिला राजा/आधे अधूरे (Pahila Raja/adhe Adhure) – 1976...based on Jagadish Chandra Mathur's Adhe Adhure
• तीन पैशांचा तमाशा (Teen Paishancha Tamasha) – 1978...based on Bertolt Brecht's The Three Penny Opera
• राजा ओयदिपौस (Raja Oyadipaus) – 1979...based on Sophocles's Oedipus Rex
• ती फुलराणी (Ti Fulrani)...based on George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion
• एक झुंज वार्‍याशी (Eka Jhunja Waryashi)

Children's plays[link]

• वयं मोठं खोटं (Wayam Motham Khotam) – 1956
• नवे गोकुळ (Nawe Gokul) – 1958
• खोगीरभरती (Khogir Bharati) – 1949
• खिल्ली (Khilli)
• कोट्याधीश पु. ल. (Kotyadhish Pu La.)
• टेलिफोनचा जन्म (Teliphonacha Janma)
• पोरवय (Porawaya)

Comedy Books[link]

• नस्ती उठाठेव (Nasti Uthathewa) - 1952
• बटाट्याची चाळ (Batatyachi Chal) – 1958
• गोळाबेरीज (Golaberij) – 1960
• असा मी असामी (Asa Mi Asami) – 1964
• ह(फ)सवणूक (Ha(pha)sawanuk) – 1968
• उरलं सुरलं
• पुरचुंडी
• वटवट वटवट
• मराठी वाङ्मयाचा (गाळीव) इतिहास (Marathi Wangmayacha Galeev Itihas)

Travelogue[link]

• वंगचित्रे - 1974
• अपूर्वाई - 1960
• पूर्वरंग-1963
• जावे त्यांच्या देशा - 1974

Novels[link]

• काय वाट्टेल ते होईल (Kay Wattel Te Hoeel) – 1962...based on Helen and George Papashvily's Anything Can Happen
• एका कोळीयाने (Eka Koliyane) – 1965...based on Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea
• कान्होजी आंग्रे (Kanhoji Angre)(Translation of English novel "Maratha Admiral Kanhoji Angre" by Manohar Malgoankar)

Biography[link]

• गांधीजी (Gandhiji) – 1970

Letters[link]

• मुक्काम शांतिनिकेतन

Collections of life sketches[link]

• गणगोत (Ganagot) – 1966
• व्यक्ती आणि वल्ली (Wyakti Ani Walli) – 1966
• गुण गाईन आवडी (Guna Gaeena Awadi) – 1975
• रवीन्द्रनाथ : तीन व्याख्याने (Ravindranath : Teen Wyakhyane)
• आपुलकी (Apulaki)
• मैत्र (Maitra)

Other works[link]

• एक शून्य मी (Ek Shunya Mee)
• चित्रमय स्वगत (Chitramay Swagat)
• पु. ल : एक साठवण (Pu. La. : Ek Sathawan)
• दाद (Daad)
• मुक्काम शांतीनिकेतन (Mukkam Shantiniketan)
• द्विदल (Dwidal)
• चार शब्द (Char Shabd)
• अघळ पघळ (Aghal Paghal)
• पुढारी पाहिजे (Pudhari Pahije)

Humorous essays[link]

• एका रविवारची कहाणी (Eka Rawiwarchi Kahani)
• बिगरी ते मॅट्रिक (Bigari Te Matric)
• हरी तात्या (Hari Tatya)
• मुंबईकर, पुणेकर का नागपूरकर? (Mumbaikar, Punekar Ka Nagpurkar?)
• म्हैस (Mhais)
• मी आणि माझा शत्रुपक्ष (Mi Ani Majha Shatrupaksha)
• पाळीव प्राणी (Paliv Prani)
• पानवाला (Panwala)
• काही नवे ग्रहयोग (Kahi Nave Grahayog)
• माझे पोष्टिक जीवन (Majhe Poshtik Jeewan)
• पेस्तन काका (Pestan Kaka)
• रावसाहेब (Raosaheb)
• सखाराम गटणे (Sakharam Gatane)
• नामू परीट (Namu Parit)
• उरलासुरला (Urala Surala)
• नारायण (Narayan)
• अंतू बर्वा (Antu Barva)
• भय्या नागपूरकर (Bhayya Nagpurkar)
• नाथा कामत (Natha Kamat)
• तो (To)

Hari Tatya, Pestan Kaka, Sakharam Gatane, Namu Parit, Narayan, Antu Barva, Bhayya Nagpurkar, Natha Kamt and To appear in the book titled Vyakti ani Valli (which is listed above under Collection of Life Sketches). These characters, and a few more, first appeared in various periodicals at different times. These character sketches were later compiled together and released as a book with the title "Vyakti ani Valli".

One-Man Stage Shows[link]

• बटाट्याची चाळ (Batatyachi Chal)
• असा मी असामी (Asa Mi Asami)
• हसविण्याचा माझा धंदा (Hasawinyacha Majha Dhanda)
• वा-यावरची वरात (Waryawarachi Warat) - A large part of this play is one man show.

Speeches[link]

• रसिकहो!
• सुजनहो!
• मित्र हो!
• श्रोते हो!
• रेडियोवरील भाषणे व श्रुतिका (भाग एक व दोन)

Movies[link]

• कुबेर (Kuber) – 1947: Actor and Playback Singer
• भाग्यरेषा (Bhagyaresha) – 1948: Actor and Playback Singer
• वंदेमातरम् (Wandemataram) – 1948: Actor and Playback Singer
• जागा भाड्याने देणे आहे (Jaga Bhadyane Dene ahe) – 1949: Writer of Screenplay and Dialogues
• मानाचे पान (Manache Pan) – 1949: - Writer of Story, Screenplay, and Dialogues; and Co-Music Director in collaboration with Ga Di Madgulkar
• मोठी माणसे (Mothi Manase) – 1949: Music Director
• गोकुळचा राजा (Gokulacha Raja) – 1950: Writer of Story, Screenplay, and Dialogues
• जरा जपून (Jara Japoon) – 1950: Writer of Screenplay and Dialogues
• जोहार मायबाप (Johar Maybap) – 1950: Actor
• नवरा बायको (Nawara Bayako) – 1950: Music Director and Writer of Story, Screenplay, and Dialogues
• ही वाट पंढरीची (Hi Wat Pandharichi) – 1950: Actor
• पुढचे पाऊल (Pudhache Paool) – 1950: Actor and Writer of Screenplay and Dialogues in collaboration with Ga Di Madgulkar
• वर पाहिजे (War Pahije) – 1950: Actor and Writer of Screenplay and Dialogues in collaboration with Achyut Ranade
• देव पावला (Dewa Pawala) – 1950: Music Director
• दूध भात (Doodh Bhat) – 1952: Music Director and Writer of Story, Screenplay, Dialogues, and Lyrics
• घरधनी (Ghardhani) – 1952: Music Director and Writer of Screenplay, Dialogues, and Lyrics
• नवे बिर्‍हाड (Nawe Birhad) – 1952: Writer of Story and Screenplay
• माईसाहेब (Maisaheb) – 1952: Music Director and Writer of Screenplay and Dialogues
• संदेश (Sandesh) [in Hindi] – 1952: Writer of Story, Screenplay, and Dialogues (translated by Mir Asgar Ali)
• गुळाचा गणपती (Gulacha Ganapati) – 1953: Director, Music Director, Actor, and Writer of Story, Screenplay, Dialogues, and Lyrics
• देवबाप्पा (Dewabappa) – 1958: Music Director and Writer of Story, Screenplay, Dialogues, and Lyrics
• फूल और कलियाँ (Phool Aur Kaliyan) [in Hindi] – 1960: Writer of Story and Screenplay
• आज और कल (aj aur Kal) [in Hindi] – 1966: Writer of Story and Screenplay
• चिमणराव गुंड्याभाऊ (Chimanarao Gundyabhau) – : Narrator
• एक होता विदूषक (Eka Hota Widushaka) – 1993: Writer of Screenplay and Dialogues

Plots of plays[link]

• सुंदर मी होणार (Sundar Mi Honar):

The play highlights the struggle of a middle-aged woman who is unable to walk because of an ailment. She is a daughter of a King or Zamindar of a small princely state in India. The play captures the conflict between her father and her brothers, and depicts changes in their lives after the British Raj took over their princely state. A poet, who is a pen friend of the protagonist, helps her gain confidence which enables her to start walking again.

• तुझे आहे तुजपाशी (Tujhe ahe Tujapashi):

The play casts criticism on authoritarian religious leaders and also depicts the positive and colorful view of life and generous spirit of a character in the play, which is in stark contrast to that of another character, an authoritarian religious leader. In the end, the latter recognizes the shallowness of his life.

Awards and recognitions[link]

• पुण्य भूषण (Punya Bhushan)
• महाराष्ट्र भूषण (Maharashtra Bhushan)
• महाराष्ट्र गौरव (बहुरूपी) (Maharashtra Gaurawa (Bahurupi) Award)
• Sahitya Akademi Award (Marathi) - Vyakti Ani Valli (1965)
• Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
• पद्मश्री (Padma Shri) – 1966
• पद्मभूषण (Padma Bhushan) – 1990

• P. L. Deshpande was the first interviewer to interview Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, for the then newly founded Doordarshan.
• A cultural center, P. L. Deshpande Kala Academy at the Ravindra Natya Mandir in Mumbai, has been named after him.
• A garden, Pu. La. Deshpande Udyan, in Pune has been named after him.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Purushottam Laxman Deshpande at the Internet Movie Database
• Pula Deshpande Articles
• Web site www.puladeshpande.net
• Pula Deshpande Resource
• P L Deshpande as a philanthropist
• Pu La Deshpande Udyan