Sulabha Deshpande was a renowned Indian actress and theatre director. Her career spanned Marathi and Hindi theatre, mainstream Hindi films, art house cinema, and television. She played a key role in the experimental theater movement of the 1960s.
Early Life and Career
Sulabha Deshpande was born in 1937 in Bombay. Her father, Vasant Rao Kamerkar, worked as a recordist with HMV. Details about her mother are limited, but she had a younger sister, Asha Kamerkar, who also worked in theatre activities. Sulabha studied at Siddhartha College in Bombay. She earned a degree in education.
After completing her studies, she began working as a teacher at Chhabildas Boys’ High School in Dadar, Mumbai. She later taught at Chhabildas Girls’ High School, where she had also studied.
Theatre Career
Sulabha’s entry into theatre began during her teaching career. She asked playwright Vijay Tendulkar to write plays for her students at Chhabildas School. This marked the start of her association with theatre.
She joined Rangayan, an experimental theatre group founded by Vijaya Mehta, Vijay Tendulkar, Arvind Deshpande, and Shriram Lagoo, in the 1960s. Her early plays, “Madhlya Bhintee” and “Sasaa Ani Kasav,” won state-level competitions, earning her recognition. In 1967, she gained acclaim for her lead role as Leela Benare in Tendulkar’s play Shantata! Court Chalu Ahe. Her film career began with the adaptation of this play in 1971, directed by Satyadev Dubey.
Sulabha Deshpande excelled in theatre, film, and television. Her role as Leela Benare in Shantata! Court Chalu Ahe (1967 play, 1971 film) established her as a powerful actress. She portrayed a schoolteacher facing societal judgment, earning praise for her emotional depth.
Sulabha Deshpande In films
In Bhumika (1977), directed by Shyam Benegal, she played a supporting role alongside Smita Patil. She appeared in Saeed Akhtar Mirza’s “Arvind Desai Ki Ajeeb Dastaan (1978)” and Muzaffar Ali’s “Gaman (1978).”
In mainstream cinema, She also acted in “Salaam Bombay! (1988),” playing a small but impactful part in Mira Nair’s gritty drama. She featured in “Virasat (1997)” as a family matriarch. Her role in “English Vinglish (2012),” directed by Gauri Shinde, as Sridevi’s mother-in-law, resonated with audiences.
Some of her other films include “Kondura (1978), “Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyoon Aata Hai (1980), “Kasturi (1980),” “Bazaar (1982),” “Duniya (1984),” “Pet Pyar aur Paap (1984),” “Bheegi Palkein (1985),” “Salaam Bombay! (1988),” “Ghar Ho To Aisa (1990), “Bhairavi (1996),” “Chaukat Raja (1991, Marathi) and many more.
Sulabha made her TV debut in 1986 with “Chhoti Badi Batein.” She then acted in many iconic serials like Bharat Ek Khoj, Katha Sagar, Nai Dishayeh, Tehkikaat, The Zee Horror Show, Kabhie Kabhie, Resham Dankh and many more.
She remained active on TV until her last time and acted in serials like Tanha, Ek Packet Umeed, Kehta Hai Dil Jee Le Zara, Mrs. Tendulkar, and Asmita, among others.
Later Work
Sulabha Deshpande co-founded the theatre group Awishkar in 1971 with her husband, Arvind Deshpande, and Arun Kakade, shaping the Chhabildas Movement in Marathi theatre. She founded Awishkar in 1971, creating a platform for innovative plays. She also started Chandrashala, Awishkar’s children’s wing, which remains active in professional children’s theatre. Sulabha directed the children’s film “Raja Rani Ko Chahiye Pasina (1978),” based on a play by Tendulkar.
Sulabha Deshpande taught for 15 years before fully committing to theatre. She toured Norway, Japan, the USSR, and the USA to study children’s theatre, organizing training camps for kids. Sulabha Deshpande directed plays that left an indelible mark on children’s theatre, such as “Baba Harvale Ahet,” “Raja Ranila Ghaam Hava,” and the musical “Durga Jhali Gauri.” Despite her success, she remained humble, often paying for theatre tickets to support the art form.
Her performance as Gandhari in “Andhaa Yug” earned her critical acclaim, though she prepared for the role in just four days. Some of her other plays include Sakharam Binder, Band Darwaze, an adaptation of Sartre’s No Exit, Raktabeej and many more.
In 1987, she received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for her contributions to Marathi and Hindi theatre. She also earned the Tanveer Sanman in 2010, along with other honors like the Nanasaheb Phatak Puraskar and Kusumagraj Puraskar.
Personal Life and Later Years
Sulabha married theatre actor-director Arvind Deshpande in the early 1960s. They had a son, whose details remain private. Arvind passed away in 1987, leaving Sulabha to continue their theatre legacy. Her daughter-in-law, Aditi Deshpande, is also an actress. She passed away on June 4, 2016, in Mumbai at age 79 after a prolonged illness. Her cremation took place the next day, attended by figures like Nana Patekar, Ratna Pathak Shah, and Govind Nihalani.
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