Kavtya Mahakal is a fictional antagonist from the 1990 Indian film Dhadakebaaz. Created by Mahesh Kothare, the character was portrayed by Bipin Varti who also provided the voiceover, and Chandrakant Pandya, along with eight other uncredited actors.[1]
| Kavtya Mahakal | |
|---|---|
| Dhadakebaaz character | |
 Kavtya Mahakal (L) with his henchmen Divtya | |
| First appearance |
|
| Created by | Mahesh Kothare |
| Portrayed by | Various[a] |
| Voiced by | Bipin Varti |
| In-universe information | |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | Gangster |
| Significant others | Sub-Inspector Uma Jadhav[b] Laxmikant "Lakshya" Hajare Gangaram[c] Mahesh Nemade[d] |
| Allies | Divtya |
The name Kavtya Mahakal was inspired by Kavathe Mahankal, a village in the Sangli district of Maharashtra. Kothare cast Gujarati actor and friend Chandrakant Pandya after a chance encounter, and Pandya's creative input greatly contributed to the character's popularity, even though he remained largely unrecognized during his lifetime.
Fictional biography
editKavtya Mahakal, a ruthless and sadistic crime lord, was the mastermind behind various criminal activities in Shivapur. His real name remains unknown, but his alias struck fear in the hearts of the villagers. With a mysterious past, Kavtya Mahakal's early life was marked by involvement in crime from a young age. He built a vast network of henchmen and associates, including Divtya, and rose to power through brutal and cunning tactics.
Kavtya Mahakal's notorious crimes included the murder of Sub-Inspector Uma Jadhav's parents, funding crime in Shivapur, and attempting to murder Lakshya and his friends. He terrorized Shivapur during the festival of Mahashivratri, leaving a trail of destruction and fear. Driven by a desire for power and control, Kavtya Mahakal sought revenge against Uma Jadhav for pursuing him. He also aimed to acquire the magical bottle containing Gangaram to further his criminal empire.
Kavtya Mahakal's personality was defined by his ruthlessness, cunning, and sadistic nature. He was power-hungry and manipulative, using his intelligence and strategic thinking to evade capture. However, his downfall came when he was defeated by Lakshya, Mahesh, and Bappa with Gangaram's help. Ultimately, Kavtya Mahakal was killed by Sub-Inspector Uma Jadhav in revenge for her parents' murder.
Development
editMahesh Kothare named the villain after Kavathe Mahankal village in Sangli district, and the character's face remains masked until the film's climax.[2] The role of Kavtya Mahakal was portrayed by eight actors, with Bipin Varti being the first. He provided the voiceover for the character throughout the film.[3] Mahesh revealed during the publication of his autobiography "Damn It Ani Barach Kahi" in Mumbai that the Gujarati actor and his friend Chandrakant Pandya got the role of Kavtya Mahakal after their chance meeting, where he offered Pandya a project despite the character requiring a mask. Pandya initially worked closely with Mahesh but later infused his own creativity, making the character popular, even though he wasn't widely recognized during his lifetime.[4][5][6] Chandrakant Pandya appeared in numerous Gujarati films and is well known for his role as Nishad Raj in the popular Indian series Ramayan. He passed away on October 21, 2021, at the age of 72.[6]
Reception
editMaharashtra Times featured Kavtya Mahakal as one of the most iconic villains in Marathi cinema.[2] The Marathi news websites such Loksatta, Lokmat, Divya Marathi have noted that the character of Kavtya Mahakal remains prominent in the audiences.[7][8][3]
Notes
edit- ^ It was primarily portrayed by Chandrakant Pandya and Bipin Varti, along with eight other uncredited actors.
- ^ Played by Ashwini Bhave.
- ^ The dual role of Lakshya and Gangaram was played by Laxmikant Berde.
- ^ Played by Mahesh Kothare.
References
edit- ^ "पहिल्याच दिवशी कवट्यामहाकाळ साकारताना गुजराथी ऍक्टरने नखरे दाखवले मग … प्रिया बेर्डे यांनी सांगितला महेश कोठारेंनी त्याला शिकवलेला धडा". Bolkya Resha (in Marathi). Archived from the original on 2024-09-25. Retrieved 2024-09-25.
- ^ a b "ओम फट्ट स्वाहा ते डोळे बघ डोळे... हे आहेत मराठीतले गाजलेले खलनायक ज्यांनी उडवली सगळ्यांची झोप, तुमचा आवडता व्हिलन कोण?". Maharashtra Times (in Marathi). Archived from the original on 2024-09-20. Retrieved 2024-09-24.
- ^ a b "एक दोन नव्हे तब्बल 8 कलाकारांनी साकारली होती 'धडाकेबाज'मधली कवट्या महाकाळची भूमिका, हे होते कारण". Divya Marathi (in Marathi). Archived from the original on 2023-06-21. Retrieved 2024-09-26.
- ^ "Mahesh Kothare: 'धडाकेबाज'मधील 'कवट्या महाकाळ'चा खरा चेहरा समोर". Zee 24 Taas (in Marathi). 2023-02-08. Archived from the original on 2024-09-25. Retrieved 2024-09-25.
- ^ Rajshri Marathi (2023-01-28). 'हा' होता कवट्या महाकालमागचा चेहरा | Mahesh Kothare Talks About Kavtya Mahakal | Rajshri Marathi (in Marathi). Retrieved 2024-09-25 – via YouTube.
- ^ a b "काम नसल्याने महेश कोठारेंकडे आला अन् 'धडाकेबाज'चा कवट्या महाकाल झाला;पाहा मास्कमागचा चेहरा". Maharashtra Times (in Marathi). Archived from the original on 2024-02-29. Retrieved 2024-09-25.
- ^ "'धडाकेबाज' मध्ये तब्बल आठ जणांनी साकारली होती कवट्या महाकाळची भूमिका". Loksatta (in Marathi). 2019-11-05. Archived from the original on 2023-10-24. Retrieved 2024-09-25.
- ^ "'धडाकेबाज' चित्रपटात कवट्या महाकाळची भूमिका साकारणारा अभिनेता होता तरी कोण?". Lokmat (in Marathi). 2021-12-17. Archived from the original on 2024-09-25. Retrieved 2024-09-25.