'Pune is a treasure trove of talent'

PUNE: She is not a "baby" anymore, butBaby Shakuntala''s imperial beauty and innate grace still turn heads five decadesafter she ruled the silver screen. One look at this Marathi starlet,and you know that it''s not just her comely looks that made her a house-holdname. Her modesty and efficacy to breathe life into the diverse characters sheplayed for the Prabhat Film Company made her popular. "Acting infilms under the guidance of V. Damle, Raja Nene, V. Shantaram, Gajanan Jagirdarand others was a different experience altogether. There was discipline,punctuality and rapport on the film sets in those days," says Shakuntala.She made her debut in the Marathi film, Ramshastri, directed byGajanan Jagirdar in 1944 and "Baby Shakuntala" became a household name acrossthe country. Says Shakuntala, as she dabs the pleats of her pink chiffon saree,"I did not attend any formal acting school. But I honed my acting skills underthe watchful eyes of stalwarts like Durga Khote, Hansa Wadkar, Vimala Vashisht,Shanta Apte, V. Shantaram, Keshavrao Date and Lalita Pawar." Talkingabout the changing trends in the film industry, Shakuntala says, "Film-makers ofyesteryears used the visual medium as an instrument of social change. They usedit powerfully to advocate humanism and social issues. However, today''sJohnnycome-latelys are focusing only on "bare necessities" and sociallyirrelevant issues. time we had some powerful scripts and respectful roles ouractors," she opines. Having worked in Marathi and Hindi films date,Shakuntala says favourite films are Sita-Swayamwar, Daha Vasta, Taramati,Ramshastri Saubhagya made by the Prabhat Film Company. "These filmsare very dear to me because each and every holds a distinct fond memory.remember the ravishing Noorjehan offering me candy sweets at Mumbai''s Mehboobstudio," she reminisces. Commenting on the talenthunt and cut-throatcompetition in Bollywood, Shakuntala says, "Kolhapur and Pune have always beentreasure troves of the Indian film industry. Soon, the film industry will haveto shift base again Pune in search of true talent and skilled craftsmen."