Early life

Shreeram Lagoo was born in Satara district, Maharashtra, India to Balakrishna Chintaman Lagoo and Satyabhama Lagoo, the eldest of four children. He attended Bhave High School, Fergusson College (University of Pune), and B.J. Medical College in Pune, India.

Career

Shreeram Lagoo started acting in plays while attending Medical School. Once bitten by the theatre bug, he continued his dramatic activity through the group "Progressive Dramatic Association" which he started with like-minded senior friends like Bhalba Kelkar. Meanwhile he trained as an ENT surgeon in Mumbai in the early fifties and practised in Pune for 6 years before going to Canada and England for additional training.

He practised medicine in Pune, India and Tabora, Tanzania in the sixties but his theatre activity through Progressive Dramatic Association in Pune and "Rangaayan" in Mumbai continued when he was in India. Finally, in 1969 he became a full-time actor on Marathi stage, debuting in the play "Ithe Oshalala Mrityu" written by Vasant Kanetkar.

He was the first protagonist of the famous Marathi play Natasamrat written by Kusumagraj (Vishnu Vaman Shirwadkar) and is best remembered for that role.

He has a legend status in Marathi cinema, where he has done many memorable movies which include successful movies like Sinhasan, Pinjra, Mukta And many more

His wife, Deepa Lagoo is also a noted theatre, television and film actress. He has 3 children - 2 sons and 1 daughter. Dr. Lagoo had also instituted the prestigious Tanveer Sanman, given to the most promising stalwart in theatre industry of India, in the memory of his late son Tanveer Lagoo.

Religion

Shriram is a known non-religious rationalist. Once after being conferred with an award called Punyabhushan (Pride of Pune) on behalf of the organization called Tridal, he was interviewed by Sudhir Gadgil. When asked about Jabbar Patel's play, wherein Lagoo had to stand before Lord Vitthal, "did you stand there as a devotee or only as per the demand of the script?" Lagoo replied "I stood there as if I was standing in front of a 'stone' that is known as Panduranga".

He has written an article titled "Time to Retire God" which provoked hot discussions in the print media and other public platforms in India. This article was written as an introduction to a book on Abraham Kovoor. In this article Lagoo logically came to the conclusion that the concept of God is defunct.

He is actively associated with the Anti-superstition movement in Maharashtra. He used to call god as another superstition and his lectures during the ANS programs used to go like this:

“I do not believe in God and I feel it is now time to retire God. Concept of God is a very beautiful product of poet’s imagination and was essential during the initial stages of civilization but the time has come when one should face the world with a completely rational attitude. For the past five thousand years, there has been no proof of the existence of God and faith in a phenomenon, which cannot be proved scientifically, is nothing short of superstition. Many inhuman practices, atrocities and wars have taken place in the name of ‘God’. It is not only necessary, but also our duty to abolish the concept of God to end these consequences because it is a great injustice committed against humanity.

"Only rational thinking has the capacity which places person above all living beings but when he/she believes in God he/she gives up this ability and blindly accepts what has been told. He/she submits his/her intellect to passive conditioning and then there is no difference between him/her and an animal.

"In the early stages of civilization, when human beings began to live in a society, the concept of superior being was necessary to maintain morality, which came out of fear. Also many of the natural phenomena which scared human beings and to which they could not attribute any reason, came to be regarded as manifestations of the divine power. But today when man has the mastery over nature and accepts any theory only after verifying it on a scientific basis, there is no need for the concept of a supreme being. What is needed is a broad based value system of humanity.”

Filmography

Marathi movies

• Sinhasan (1980) with Arun Sarnaik, Datta Bhat, Shrikant Moghe, Nilu Phule, Madhukar Sarpotdar, Rima Lagoo, Satish Dubashi, Raja Mayekar, Arun Joglekar, Nana Patekar, Sushma Tendulkar, Lalan Sarang and others
• Samna (film) (1974) with Nilu Phule and others
• Pinjra (1973) with Sandhya, Nilu Phule, Ganpat Patil and others
• Zaakol (1980) with Tanuja, Urmila Matondkar, Sarla Yeolekar. Directed by Shreeram Lagoo
• Khichadi (1987) with Ashok Saraf, Atul Parchure, Ranjana Deshmukh and others
• Mukta
• Shasan (2015)

Marathi plays

• Vedyache Ghar Unhat
• Jagannathacha Rath
• Gidhade
• Kachecha Chandra
• Himalayachi Sawali
• Natsamrat
• Surya Pahilela Manus
• Aadhe Adhure
• Garbo
• Atmakatha
• kanyadaan
• Pappa saanga kunache!
• Premachi Goshta?
• Khoon pahava karoon
• Dubhang
• Sundaar Mi Honaar
• Kirwant
• Mitra

Hindi movies

• Aurat Aurat Aurat (1996) Rekha, Rakesh Roshan, Aruna Irani
• Khuddar (1994) Govinda, Karisma Kapoor, Shakti Kapoor
• "Kishen kanhaiya" (1990) Anil Kapur, Madhuri
• Dushman Devta (1991) Dharmendra, Dimple Kapadia, Aditya Pancholi
• Kala Bazaar (1989) Anil Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, Anjana Mumtaz
• Ek Din Achanak (1988) Shabana Azmi, Roopa Ganguly, Uttara Baokar
• Majaal (1987) Jeetendra, Sridevi, Jaya Prada
• Mera Rakshak (1987) Mithun Chakraborty, Abhi Bhattacharya
• Avam (1987) Rajesh Khanna, Ashok Kumar, Smita Patil
• Insaf Ki Pukar (1987) Dharmendra, Jeetendra, Anita Raj
• Kala Dhanda Goray Log (1986) Sunil Dutt, Sanjay Khan, Anita Raj
• Muddat (1986) Mithun Chakraborty, Jayaprada, Manik Irani
• Samay Ki Dhaara (1986) Shatrughan Sinha, Shabana Azmi, Vinod Mehra
• Saveray Wali Gaadi (1986) Dharmendra, Sunny Deol, Poonam Dhillon
• Singhasan (1986) Jeetendra, Jayaprada, Mandakini
• Sitamgar (1985) Dharmendra, Parveen Babi, Rishi Kapoor
• Ghar Dwaar (1985) Sachin Pilgaokar, Ashok Saraf, Tanuja, Kadar Khan
• Ankahee (1984) Amol Palekar, Deepti Naval
• Maqsad (1984) Jeetendra, Rajesh Khanna, Jayaprada
• Tarang (1984) Amol Palekar, Smita Patil
• Bad Aur Badnaam (1984) Sanjeev Kumar, Anita Raj
• Pukar (1983) Amitabh Bachchan, Zeenat Aman, Randir Kapoor
• Kalaakaar (1983) Kunal Goswami, Sridevi, L V Prasad
• Mawaali (1983) Jeetendra, Sridevi, Jayaprada
• Sadma (1983) Kamal Hassan, Sridevi, Silk Smitha
• Souten (1983) Rajesh Khanna, Tina Munim, Padmini Kolhapure
• Zara Si Zindagi (1983) Kamal Haasan, Anita Raj
• Chorni (1982) Jeetendra, Neetu Singh, Jalal Agha
• Gandhi (1982) Ben Kingsley, Candice Bergen, Edward Fox
• Ghazab (1982) Dharmendra, Seema Deo, Krishan Dhawan
• Kaamchor (1982) Rakesh Roshan, Jayaprada, Tanuja
• Main Intequam Loonga (1982) Dharmendra, Reena Roy
• Raaste Pyar Ke (1982) Jeetendra, Rekha, Shabana Azmi
• Samraat (1982) Dharmendra, Jeetendra, Hema Malini
• Vidhaata (1982) Sanjay Dutt, Dilip Kumar, Padmini Kolhapure
• Ghungroo Ki Awaaz (1981) Vijay Anand, Rekha
• Laawaris (1981) Amitabh Bachchan, Zeenat Aman, Mumtaz Begum
• Chehre Pe Chehra (1981) Sanjeev Kumar, Rekha, Vinod mehra
• Gehrayee (1980) Anant Nag, IndRani Mukherjee
• Swayamvar (1980) Shashi Kapoor, Sanjeev Kumar, Moushumi Chatterjee
• Insaaf Ka Tarazu (1980) Deepak Parashar, Zeenat Aman, Raj Babbar
• "Do Aur Do Paanch" (1980) Amitabh Bachchan, Shashi Kapoor, Parveen Babi, Hema Malini
• Sargam (1979) Rishi Kapoor, Jayaprada, Shashikala
• Tarana (1979) Mithun Chakraborty, Ranjeeta Kaur, Bhagwan
• Hum Tere Ashiq Hain (1979) Jeetendra, Hema Malini, Amjad Khan
• Jurmana (1979) Amitabh Bachchan, Vinod Mehra, Rakhee Gulzar, A.K. Hungal, Farida Jalal
• Manzil (1979) Amitabh Bachchan, Moushumi Chatterjee, Rakesh Pandey
• Meera (1979) Vinod Khanna, Hema Malini, Shammi Kapoor .... Raja Biramdev Rathod
• Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (1978) Amitabh Bachchan, Vinod Khanna, Rakhee Gulzar, Rekha, Amjad Khan, Ranjeet
• Des Pardes (1978) Dev Anand, Tina Munim, Mehmood, Pran, Ajit Khan, Amjad Khan, Prem Chopra, Bindu
• Inkaar (1977) Vinod Khanna, Vidya Sinha
• Kinara (1977) Dharmendra, Jeetendra, Hema Malini
• Kitaab (1977) Uttam Kumar, Vidya Sinha
• Gharaonda (1977) Amol Palekar, Zarina Wahab
• Immaan Dharam (1977) Amitabh Bachchan, Shashi Kapoor, Sanjeev Kumar .... Govind Anna (as Shreeram Lagoo)
• Aaj Ka Ye Ghar (1976) Helen, A. K. Hangal, Lalita Pawar, Madan Puri .... Sajjan
• Bullet (1976) Dev Anand, Parveen Babby, Kabir Bedi, Sonia Sahani
• Hera Pheri (1976) Vinod khanna, Amitabh bachhan, Saira Banu

Awards and recognitions

• 1978, Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award for his work in Gharaonda.
• 1997, Kalidas Samman
• 2006, Awarded the Master Dinanath Mangeshkar Smruti Pratisthan for his contribution to cinema and theater.
• 2007, ‘Punyabhushan’ Puraskar
• 2010, Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship

[ Source: Wikipedia ]