Vira Sathidar

Vira Sathidar
Born(1958-06-07)7 June 1958
Parsodi, Maharashtra, India
Died13 April 2021(2021-04-13) (aged 62)
Nagpur, Maharashtra, India
Occupations
  • Poet
  • singer
  • actor
  • editor
  • activist
Notable workCourt (2014)

Vira Sathidar (7 June 1958 – 13 April 2021) was an Indian poet, actor, editor, and Dalit rights activist known for his lifelong struggle against caste oppression and systemic injustice.[1] He gained international recognition for playing the lead role in the 2014 Marathi-language film Court, which won several awards globally, including the Best Feature Film at the National Film Awards in India.[2][3]

Early life

Vira Sathidar was born as Vijay Vairagade on 7 June 1958, in the village of Parsodi, near Nagpur, to Rauf and Gangubai Sathidar.[1][4] In an interview with the Indian Cultural Forum, he spoke about growing up amid layers of caste-based discrimination. Sathidar also credited Ambedkarite cultural influences as a major part of his upbringing, citing inspiration from the songs of Dalit poets and singers such as Vamandada Kardak, Nagorao Patankar, Govindrao Mhashilkar, and Laxman Rajguru.[5][6][7]

Career

Throughout his life, Sathidar actively participated in anti-caste movements. He served as the convener of Indian People’s Theatre Association (IPTA) and was the editor of the Marathi magazine Vidrohi. He also authored the book titled Sanvidhan Va Lokshahi.[8]

In the 2014 Marathi-language legal drama Court, Sathidar portrayed Narayan Kamble, a poet and singer accused of inciting the suicide of a manual scavenger through one of his folk songs.[9][10][11] The film received widespread critical acclaim and won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film. Sathidar's performance as Narayan Kamble was praised for its realism, closely mirroring his real life activism which brought authenticity to the role.[12][13] Apart from Court, Sathidar also appeared in other films and short films, including a role in the 2021 Marathi film Jayanti.[14][15][16]

Sathidar died of complications of Covid-19 on 13 April 2021 at a hospital in Nagpur, Maharashtra.[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Mashal, Mujib; Kumar, Hari (5 May 2021). "Vira Sathidar, Cultural Figure Who Fought India's Caste System, Dies at 62". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  2. ^ Haygunde, Chandan Shantaram (17 April 2015). "Court lead actor says film gave his activism a boost, will continue fight against justice delivery system". The Indian Express. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  3. ^ Singh, Suhani (9 April 2015). "Not everyone wins 18 global and national awards for their debut film. Chaitanya Tamhane, 28, has taken the festival circuit by storm with his gripping Court". India Today. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  4. ^ "Nagpur mourns passing away of Vira Sathidar". The Times of India. 14 April 2021. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 5 May 2025. Vira was born as Vijay Vairagade in Parsodi village near Butibori to a father who used to work as a porter at Nagpur railway station, while his mother was a construction labourer.
  5. ^ Ingole, Prashant (9 May 2021). "There was more to Vira Sathidar than 'Court'. He fought caste with theatre for 40 years". ThePrint. Retrieved 5 May 2025. In an interview with Indian Cultural Forum, Sathidar mentioned how he grew up experiencing layers of casteism and recounted his childhood memories of the Republican Party of India allying with socialists and Communists in their fight for people's land rights. He was also inspired by the songs of Ambedkarite singers like Vamandada Kardak, Nagorao Patankar, Govindrao Mhashilkar and Laxman Rajguru.
  6. ^ "Living Ambedkar Jayanti: In Conversation With Vira Sathidar | NewsClick". NewsClick. 13 April 2017. Archived from the original on 6 October 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  7. ^ "Living Ambedkar Jayanti: In conversation with Vira Sathidar". Indian Cultural Forum. 12 April 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  8. ^ Mishra, Pratikshya (13 April 2021). "Who Was 'Court' Actor and Ambedkarite Activist Vira Sathidar?". TheQuint. Retrieved 5 May 2025. Vira Sathidar was an active participant in the Ambedkarite movement in Maharashtra, mostly inspired by his childhood experiences. The Convener of Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA) and editor of the Marathi magazine Vidrohi, Sathidar was a staunch anti-caste activist and poet. He also authored the book Sanvidhan Va Lokshahi.
  9. ^ PTI (13 April 2021). "'Court' actor Vira Sathidar passes away, due to COVID-19 related complications". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  10. ^ Scroll Staff (13 April 2021). "Activist, 'Court' actor Vira Sathidar dies of coronavirus at 62". Scroll.in. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  11. ^ Bhattacharya, Suryasarathi (19 April 2021). "Chaitanya Tamhane on the death of his Court actor Vira Sathidar: 'It's a collective loss for society'". Firstpost. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  12. ^ Menon, Pradeep (14 April 2021). "Vira Sathidar's role in Chaitanya Tamhane's Court mirrored the actor's BR Ambedkar-like figure and anti-caste politics". Firstpost. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  13. ^ Murthy, Neeraja (13 November 2015). "Journey with 'Court'". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  14. ^ "Court Actor Vira Sathidar Dies Of Coronavirus At 62". NDTV. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  15. ^ "Court actor Vira Sathidar dies of Covid-19 related complications". Hindustan Times. 13 April 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  16. ^ PR, ANI (6 January 2022). "Marathi film Jayanti completes 50 days in cinemas; enjoys a 9.8 rating on IMDb". ThePrint. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
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