Laxmikant Berde

Laxmikant Berde (26 October 1954 – 16 December 2004) was an Indian actor and comedian. He was known for his works in Marathi and Hindi cinema and was widely known as "Lakshya" for his energetic slapstick performances. Berde started his career as an employee in the Mumbai Marathi Sahitya Sangh and then played supporting roles in a few Marathi stage plays. He got his first major breakthrough with the play Tur Tur, written by his brother Purshottam Berde, where he played the role of a simpleton. His performance was highly acclaimed and he became a star overnight. He acted in several other plays, such as Shantecha Karta Chalu Aahe, Bighadale Swargache Dwaar, and Gela Madhav Kunikade. He was known for his versatility and his ability to play different types of characters, from comic to tragic, from historical to contemporary. He was also known for his charisma and his respect for his co-stars and fans. He appeared in over 180 films in various languages, such as Marathi, Hindi, Tamil, and Malayalam. Some of his most famous films are Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi (1988), where he played the role of a poor man who pretends to be rich, Maine Pyar Kiya (1989), where he played the role of a loyal friend, and Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! (1994), where he played the role of a mischievous uncle. He also sang many songs in his films, such as "Dhiktana", "Chal Chal Chal Mere Haathi", and "Chalat Musafir Moh Liyo Re". He was honoured with a stamp by the Indian government in 2004 and a doctorate from the University of Mumbai in 2005. He was also the recipient of several other awards, such as the Filmfare Award, the Nandi Award, and the CineMAA Award. He was also active in politics. He joined the Bharatiya Janata Party and campaigned for the party in the 1999 general elections. He died of kidney failure on 16 December 2004, at his home in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, at the age of 50. He was survived by his second wife Priya, who is also an actress, and his two children Abhinay and Tejaswini, who are also actors. He is still regarded as one of the greatest actors and comedians of Indian cinema and an inspiration for many.