Bhakti Barve

Barve began her career by acting for Sudha Karmarkar's Little Theatre. She also had a short stint as announcer on All India Radio, Bombay and later as a news reader on Bombay Doordarshan (India's National broadcaster), and presenter of Saptahiki. While with Doordarshan, she also performed the role of Bahinabai Choudhary, the poetess-saint, in the critically acclaimed DD produced telefilm, Bahinabai. She shot to fame with her performance in plays like the Marathi drama Ajab Nyaya Vartulacha ('Strange Justice of the Circle') in 1973, C. T. Khanolkar's adaptation of Brecht's Caucasian Chalk Circle, Mohan Rakesh's Adhe-adhure, Tee Phul Rani (Flower Queen) (1975), P.L. Deshpande's noted adaptation of G. B. Shaw's Pygmalion and in Jay Lerner's My Fair Lady. She was widely appreciated in 2 super hit Marathi stage plays, Hands-Up! (1982) and Ranga Mazha Vegala (1991), both co-starring Avinash Masurekar. She acted in many TV serials and dramas, besides Hindi films, Kundan Shah's Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983) and Govind Nihlani's Hazaar Chaurasi Ki Maa (1998). She was also the chairperson of the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Natya Sammelan.