85-year-old performs on streets to help family in Pune

By-Anjali.Jhangiani@timesgroup.com
PUNE: Shanta Pawar spent much of the 1970s as a background dancer in Bollywood. Whenever filmmakers would require an ‘extra’ to walk on a tight rope or perform other stunts, they’d turn to Pawar.
Today, the 85-year-old has no option but to perform on the streets of Pune all by herself to earn some money and help her family survive.
“I have performed in quite a few films, including with Hema Malini in Seeta Aur Geeta and with Sridevi. For generations, my family has performed ‘dombari khel’ (an acrobatic act). I learnt it from my parents when I was a little girl and I taught it to my children and grandchildren too,” she said.
Her acquaintances fondly call her Aai. She was born and brought up in Pune. “I live in Hadapsar with my family — my daughter, her children, my son and his children. My husband passed away many years ago. My in-laws lived in Shenoli but I moved back to Pune. Since then, it became my responsibility to take care of my family. We perform dombari khel together. We would go to Salunkhe Vihar, Fatimanagar and some parts of Kondhwa by foot to put up a show on the road and earn some money,” she said.
Lately, due to the pandemic, she does not allow her grandchildren to perform with her but puts on a solo show and does stunts with sticks. “I have 12 grandchildren. All of them are in school. My son is a member of a brass band but he is out of work due to the lockdown. There are many mouths to feed, so I decided that I will not sit at home and do nothing. My grandchildren warned me not to go out because of guidelines by the governments for senior citizens but I would rather die trying to earn some money so that my family does not starve,” she said.
Clad in a nine-yard sari, Pawar performs all day to bring home Rs100-200, which is hardly enough to feed her family. “Before the lockdown, when the family would perform together, we would earn about Rs500, per day but now there are hardly any people on the road. Recently, a lady shot a video of me performing with my sticks and put it up on the Internet. Since then, many people have been calling me and coming to my house to meet me. My grandchildren tell me that some actors also want to meet me. I have lived my life. I just want to earn enough money to provide for my family and make sure they can survive after I am gone,” she said.
Videos of Pawar performing on Salunkhe Vihar Road have gone viral on social media. Pune police commissioner K Venkatesham also tweeted the video appreciating her skill.