On June 12, 2000, Maharashtra’s beloved personality, Legend Purushottam Lakshman Deshpande aka Pu La Deshpande (पु. ल. देशपांडे ) passed away due to complications from Parkinson’s disease at the age of 80. Sadly, he died on the 54th anniversary of their wedding.
Tribute to author, actor, composer P.L. Deshpande (पु. ल.) on death anniversary.
He established 1st Doordarshan studio & produced 1st TV show.Seen here during rehearsal of famous play “Vyakti Aani Walli” with Chandrakant Kulkarni, Atul Parchure & others. pic.twitter.com/X5ex5lLmfC
— Film History Pics (@FilmHistoryPic) June 12, 2018
Pu La Deshpande was a Marathi writer and humourist. He was also an accomplished film and stage actor, scriptwriter, author, composer, musician (he played the harmonium), singer and orator.
He also worked for the then newly-founded Doordarshan, the state-owned Indian TV. Notably, he was the first person to interview the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on Indian television. Pu La Deshpande was a versatile personality whom people still admire, and remember with respect.