The day I met Poet “Saumitra” Kishore Kadam

The day I met Poet “Saumitra” Kishore Kadam
By Pranjal Saikia, Pune

“Will you work on my next project?”
“Sure why not, I will”, was my quick exciting response!!
“Ok, then come to my office tomorrow by 10 am”,
“Of course, I’ll be there on time, as I am always”, with a smile.

After a night shift I went to his office, obviously on time, he greeted me with a smile, and we were on the way to the scheduled spot on his Indica, he said,” lets listen to something different”, and played a CD, Gulzar was reciting a beautiful poem, now the incident happen, track no 17, a recitation touch me to the core of my heart, I was almost on the verge of crying, poem depicting love of mother and beloved, recited by famous Marathi acclaimed poet-actor, Kishore Kadam, who writes under the epithet “Saumitra”,

“He is going to work on our project”, suddenly I came to my own.
“What? Really, that will be great”, I replied.

This was my next project as an Assistant Director for a Marathi feature film, directed by Yogesh Datta Gosavi, who was next to me driving his Indica, an old friend of mine.

A known face in Hindi & Marathi Theatre & films, a playwright, a poet, Kishore Kadam made his mark as 'Harilal' in "Gandhi Viruddh Gandhi". Seen in films like 'Is Raat Ki Subah Nahi', 'Aaghat', 'Sanshodhan'. Born and bought up in India’s economic hub Mumbai of very simple parents, graduated from Chetna College, Bandra. Theatre guru Satyadev Dubey noticed him and groomed him in his acting school, he acted in his Hindi drama, “Sambhog se Sanyas Tak”, where he played the lead role, which was appreciated by everyone. His way to national fame was the role of Devdas Gandhi, the Mahatma’s son, Gandhi v/s Gandhi.

It was during this time, noted director Shyam Benegal noticed him, and offered him to work in his next feature film, “Samar”, opposite Rajashree Sachdev along with Seema Biswas, Jonhawiwi Forsywas, Rajit Kapur and Ravi Jhankal, he won critical acclaim for his performance in the lead role of the movie. This film bagged National Film Award for the best film in 1999. His other Hindi ventures were Ek Chalis ki Last Local, Black Friday, Dil Pe Mat Le Yaar, etc.

His Marathi career boomed with Amol Palekar’s “Dhyasparva” with Seema Biswas, Mohan Gokhale, and “Bangarwadi”. We can see him in Marathi serial Asambhav, one of the major and famous serial.

His poetic career started when he was only 16, he started jetting down his feelings for his own contentment which afterwards became his zeal and now known as renowned and one of the famous Marathi poet of the decade. His poems were published in various journals and newspapers during his college days. He created history when his Album “Garwa”, got released a decade ago, his heart touching lyrics, sung by Milind Ingle, this album is having “one subject- one concept”- theme, “Rain”, it had never happened before wherein; only one subject took place in a single album. It created revolution; “Heartthrob of young generation”, still people loves to listen despite being released a decade ago. His lyrics were sung by Asha Bhosale, Suresh Wadekar and many other famous singers.

A good friend of Gulzar, done his plays such as Lakerien, Kharaashein, etc. his latest poetic album “Tarihi” meaning “even thou”, with Gulzar released few months back, is also a major hit, the album depicts the chronology of relationship in poems.
He says “I believe, pain insists you to write poems”, a father of beautiful 3 year old kid, always playing his function as a accountable father and husband, believes his friends are like his own family. His book “Aami Tarihi me”, (aur fir bhi), a collection of poems published 6 years back. We can find 3 elements in his poems “Sea, Rain and his lovable mother”, who is his real life ideal. His favourite poets and writers includes the great Albert Camu, Leo Tolstoy, Fyodor Dostoevsky and many others. Next month he will be arriving at Guwahati to act in few dramas to be held there.

Lots of credits and works on his credits will perform few plays in Guwahati, Assam next month. Kishore Kadam, belongs to the generation of non-chocolate heroes of Indian theatre and cinema, enjoying a happier dual life of screen and stage following the tradition and footsteps of Om Puri and Naseeruddin Shah. Waiting for his works in near future with all of different elements of acting and his melodious vocabulary in the form of poem and songs.

By Pranjal Saikia, Pune