Sachin Pilgaonkar

Sachin Pilgaonkar (born 17 August 1957), often known mononymously by his screen name Sachin, is an Indian actor, director, producer, writer and singer who works primarily in Marathi and Hindi films. His career spans more than six decades, during which he has also worked in Gujarati, Kannada and Bhojpuri cinema and in Indian television. He has received several honours, including two National Film Awards, six Maharashtra State Film Awards and two Filmfare Awards Marathi.

Born in Bombay into a family of Goan origin, Pilgaonkar entered films as a child artist at the age of four in the Marathi film Ha Maza Marg Ekla (1962), for which he won the National Film Award for Best Child Artist. He went on to appear in around 65 films as a child actor, including Majhli Didi (1967), Brahmachari (1968) and Jewel Thief (1967), and won a second National Film Award for Best Child Artist for Ajab Tujhe Sarkar (1971). Transitioning to adult roles, he became a popular leading man in Hindi cinema with films such as Geet Gaata Chal (1975), Balika Badhu (1976), Ankhiyon Ke Jharokhon Se (1978) and Nadiya Ke Paar (1982), while also taking supporting parts in major productions including Sholay (1975), Trishul (1978) and Satte Pe Satta (1982). In Marathi cinema, he starred in the superhit devotional drama Ashtavinayak (1979).

From the 1980s, Pilgaonkar established himself as a director in Marathi films. He made his directorial debut with the critically praised Mai Baap (1982) and achieved commercial success with Navri Mile Navryala (1984), which also starred his future wife Supriya Pilgaonkar. Along with Ashok Saraf, Laxmikant Berde and Mahesh Kothare, he is credited with shaping the comedy wave of Marathi cinema through hits such as Gammat Jammat (1987), Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi (1988), Bhutacha Bhau (1989) and Aamchyasarkhe Aamhich (1990). He later directed, produced and starred in the road comedy Navra Maza Navsacha (2004), which became a cult classic, and its sequel Navra Maza Navsacha 2 (2024), one of the highest-grossing Marathi films of that year. In 2015, he received wide acclaim for his supporting role in the musical drama Katyar Kaljat Ghusali.

On television, Pilgaonkar directed and appeared in comedy shows including the sitcom Tu Tu Main Main, and later hosted the dance reality show Eka Peksha Ek and judged several other reality programmes. In 2010, he received the V. Shantaram Special Contribution Award, and in 2017, marking 50 years in the film industry, he published his autobiography, "Hach Maza Marg".