All you need to know about PuLa Deshpande at an exhibition of his written works

Illustration/Uday Mohite

Apart from being a writer, Purushottam Laxman Deshpande, popularly known as PuLa or Bhai, was also a harmonium musician, actor, composer, film and television producer, film director, and music director. His contribution to Marathi literature puts him in a league of his own. And so, on his 22nd death anniversary, The Asiatic Society of Mumbai (ASM) will be hosting a special exhibition of his manuscripts and a film screening of the 2012 film made on his life and characters, Gola Berij. The exhibition is held under the aegis of the Mumbai Research Centre. The film screening will be followed by a general discussion during which people can share stories about him or anecdotes from his life.

Handwritten manuscripts of PL Deshpande exhibited at ASM

In 1995, the writer was given the prestigious Honorary Fellowship of the Asiatic Society. The establishment has nearly 374 of his original manuscripts, out of which the ones that are in exhibiting condition will be put up for display. His family donated these treasures to ASM in order to preserve them. Shehernaaz Nalwalla, vice-president at ASM, shares, "In 2007, we celebrated PuLa's work by hosting a week of festivities and having his manuscripts on display. This year, through this exhibition, we wish to do the same. We had a fan who had pulled out PuLa's work from newspapers, and years later, donated it to us. Today, those newspaper cutouts have summed up in a total of 10 modules. His work has always spoken about society and people, so even in 2022, it feels relevant."

PuLa had an extraordinary talent for making ordinary people into memorable characters. You could probably meet one of his characters walking down the street. The humorist took personal quirks from life and used them as a soft mirror of our society. A past master of observational humour, is how Raamesh Gowri Raghavan, from ASM, prefers to describe PuLa. "The danger of coming into contact with him was that he would sooner or later turn you into a character. He observed people and was great at exposing hypocrites. We are fortunate enough to have his written works. As with technology, upcoming authors might share a hard drive with their work, which has to be preserved digitally," shares Raghavan.

Newspaper cutouts of PL Deshpande with Asiatic Society of Mumbai (ASM)

He is one of the few scholars who won both honours - the Sahitya Akademi Award for Literature as well as the Sangeet Natya Akademi Award for Music. "Even after 22 years of his passing, we continue to celebrate his work because we don't want to forget him nor the characters that he brought to life," Raghavan signed off.

On: June 11; 10.20 pm 3.30 pm
At: Durbar Hall of the Society, Town Hall, Shahid Bhagat Singh Road, Fort.

Where to read PuLa

>> At Kitab Khana, Flora Fountain Somaiya Bhavan, 47, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Fort.
Call: 61702277

>> At Ideal Pustak Triveni, Narayan Smruti Building, Chhabildas Road, Dadar West.
Call: 24304254

>> At Jawahar Book Depot, Shraddhanand Road, Vile Parle East.
Call: 26143902

>> At Majestic Book Depot, Bhavani Building, Ram Maruti Road, Thane.
Call: 25376865