In October of the previous year, renowned actor Sudhir Dalvi, who gained fame for his depiction of Sai Baba in Manoj Kumar’s 1977 movie “Shirdi Ke Sai Baba,” garnered attention after being admitted to the hospital due to severe sepsis at the age of 86. Initially, his family covered the costs associated with his serious health condition, but eventually, they sought external financial support. Many individuals, including trusts, fans, and celebrities, stepped in to assist with the expenses, motivated by their admiration and respect for Dalvi, who is still regarded as the living embodiment of Sai Baba by many. Interestingly, Dalvi was initially hesitant to accept the role of Sai Baba, having begun his career as an interior designer.
Just a few months prior to his hospitalization, Sudhir Dalvi participated in an interview with Amruta Films, where he shared insights about his path as an actor. During this discussion, he recounted how a quest for a painting related to his interior design work led him to an individual who would launch his acting career.
“While I was working on the interior design of actress Tarla Mehta’s home, I visited a friend to purchase a painting. At that gathering, a man inquired about my profession and subsequently offered me a role in his play. That man was Satyadev Dubey,” Dalvi explained.
Tarla Mehta was known as the first heroine of actor Dharmendra.
The play opened doors for Dalvi in Marathi theatre, where he soon caught the attention of Shrikant Moge, who was casting for a play titled “Sher Shivaji.” Impressed by Dalvi’s physique, Moge proposed the role of Aurangzeb to him. “I declined the role, requesting to be considered for another part instead. I was then offered the character of Mirza Raja Jai Singh Rajput,” he recalled.
Dalvi’s performance in this production ultimately led to him being considered for the iconic role that would define his career—Sai Baba. “Pandurang Dixit was present during rehearsals and complimented my work. The next day, I received a call from Shrikant informing me that they were thinking of casting me as Sai Baba,” he stated.
“I laughed at the suggestion, expressing concern that I would be perceived as too young for the character. Shortly thereafter, I was invited to Pandurang Dixit’s home. Upon my arrival, he greeted me with joined hands, saying, ‘Aao Sai,’ which left me perplexed.”
Dalvi continued, “I told him I was not interested in the role. He insisted that I had a voice reminiscent of Sai Baba’s. When I inquired how he could know what Sai Baba sounded like, he recounted how his parents had lived with Sai Baba in Shirdi for three months.”
Pandurang Dixit’s parents had visited Shirdi following a miscarriage suffered by his mother. After receiving encouraging advice from a well-wisher, they stayed for three months, during which Sai Baba purportedly assured them they would soon have a son destined for greatness in music.
Despite Dixit’s persuasive arguments, Dalvi remained unconvinced. He was then given a book about Sai Baba and asked to read it. Three days later, he returned to Dixit’s home to assess if he could convincingly portray Sai Baba, despite his youth.
“I had my makeup done, enlisting Pandhari Jhukar for assistance. Upon seeing my first photo, many in Shirdi remarked that I bore a resemblance to Sai Baba. After nearly three months of preparation, I finally filmed the movie,” he recounted.
“After the very first shot, Pandurang Dixit touched my feet in reverence.”
The film, produced on a modest budget, emerged as one of the major successes of 1977. Despite the star power of Manoj Kumar, Rajendra Kumar, and Hema Malini, Dalvi’s performance became the highlight. “During its initial run, the film reportedly generated a profit of Rs 1.5 to 2 crore, and many began to refer to me as Sai Baba.” When adjusted for inflation, Rs 2 crore in 1977 translates to over Rs 60 crore today.
While the success of “Shirdi Ke Sai Baba” should have led to numerous new acting opportunities, Sudhir faced challenges in breaking free from the image of Sai Baba for many years. Industry figures, including filmmaker Shakti Samanta, reportedly found it difficult to dissociate him from the character.
“I once encountered Shakti Samanta on a set, where he greeted me with joined hands before departing. Later, I learned he was a devoted follower of Sai Baba. When I visited his office to seek work, he welcomed me with joined hands once more,” Dalvi shared. However, when he requested a role, Samanta directly declined, stating, “Please don’t ask me for work. Instead, visit my office monthly to collect Rs 5,000 to 10,000. I cannot separate you from the image of Sai Baba; you have a special place in my heart.”
Dalvi explained that this sentiment was echoed by many producers, as his association with Sai Baba became so deeply entrenched that finding acting roles proved to be a long and frustrating journey.
“My wife was employed, my son was in school, and I was struggling to find work. It was during this period that I began watching television serials. Around this time, Ramanand Sagar contacted me, expressing his intention to produce ‘Ramayan’ and wanting me to portray Vashisht.”
However, this role did not immediately lead to a plethora of opportunities. At one point, he was offered a negative role in the television series “Junoon.” “That character gained considerable fame, and I was hopeful that, if not as a hero, I could at least land villain roles.” Yet, this move disappointed many of his fans.
“I received numerous calls urging me to avoid such roles, with people saying, ‘Aap baba ho hamare’ (You are our Baba). Although I was presented with several villain roles after ‘Junoon,’ I couldn’t accept them due to the public’s faith in my portrayal of Sai Baba.”
Dalvi continued to be part of the series for five years, during which he also portrayed Maharishi Valmiki in the television show “Jai Hanuman.” Throughout his extensive career in film and television, he took on various roles, often playing characters such as priests, commissioners, beggars, and teachers. After years of waiting for significant work…
