Ashok Saraf

 Ashok Saraf (born 4 June 1947) is an Indian actor and comedian, known for his work in Marathi and Hindi films along with theatre in both languages. Saraf has received several awards including eleven Maharashtra State Film Awards and four Filmfare Awards Marathi. He is referred to as the Mahanayak, Ashok Samrat or Mama of the Marathi film industry, In 2016, Saraf received Filmfare Marathi Lifetime Achievement Award for his Contribution to Marathi cinema. In 2023, he received the Maharashtra Bhushan, the highest civilian honour in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Saraf received Padma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian honour, from the Government of India in 2025.

From the early 1980s, Saraf started getting leading roles in Marathi films. The combination of Ashok Saraf, Laxmikant Berde, Sachin Pilgaonkar and Mahesh Kothare created the "comedy films wave" in Marathi cinema from 1985 that lasted for more than a decade. His successful Marathi films as the lead hero include Ek Daav Bhutacha (1982), Dhum Dhadaka (1985), Gammat Jammat (1987), Bhutacha Bhau (1989), Balache Baap Brahmachari (1989), Ashi hi Banawa Banavi (1988) and Aayatya Gharat Gharoba (1991).

In Bollywood he worked in many movies such as Karan Arjun (1995), Yes Boss (1997), Joru Ka Ghulam (2000) and Navra Mazha Navsacha (2004)Singham (2011) Navra Mazha Navsacha 2 (2024)and in many Hindi television sitcoms.

Early life-                                                                                                                                                      Saraf was born in Bombay, (present day Mumbai) on 4 June 1947. He grew up in the South Mumbai neighbourhood of Chikhalwadi and went to DGT Vidyalay for his education. He was named "Ashok" after veteran actor Ashok Kumar.

Career- Ashok Saraf filmography                                                                                                                  Saraf has been working in the film and television industry since 1969. He has acted in more than 250 Marathi films, out of which more than 100 were commercially successful. He has mostly acted in comedy films. He started his career with the Marathi movie Janaki in 1969. He then acted in the films like Donhi Gharacha Pahuna, Jawal Ye Laju Nako, Tumcha Aamcha Jamla, Chimanrao Gundyabhau, Deed Shahane, Haldi Kunku, Duniya Kari Salam and more during the 1970s and 1980s. He continued to work in Marathi films with Laxmikant Berde, Sachin and Mahesh Kothare. Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi, Aayatya Gharat Gharoba, Balache Baap Brahmachari, Bhutacha Bhau and Dhum Dhadaka are some of the notable Marathi films in which Saraf acted.

Saraf has also acted in various Marathi plays and Hindi serials. He then developed his own production house "Aniket Telefilms", which is handled by his wife Nivedita Saraf.

Marathi film career-                                                                                                                                    Saraf in 2019, In 1980s along with actor Laxmikant Berde Saraf did many hit comedy genre films like Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi, Balache Baap Brahmachari.

Saraf had success pairing with Laxmikant Berde, another comedian from Marathi cinema who has also acted in many Hindi films. With Saraf, Berde and Sachin Pilgaonkar acted in many Marathi films. He tasted major success in Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi (1988), in the lead role of Dhananjay Mane with the two reigning superstars of Marathi cinema, Sachin Pilgaonkar and Laxmikant Berde. The movie was a runaway hit.

Hindi film career-                                                                                                                                        Saraf played important roles in Bollywood. Some of the roles which are remembered are from the films Singham, Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, Gupt, Koyla, Yes Boss, Joru Ka Ghulam and Karan Arjun.

Hindi television serials-                                                                                                                                  Saraf has also starred in successful television serials like Yeh Choti Badi Baatein and Hum Paanch (as Anand Mathur). He had a comedy show Don't Worry Ho Jayega, telecast on Sahara TV in the 1990s.

Marathi play career-                                                                                                                                    Saraf has played a number of roles in Marathi plays in his career. Some of the important plays are Hamidabaichi Kothi, Anadhikrut, Mano-milan, He Ram Cardiogram, Darling Darling, Sarkha Chatit Dukhtay, Laginghai, and Vacuum Cleaner.

In the media-                                                                                                                                                 Saraf has been described in the Indian media as one of the most versatile actor. Saraf is also known by his pet name "Mama".

In 2022, on the 75th birth anniversary of Saraf, a stage show were held in Mumbai by Zee Marathi. During the 1980s, Saraf and Laxmikant Berde emerged as "superstars" in Marathi cinema, marking an unmatched phenomenon in the industry. The films of Saraf and Berde accounted for most of the box office gross in Marathi cinema.

Personal life-                                                                                                                                                Saraf with wife Nivedita Joshi-Saraf at premiere of Marathi film Deool Band. He is married to actress Nivedita Joshi-Saraf in 1990. They married at the Mangueshi Temple in Goa, where Saraf's family is originally from. They have a son named Aniket Saraf who is a chef. Saraf survived a major car accident in the year 2012 on the Mumbai Pune Expressway near Talegaon.

Identification-                                                                                                                                              Originally from Belgaum , Ashok Saraf was born in Mumbai. He spent his childhood in Chikhalwadi area of ​​South Mumbai. Gopinath Savkar was his maternal uncle. Ashok Saraf was educated at D.G.T. Vidyalaya in Mumbai. He was very fond of plays from the beginning. At the age of eighteen, he entered the professional theatre by playing the role of a clown in Shirwadkar's play 'Yayati and Devyani'. He also acted in some musical plays.

He played a small role in Gajanan Jagirdar 's film 'Donhi Gharcha Pahuna'. After that, he played diverse roles like Irsal Police in Dada Kondke 's 'Pandu Havaldar', Mhamadya Khatik in 'Ram Ram Gangaram'. Ashok Saraf's work is ongoing in the three fields of theatre, cinema and television and he has won acting prizes and awards in each medium.

Ashok Saraf, who plays comical characters who chatter non-stop in the film, has a quiet personality and only mingles with friends.

Acting-travel- Ashok Saraf and Nivedita Joshi                                                                                              Ashok Saraf has not only portrayed comedy but also various aspects from serious to villainous tendencies through his work in theatre and cinema. He revealed different aspects of acting to the audience through films like Dada Kondake, Pandu Havaldar, Tumcha Aamcha Jamal, Ram Ram Gangaram. He played a political character in films like Wazir and played a character with a kind heart in Chowkat Raja . In the eighties, his pair with Laxmikant Berde became very popular and this pair created a stir through films like Aashi Hi Banwa Banvi , Dhoom Dhadaka , etc. Ashok Saraf's multifaceted acting, supported by accomplished directors like Sachin Pilgaonkar and Mahesh Kothare, has kept Marathi fans entertained with numerous films, from Navri Mitte Navryala , Sambhavna , Ganmat Janmat , Aayatya Gharat Gharob to the recent Shubhmangal Savdhan , Aai Number One and 'Pahili Sher Dushri Savvasher Navra Pawsher'.

His comeback play 'Unauthorized' did not get the right response. After 'Manomilan', he is currently doing a comedy play like Ashok Saraf, which feels like a pain in the chest! He is co-starring with his wife Nivedita Joshi-Saraf. He formed a production company with his wife Nivedita Joshi-Saraf and made Marathi and some Hindi serials, 'Tan Tana Tan'. The Hindi serial on Zee channel, Hum Paanch , brought him special popularity. He made his debut in Hindi cinema with the film 'Damad' (Son-in-law). 'Karan Arjun', 'Koyla', 'Yes Boss', 'Jodi No.1' are some of the notable films starring Ashok Saraf.

He has also stepped onto the foreign stage with the play 'Hey Ram Cardiogram' directed by Vijay Kenkare at the recent Brihanmaharashtra Convention 2007 held in Seattle, USA. He has always entertained with different roles in each of his films. In the past, he was small in hero, villain, double role supporting character and comedy roles and Sudhir Joshi, Viju Khote were big and nowadays he is big in father roles and certain people like Prathamesh Parab, Akash Thosar, Abhijit Khandkekar are small.

Career-                                                                                                                                                        Ashok Saraf acted in many Marathi and Hindi films. He worked with famous actors like Sachin Pilgaonkar and Laxmikant Berde . Sachin Pilgaonkar respects Ashok Saraf. He tries to have Ashok Mama play a role in every one of his films. Ashok Saraf made his acting debut in Marathi plays. His father was a businessman who brought and sold electrical goods. Ashok Saraf worked in a bank for ten years, but in reality he was less present at work and worked more in plays. His first film role was that of a clown. In Dadasaheb Kondke's film 'Pandu Havaldar', he played the role of a corrupt constable, 'Sakharam Havaldar'. Ashok Saraf's acting style is situational comedy. His mimicry is done by Kushal Badrike and Omkar Bhojane.