Upendra Limaye is an Indian actor recognized for playing the role of Tayappa in the Marathi film Jogwa (2009). Starting in 1994, he has been in the film industry for over two decades, appearing in 25 films across Marathi, Hindi and Tamil cinema.
Wiki/Biography
Upendra Limaye was born on Saturday, 8 November 1969 (age 54 years; in 2023) in Sadashiv Peth, Pune. His zodiac sign is Scorpio. He attended New English High School, Tilak Road, Pune and Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University, Pune. Later, he took an acting course at Lalit Kala Kendra, Center for Performing Arts, New Delhi. He was the first member of the family to pursue a career as a stage, television, and screen actor. Growing up, he experienced a combination of traditional values and a more open approach. His father’s side adheres to traditional customs, while his mother’s side adheres to openness and liberalism. He used to find extracurricular activities more interesting than academics. As a child, he aspired to be a cricketer, but his parents preferred him to play kabaddi. Finally, he understood that his family’s financial situation was the real obstacle. His passion for theater began with school social gathering plays. After completing 12th grade, she told her parents about her desire to join Lalit Kala Kendra and venture into acting. He adopted acting as his main profession at Lalit Kala Kendra in Pune. He started working at Alurkar Music House Pune to earn money. After completing his time at Lalit Kala Kendra, he, along with his friends Sanjay Pawar, Subodh Pande, and Abhay Godse, established an Experimental Theater platform called ‘Parichay.’
Physical appearance
Height (approx): 5′ 10″
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Black
Family
Parents & Siblings
There is not much information about his parents and siblings.
Wife & Children
Upendra is married to Swati Limaye, who is a homoeopathic doctor. Together, they have two children, a son, Ved Limaye and a daughter, Bhairavi Limaye.
Career
From 1990 onwards, he was involved in various Grips Theater plays for five years. In an interview, he mentioned that this experience was very beneficial. In this drama, actors in their 30s take on the role of 8- or 9-year-old children, channeling challenging tasks. This process helps in the development of mental and physical flexibility. In addition, it contributes to the challenging role he plays. In 1999, after a decade of experience with the group ‘Parichay’, he came to Mumbai to act in a mainstream commercial drama titled ‘Dr Aap Bhi.’ During this period, she met Sachin Khedekar, who actively participated in various TV series. This meeting with Sachin Khedekar resulted in a positive shift that paved the way for further progress in his career. In the early 2000s, he also ventured into Marathi television. Although he got offers for Hindi shows, they were not in line with the dream he wanted to pursue. He collaborated with Vinay Apte, and later, through Vinay Apte’s connections, he got his first break in Bollywood in 2002 from Madhur Bhandarkar. It was a small role in the movie ‘Chandani Bar.’ Meanwhile, he continued to work in TV series, handling small roles. However, the turning point came in 2004 when Madhur Bhandarkar offered him an important role as Inspector Bhosale in a film. During his guest appearance on The Kapil Sharma Show in 2019, he mentioned that the 2001 Hindi film Chandni Bar was his first commercially successful film.
Movie
Upendra made his acting debut with the film Mukta in 1994 and played the role of a social activist. He appeared in various Marathi films including Sarkarnama (1998) as Contractor/Decorator, Blind Game (2006) as Karamchand, Urus (2008) as Mahadev, Tuhya Dharma Koncha? (2013) as Kavadu, and Jaggu Ani Juliet (2023). In 2023, he played Freddy in the Bollywood film “Animal,” featuring Ranbir Kapoor, along with Anil Kapoor, Bobby Deol, Rashmika Mandanna, and Tripti Dimri.
Television
Upendra made his television debut with the show Tara From Satara (2019–2020) as Sachin Mane on Sony TV. In 2022, she appeared in the Marathi TV series ‘Mi Punha Yein,’ and in 2023, she was a part of the show ‘Gemadpanthi.’ He played the role of Sandeep Shinde in the TV series “Criminal Justice: Adhura Sach” on Disney Hotstar.
Award
- 1996: Natya Gaurav Award for best actor for Jallai Tuzi Preet’s performance
- 1996: Kalnirnaya Award for best actor for Jallai Tuzi Preet’s performance
- 2005: Maharashtra Times Award for best actor for the film Page 3
- 2005: Hamlog Award for best actor for the film Page3
- 2006: Rashtriya Ratna Award for best actor for the film Page 3
- 2009: Kalarang Award for best actor for the film Sarkar Raj
- 2009: National Film Award for Best Actor for the film Jogwa
- 2009: Shivaji Ganeshan Award for Best Actor for the film Jogwa
- 2009: V. Shantaram Award for Best Actor for the film Jogwa
- 2009: Baburao Artist Award for best actor for the movie Jogwa
- 2009: Sanskriti Kaladarpan Award for best actor for the film Jogwa
- 2009: Maharashtra Times Award for Best Actor for the film Jogwa
- 2010: Maharashtra Ratna Puraskar for outstanding contribution to his profession
- 2010: Ninad Puraskar for outstanding contribution to his profession
Facts/Trivia
- In 2020, he appeared in the TV show ‘Tara from Satara,’ playing the role of a Kathak teacher. In an interview, he talked about his role and said,
I prefer characters that challenge me as an actor. I believe as an artist there are two aspects to the role, the external value, which is the costume and the look, this is taken care of by the creative department. Then there is the inner personality, this is what I enjoy the most. I like to experiment with characters, get the body language right. I try to bring in as much originality as possible. We had a Kathak expert on set for me to get the layers right.
- In his youth, Nilu Phule and Arun Sarnaik were his favorite actors.
- He has worked with film directors like Madhur Bhandarkar, Ram Gopal Verma, Amol Palekar, Rajiv Patil, Jabbar Patel, Satish Alekar, Vinay Apte, Waman Kendre, Chandrakant Kulkarni, Anant Mahadevan, and Karupaniannan.
- In an interview, he discussed his thought process when choosing the script. In an interview, he said,
When offered a script, I want to be able to use it the right way. When I heard one line of this show, I immediately knew I had to be a part of it. It was one of the projects that helped me justify my work. It’s a great story. What more could an actor ask for?”
Categories: Biography
Source: SCHOOL TRANG DAI
