Veteran Marathi actress and lavani artiste Madhu Kambikar dies
Madhu Kambikar, known for mother and mother-in-law roles in Marathi films and for her lavani performances, has died.
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Veteran Marathi actress and lavani artiste Madhu Kambikar has died. With her forceful acting, natural dialogue delivery and distinctive lavani performances, she held audiences' affection for many years. By playing varied roles in films, including mothers and mothers-in-law, she carved out a place of her own in Marathi entertainment.
Kambikar was a well-known name in Marathi entertainment. Her ease in acting and her ability to breathe life into characters won over audiences. She left her mark in films such as 'Zapatlela', 'Debu', 'Bin Kamacha Navra', 'Majha Chhakula' and 'Ek Hota Vidushak'.
She often played mothers and mothers-in-law on screen, and through these roles she brought the emotions of family relationships to the screen with great effect. Alongside acting, she also made a significant contribution to lavani. The beauty of Marathi folk art was visible in her dance style, so she was known not only as an actress but also as a lavani artiste.
November 27, 2016 was a turning point in her life. A programme called 'Lavanya Sangeet' was held at Yashwant Natya Mandir in Matunga, Mumbai, in which she returned to the stage to dance after about 12 years.
During the programme she suddenly felt uneasy. Her health was not supporting her, yet she insisted on completing her Bhairavi performance. Afterwards, she suffered a paralytic stroke in the make-up room. The stroke affected her right hand. Her health problems then grew, and limits were placed on her artistic journey.
After the stroke, Kambikar could not remain as active as before. Her health kept declining, and she had to stay away from films and dance programmes. It was certainly a difficult time for an artiste who had won a place in audiences' hearts through her craft.
Her long artistic journey was recognised in 2018. At the Zee Chitra Gaurav Puraskar ceremony, it was announced that she would receive a lifetime achievement award. She could not attend the ceremony because of poor health. Her daughter-in-law, Sheetal Jadhav, accepted the award on her behalf.
Kambikar brought many characters to life through her acting and also helped popularise Marathi folk art through lavani. Her films, roles and stage performances will remain in the memories of her admirers.
