Osian's Auction Catalogue The Greatest Indian Show On Earth | September 2014

LOTs 1-18 FROM THE ARUN PURANIK FAMILY COLLECTION ArunPuranik(b.1950)wasbornintoafamilywithastrongmusical background. His grandfather Puranik alias Pandharpurkar Bua was a lead singer actor in the famous Gandharva Natak Company from 1913 to 1926. He taught classical music to the early star Shanta Apte who later joined Prabhat Film Company as singer and actress. His father Hari Shankar Puranik was a musician and disciple of Ustad Vilayat Khan. He had cordial relations with many music directors, especially Shankarrao Vyas, the Music Director of Prakash Films. Arun Puranik - a film historian, researcher & collector of film memorabilia - has been writing for leading newspaper as a freelance journalist since 1986. He is the author of more than 1500 articles and publications such as SARGAM (2000), Unsung Heroes (2008), Haravaleli Mumbai (2012), Hamari Yaad Aayegi (2013). His new book Mumbai Talkies is expected to be published in October 2014. He has organized and curated various exhibitions such as ‘100 Years of Cinema’ and ‘Cinema and Mumbai City in recent years. He has preserved various artworks of rare film memorabilia, collected over last 100 years, by his family and himself from Studios, Theatres and Artists. Prabhat Chitra (Film Studios) was originally established by four film makers - Vishnupant G. Damle, S. Fateh Lal, V. Shantaram and Keshavrao Dhaibar. The decision to start afresh was taken after some friction and a clash of personalities with their mentor, the pioneer - Baburao Painter at the Maharashtra Film Company. Together, they entered the talkie era in India with their first film titled ‘Ayodhyecha Raja’, which was based on Raja Harishchandra’s story. This was the first Marathi film ever produced. The company went on to produce nearly 45 more films in both Marathi and Hindi over 27 years, including Kunku or Duniya Na Mane, Swarajya Toran, Amrit Manthan, Dharmatma, Sant Tukaram, Shejari, Manoos or Aadmi and Amar Jyoti. These films were produced and directed with a sense of social responsibility on important issues of the time such as women’s emancipation and rights, alcoholism, the inculcation of humanitarian qualities, various ills and vices within society’s while and advocating education on the spiritual leaders of Maratha society. The Arun Puranik Family Collection 1 Govindrao Tembe as Tantric Guru Machhindranath in MAYA MACHHINDRA (MARATHI).1932 Directed by V. Shantaram Photographic Still Mounted on Lobby Card / PHL 9.7 x 11.8 in (24.7 x 30.0 cm) Provenance Arun Puranik Family Collection, Pune ` 9,000 – 13,500 US$ 150 – 225 GBP 90 – 135 22 A FOCUS ON PRABHAT CHITRA