Mahesh Vaman Manjrekar (Marathi pronunciation: [məɦeːʃ maːɲd͡zɾekəɾ]; born 16 August 1958) is an Indian actor, film director, screenwriter and producer who works primarily in Hindi, Marathi and Telugu films. He is best known for directing Vaastav: The Reality (1999), Astitva (2000) and Viruddh... Family Comes First (2005). He won a National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Marathi for Astitva and two Star Screen Awards. He was also the host of the reality show, Bigg Boss Marathi from 2018 until 2023.

Early life

Mahesh Manjrekar was born on 16 August 1958 in Bombay, Bombay state.

Personal life

Manjrekar with family

Manjrekar was married to Deepa Mehta, a costume designer, with whom he has two children - Satya and Ashwami.; the couple later divorced. He subsequently married Medha Manjrekar, with whom he has a daughter, actress Saiee Manjrekar. He has a stepdaughter from Medha's first husband, Gauri Ingawale, who is also an actress.

Career

Manjrekar has acted in several films, including some of his own productions. He was first seen in the Doordarshan Marathi series named Kshitij, in which he played a leprosy patient. He first gained acclaim as an actor for his performance in the 2002 film Kaante, and later played negative roles in the Tamil film Arrambam (2013), Telugu film Okkadunnadu (2007) and as the gangster Javed in the film Slumdog Millionaire (2008). He played Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the Marathi film Me Shivajiraje Bhosale Boltoy. He also played the role of Harpeez Dongara in the Aakhri Chunauti series of episodes in the Indian TV series C.I.D.. Manjrekar was acclaimed for the role as police inspector D.R. Talpade in the movie Wanted.

He was a MNS candidate from Mumbai North West in the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections but lost to Gajanan Kirtikar of Shiv Sena.

Filmography

Actor

YearFilmsRoleLanguageRef.
1999Vaastav: The RealityHimselfHindi[citation needed]
2001Ehsaas: The FeelingMichael
2002KaanteRaja "Balli" Yadav
2003Pran Jaye Par Shaan Na JayeMunna Bhai Hatela
2004PlanSultan
RunGanpat Chowdhury
MusafirLukka
2005It Was Raining That NightBrij BhushanEnglish
Encounter Daya NayakYousuf KhaleelKannada
2006ZindaJoy FernandesHindi
Jawani Diwani: A Youthful JoyrideChappu Bhai
2007Dus KahaniyaanMahesh
OkkadunnaduSona BhaiTelugu
Padmashree Laloo Prasad YadavAdvocate Prasad Pritam PradyumanHindi
DehaMadhav
2008Meerabai Not OutManoj Anant Achrekar
Slumdog MillionaireDon JavedEnglish
HomamDaddyTelugu
2009Me Shivajiraje Bhosale BoltoyChhatrapati Shivaji MaharajMarathi
WantedSenior Inspector Daulat R. TalpadeHindi
99AGM (Aatmaram Gyanshekhar Machve)
Fruit and NutKhandar Zala
2010AdhursDon BabaTelugu
Teen PattiDagdu SethHindi
DabanggHariya Shreshawat
Don SeenuMukesh Duggal / Duggal SaabTelugu
2011ReadyRam Kapoor (Prem's father)Hindi
Fakta Ladh MhanaBababhaiMarathi
BodyguardRanjan MhatreHindi
2012Tukkaa Fitt
OMG: Oh My God!Lawyer Sardesai
Jai Jai Maharashtra MajhaMarathi
2013Mumbai MirrorACP GaitondeHindi
HimmatwalaSher Singh
Shootout at WadalaInspector Bhinde
Once Upon a Time In Mumbaai DobaraLocal gangster Rawa
ArrambamMahadev RaneTamil
RajjoBegamHindi
2014Jai HoAuto-Rickshaw DriverHindi
RegePradeep SharmaMarathi
Singham ReturnsChief Minister Vikram AdhikariHindi
Ardhangini by Abhishek MukherjeeBengali
2015Bajirao MastaniShahuji Raje BhosaleHindi
AkhilDivya's fatherTelugu
2016VrundavanBhanupratap InamdarMarathi
Guntur TalkiesJakieTelugu
Badsha – The DonShyam VhaiBengaliScenes reused from Don Seenu
2017Thank U VitthalaVitthalaMarathi
DhyanimaniSadanand Pathak
FU: Friendship UnlimitedChilly's father
VelaikkaranMadhav KurupTamil
2018SanjuHimselfHindi
Take Care Good NightInspector PawarMarathi
2019Mard Ko Dard Nahi HotaAjobaHindi
Vinaya Vidheya RamaChief Minister of BiharTelugu
Total DhamaalChinnappa SwamyHindi
SaahoPrinceTelugu
Mulshi PatternShirpyaMarathi
Dabangg 3Hariya ShreshawatHindi
66 SadashivMarathi
2020KesariVastad MehmanMarathi
Taxi No. 24Hindi
2021The White TigerThe StorkEnglish Hindi
The PowerKaalidas Haridas ThakurHindi
BossBaba KhanBhojpuri
Mumbai SagaChief Minister BhauHindi
Antim: The Final TruthSatyavan "Satya" VichareHindi
2022Katha Kanchiki Manam IntikiTelugu
Sarkaru Vaari PaataFinance ministerTelugu
De Dhakka 2Babbar LahoriMarathi
Mister MummyDr. SatsangiHindi
2023ButterflySahilMarathi
2024Yatra 2N. Chandrababu NaiduTelugu
Juna FurnitureGovind Shridhar PathakMarathi
2025Thug LifeSadanand YadavTamil
CoolieKakkarTamil
DevmanusKeshavMarathi
DashavatarInspector Michael D'cousta
The DevilRajashekarKannada
2026Gandhi TalksPremnath GavliSound
Raja ShivajiTBAMarathi Hindi

Film credits

YearTitleDirectorProducerWriterRef.
1995AaiYesNoYes[unreliable source?]
1999Vaastav: The RealityYesNoYes
2000AstitvaYesNoYes
KurukshetraYesNoYes
NidaanYesNoYes
Jis Desh Mein Ganga Rehta HaiYesNoYes
2001Ehsaas: The FeelingYesNoYes
Tera Mera Saath RahenYesNoYes
2002HathyarYesNoYes
PitaahYesNoYes
2003Pyaar Kiya Nahin JaathaYesNoYes
Pran Jaye Par Shaan Na JayeNoYesNo
2004RakhtYesNoYes
2005It Was Raining That NightYesYesYes
Viruddh... Family Comes FirstYesNoYes
Vaah! Life Ho Toh Aisi!YesNoYes
2006Matichya ChuliNoNoYes
2009Me Shivajiraje Bhosale BoltoyNoNoYes[better source needed]
2010Shikshanachya Aaicha GhoYesNoYes
2010City of GoldYesNoYes
2011Ami Shubhash BolchiYesNoYes
Fakt Ladh MhanaYesYesYes
2012KaksparshYesNoNo
ShalaNoYesNo
2013KokanasthaYesNoYes
2016NatsamratYesNoYes
2017FU: Friendship UnlimitedYesYesYes
2018Me Shivaji ParkYesYesYes
2018ShikariNoYesYes
2019Bhai: Vyakti Ki ValliYesYesNo
2021The PowerYesNoNo
Antim: The Final TruthYesNoNo
2022PanghrunYesYesYes
Nay Varan Bhat Loncha Kon Nay KonchaYesNoNo
2024Hi Anokhi GaathYesYesYes
Juna FurnitureYesNoYes
Vedat Marathe Veer Daudle SaatYesYesYes
2025Ek Radha Ek MeeraYesYesNo
TBANiravadhiYesNoNo

Television

YearShowRoleRef.
2006Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 1[broken anchor]Contestant
2009Monica MogreCriminal in Case File No. 1
Specials @ 10Director of Har Kadam Par Shaque
Arre Deewano Mujhe PehchanoHimself (contestant)
2010Maharashtracha Superstar 1Himself (Judge)
ForestHD (Harpeez Dongra)
2015Agent Raghav – Crime BranchDilip Chauhan
2018Bigg Boss Marathi 1Host
Selection DaySir Tommy
2019Bigg Boss Marathi 2Host
TVF CheesecakeMirza[citation needed]
20201962: The War in the HillsDirector
2021Bigg Boss Marathi 3Host
2022- 2023Bigg Boss Marathi 4
2023Taaza KhabarKismat Bhai

Web series

YearTitleDirectionRoleLanguageNotes
2019Kaale DhandeNoAnna BhaiMarathiZEE5 Originals
2020Forbidden LoveYesSudha's HusbandHindiZEE5 Originals

Production

In 2011, he launched his own production company with Aniruddha Deshpande called Great Maratha Entertainment LLP Productions.

The first film made under the banner was the Fakta Ladh Mhana which is one of the most expensive Marathi films.

Awards and nominations

National Film Awards
YearWorkCategoryResultRef.
2000AstitvaBest Feature Film in MarathiWon
Filmfare Awards
YearWorkCategoryResultRef.
2000Vaastav: The RealityBest DirectorNominated
Best Scene of the YearWon
2003KaanteBest ComedianNominated
IIFA Awards
YearWorkCategoryResultRef.
2000Vaastav: The RealityBest DirectorNominated
2003KaanteBest ComedianWon
Screen Awards
YearWorkCategoryResultRef.
2001AstitvaBest StoryWon
Best ScreenplayNominated
Special Jury AwardWon
Filmfare Awards Marathi
YearWorkCategoryResultRef.
1994AaiBest DirectorWon
2016NatsamratNominated
Best Director (Critics)Won
2024Juna FurnitureBest DirectorNominated
Best ActorWon
Zee Cine Awards
YearWorkCategoryResultRef.
2016NatsamratBest Marathi FilmWon
Zee Gaurav Puraskar
YearWorkCategoryResultRef.
2010Me Shivajiraje Bhosale BoltoyBest StoryWon
Best ScreenplayWon
2012KaksparshBest DirectorNominated[citation needed]
2016NatsamratWon
2024Juna FurnitureBest ActorWon
Maharashtra State Film Awards
YearWorkCategoryResultRef.
2000AstitvaBest Second FilmWon
Best Second DirectorWon
2012KaksparshBest FilmWon
Best DirectorWon
2022PanghrunBest FilmNominated[citation needed]
Best DirectorNominated
2025—N/aV. Shantaram Lifetime Achievement AwardHonoured
Pune International Film Festival
YearWorkCategoryResultRef.
2012KaksparshBest Marathi Feature FilmWon
Marathi International Cinema & Theatre Awards
YearWorkCategoryResultRef.
2012KaksparshBest DirectorWon
Maharashtracha Favourite Kon?
YearWorkCategoryResultRef.
2010Me Shivajiraje Bhosale BoltoyBest FilmWon
2011Lalbaug ParelBest DirectorWon
2012KaksparshBest FilmWon
Best DirectorWon
2016NatsamratNominated
Sanskruti Kaladarpan
YearWorkCategoryResultRef.
2012KaksparshBest DirectorNominated[citation needed]
2016NatsamratNominated[citation needed]
Colors Marathi Awards
YearWorkCategoryResultRef.
2019Bigg Boss Marathi 1Best HostWon
2021Bigg Boss Marathi 2Nominated
2022Bigg Boss Marathi 3Won
Sakal Premier Awards
YearWorkCategoryResultRef.
2019PanghrunBest FilmWon
Best DirectorWon

External links