Ardhavatrao
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Ardhavatrao, also known as Mr. Crazy, is an Indian puppet character created in 1916 by Yeshwant Keshav Padhye. Known for its comedic style, the character has been featured in performances for over a century. Ardhavatrao gained popularity through appearances on television, stage shows, and films, including appearances on India's national channel Doordarshan since 1972. The character has been performed in over 9,800 shows by the Padhye family, as well as on channels in over 25 countries, including Singapore, the US, and Hong Kong.[1][2][3]
Development
[edit]Ardhavatrao was created by Yeshwant Keshav Padhye, a ventriloquist, in mid-1916. Inspired by a British ventriloquist's performance in India, Padhye attempted to incorporate ventriloquism into his magic shows. He initially conceptualized the character on paper, naming him "Ardhavatrao", which means "half-mad" in Marathi, to reflect his comedic personality. Since there was a shortage of ventriloquial dummies in India at the time, he began performing wearing masks.[4] Later, he imported a puppet from the Davenport Company in England, changing it to Indian attire and hairstyle to establish its distinctive appearance. For English-speaking audiences, the puppet was referred to as “Mr. Crazy.”[5][6][4]
Following Yeshwant Padhye's death in 1967, After Yashwant Padhye's death in 1967, his son Ramdas Padhye continued to work with the character, Over the years, the visual design of the Ardhavatrao largely consistent, with only minor changes in costumes and makeup.[1][4]
Appearances
[edit]
Ardhavatrao gained widespread recognition through Ramdas Padhye's performances, particularly on Doordarshan starting in 1972, he first appeared in Hindi show Meri Bhi Suno.[7][3][8][9][10]
The puppet appeared in Indian films, notably in the 1963 Hindi film Akeli Mat Jaiyo, where Ardhavatrao, operated by Yeshwant Padhye, shared the screen with actor Rajendra Kumar. It later featured in the 1983 film Mahan alongside Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan.[11][3]
In 2016, the Padhye family celebrated Ardhavatrao's centenary with global performances in 13 countries and a special show titled Ardhavatrao 100 Not Out on Zee Marathi.[12] In 2020, Ardhavatrao was featured in the show Gharat Basale Saare.[13]
In popular culture
[edit]Ardhavatrao's influence extends to Indian advertising and cinema. Ardhavatrao was appeared in Mahesh Kothare's 1993 film Zapatlela.[14] Its appearance in the Lijjat Papad ad, shot in the 1980s, remains one of India's most memorable commercials.[15][16][17][18]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Celebrating the centenary of a puppet". The Hindu. 2016-09-20. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2025-05-04.
- ^ "About Me". www.vpuppets.com. Retrieved 2025-05-04.
- ^ a b c "बोलक्या बाहुल्यांचे खेळ करणारे रामदास पाध्ये". Marathi Srushti. Retrieved 2025-05-04.
- ^ a b c "राज ठाकरे: अर्धवटराव कोण आहेत तुम्हाला माहितेय का?". BBC News मराठी (in Marathi). Retrieved 2025-05-04.
- ^ Yogi, Maverick (2020-11-28). "Ardhavatrao". Maverick Yogi. Retrieved 2025-05-04.
- ^ "World Puppet Day- 105 वर्षांच्या 'एका बाहुल्याची गोष्ट'- मिस्टर क्रेझी उर्फ अर्धवटराव!". Saamana. 2025-03-21. Retrieved 2025-05-04.
- ^ Singh, Deepali. "Puppetry has a lot of potential". DNA India. Retrieved 2025-05-04.
- ^ "\'अर्धवटराव\' झाले 100 वर्षांचे, जाणून घ्या कसा झाला त्यांचा जन्म?". Divya Marathi (in Marathi). 2016-09-22. Archived from the original on 2022-05-18. Retrieved 2025-05-04.
- ^ "Making strings talk". The Tribune. Retrieved 2025-05-04.
- ^ Serrao, Shalet Jeevita. "Hitting a century". Mumbai Mirror. Retrieved 2025-05-04.
- ^ "Mumbai's father-son duo train Bollywood stars on ventriloquism". The Times of India. 2023-03-31. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2025-05-04.
- ^ "अर्धवटराव झाले 100 वर्षांचे; मराठीतल्या पहिल्या प्रयोगाचा भव्य सोहळा". News18 लोकमत (in Marathi). 2022-05-21. Retrieved 2025-05-04.
- ^ ""Excited to experiment with Ardhavat Rao and Awadabai for the first time on TV", says Ramdas Padhye on his upcoming show 'Gharat Basale Sare'". The Times of India. 2020-06-04. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2025-05-04.
- ^ Balasubramanian, Roshne (2017-05-08). "No strings attached". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2025-05-04.
- ^ "बाळासाहेबही 'अर्धवटराव'बद्दल जाहीर बोलले होते : पाध्ये". ABP Marathi (in Marathi). Retrieved 2025-05-04.
- ^ "Say hello to....Ramdas Padhye". The Hindu. 2015-07-30. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2025-05-04.
- ^ "Puppetry needs to evolve to survive in digital era: Ramdas Padhye". Hindustan Times. 2016-10-25. Archived from the original on 2025-01-23. Retrieved 2025-05-04.
- ^ "In this age of offence and outrage, puppets do what humans often can't". The Times of India. 2019-04-07. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2025-05-05.