40 years after she lost parents and brother to road accident, this doctor's film on her father is reviving a legendary Marathi actor's legacy

Indian Express

13-07-2025

It was just another day at her medical college in Miraj where 20-year-old Savita Sarnaik sat having lunch with her friends when the phone call came–her father Arun Gopalrao Sarnaik, a renowned Marathi film actor, had met with a car accident and she was required to come back home to Kolhapur immediately.
Savita rushed there to find a mammoth crowd in front of the hospital and discovered that not only had her father succumbed to his injuries, but the other two occupants of the car–her mother and brother–had also died.
In that one instant Savita had lost her entire family. 'But I did not cry–not a tear. People thought I was in shock and tried to make me cry–but I didn't. That's how my mother had brought me up–to be brave and responsible at all times–and my thoughts shifted to my masi (aunt) who stayed with us–that now she is my responsibility,' recollects the 61-year-old paediatrician.
But finally, the eyes did well up. Not just hers, but many others who gathered at the Govindrao Tembe Rangmandir in Kolhapur last month on June 22. It was here at a function presided over by Shahu Maharaj that Savita, now Dr Savita Naiknavare, unveiled a 75-minute documentary on her father exactly 41 years after his death on June 21, 1984, as a heartfelt tribute to his extraordinary life as a person and an actor.
The documentary, Pappa Sanga Kunache… (Papa, tell whose…), has been the culmination of a dream long nurtured by the girl who grew up overnight from a carefree tomboy in Kolhapur to a responsible woman after the tragic accident that took away her family.
'My father was just 46 and my older brother, who was studying engineering, 22. What helped me cope was the independence my mother had instilled in me since childhood,' says Savita, remembering the quiet and dignified woman of remarkable intellect and immense beauty.
A voracious reader, an athlete who played badminton with finesse, and a connoisseur of English films, her mother Vimal encouraged Savita to be on the grounds playing sports rather than priming in front of mirrors and carry herself with confidence and courage. 'Look straight into their eyes, don't be afraid of anyone,' Vimal would say to her.
Savita was given a month off by the dean of her medical college to get over the trauma. 'Every week he would send busloads of students to my house to offer support and solace. I returned to my college after a month and the strenuous medicine studies consumed all else,' she says.
Soon after graduating, in 1991 Savita married Ranjit Naiknavare, hailing from a well-established builder family of Pune. But life had not yet done with challenges for Savita. The couple faced infertility issues and what began was a deeply personal struggle that tested Savita's strength once again.
A lengthy treatment that involved around 10 IVF cycles in Mumbai and then England strained her but finally resulted in her bearing a daughter and a son.
'That was a tough time of my life. Everything else was put on the back burner. I couldn't even start my hospital as planned,' she recollects.
Around 2020, she decided to embark on a mission to preserve and revive the memory of her father–a luminary in the world of Marathi theatre and films.
Born into a wealthy family, he was a man of great charisma and talent who carved his own path as a singer and actor, rising to fame through the Shivraj Natak Mandali, a theatre company patronised by the Kolhapur royal family. His journey began in the 1920s, when he was spotted for his singing and acting prowess, quickly becoming a celebrated figure in sangeet natak, a form of musical drama.
To Savita, he was not just a star but a father who called her his 'lucky charm', believing his career flourished after her birth. 'He was called Maharashtra kokil (nightingale) and had acted in 32 plays and 108 movies in his life span of 46 years. In 1919, with the help of the Maharaj of Indore, he created his own company, Yashwant Sangeet Mandali, which became hugely popular and was one of the four important mandalis of the time along with those of Bal Gandharva and Deenanath Mangeshkar,' she says.
She began researching for a book about his life, delving into film archives and collecting stories from those who knew him. Her efforts were nearly derailed when a computer failure wiped out her files and her efforts of a year and a half.
Undeterred, she shifted her focus to a documentary, collaborating with director Santosh Pathare, who had been highly recommended to her. Determined to tell her father's story authentically, Savita insisted on a non-scripted approach, conducting interviews herself, travelling all over Maharashtra and guiding the narrative to capture his essence as an actor, singer, and generous soul.
The documentary, in Marathi with English subtitles, introduces her father's legacy to a new generation, highlighting his humility; generosity; and mastery of the tabla, sitar, harmonium, and dholki; and his ability to connect instantly with audiences.
Savita's family, especially her husband Ranjit Naiknavare, rallied around providing critical support and feedback to ensure the initiative reflected their shared vision.
Incidentally, along the way, Savita's also found her real calling in life. At an event in Kolhapur, where she was invited as a chief guest, she reconnected with some of his friends. This inspired her to establish Sneh Dham, an initiative for senior citizens.
Starting in a small bungalow on Apte road in Pune, it grew through word of mouth, eventually expanding to three locations now. Savita poured her heart into creating a space where retirees could find a community offering activities and support, even giving up her medical practice of 22 years so that she could personally nurture the initiative.
Reflecting on her journey, Savita feels the two profound challenges–of losing her parents and not being able to conceive–shaped her understanding of life's impermanence.
'Everything is destructible,' she says as she continues to work on her book, now at 170 pages, and prepares for the Pune premiere of the documentary–on August 2, with Sharad Pawar as chief guest and in the presence of actors Mohan Agashe, Nana Patekar, and Jabbar Patel–all of whom held her father in great esteem.
'At the end of the day, you need to do something that makes you happy and benefits society,' she smiles.