Uma Bhende

Uma Bhende (31 May 1945 – 19 July 2017)² was an Indian actress who worked in Marathi films, television and theatre. She made her debut in Marathi film Aakshganga (1960). She is known for appearing in movies Aamhi Jato Amchya Gava (1968), Angai (1968), Bhalu (1980). Bhende was felicitated by Chitrabhushan Award for her contribution towards Marathi film industry.³

Uma was born on 31 May 1945 as Anusaya Shrikrishna Sakarikar in Mumbai, though her childhood was spent in a middle-class household in Kolhapur. Her father, Shrikrishna Sakarikar, was a writer and playwright, while her mother, Ramadevi, was employed with the Prabhat Film Company.⁴

During her youth, she participated in local cultural gatherings and performance troupes, where her work was noticed by the prominent filmmaker Bhalji Pendharkar. This exposure led to her first minor appearance on screen, featuring in a song sequence picturized on actress Sulochana Latkar in Pendharkar's film Akashganga.⁴

While preparing for her first leading role in Madhav Shinde’s film Thoratanchi Kamala, she discovered on the day of the premier in Kolhapur that her birth name, Anusaya, was missing from the promotional posters. The film's producer, Lata Mangeshkar, subsequently informed her that she had been given the screen name "Uma."⁵

Following this debut, she appeared in a series of Marathi films, including Yalach Mhanatat Prem, Shevatcha Malusara, Madhuchandra, and Aamhi Jato Amuchya Gava.⁶ She also transitioned briefly into Hindi cinema, debuting in Rajshri Productions' Dosti, directed by Satyen Bose. Her subsequent Hindi film credits included Ek Dil Sau Afsane, Ek Masoom, Brahma Vishnu Mahesh, and Har Har Mahadev. However, due to the logistical challenges of commuting between Kolhapur and Mumbai, she chose to shift her primary focus back to Marathi cinema.⁵

Her filmography also extended to other regional languages, including roles in the Chhattisgarhi film Kahi Debe Sandesh and the Telugu film Khiladi. For her performance in Ashi Hi Sataryachi Tarha, she was awarded the Maharashtra State Film Award for Best Actress.⁷

In 2012, she was honored with the 'Chitrabhushan' Award by the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Chitrapat Mahamandala, recognizing her contributions spanning a 55-year acting career.⁴

Following her marriage to filmmaker and actor Prakash Bhende, she relocated to the Sion neighborhood of Mumbai. Professionally, she collaborated extensively with her husband, appearing in several films produced or directed under their banner, including Bhalu, Chatak Chandni, Premasathi Vattel Te, Apan Yana Pahilat Ka, and Aai Thor Tujhe Upkar. Throughout her later years, she and her husband remained active members of the Marathi film fraternity, frequently participating in industry events and maintaining connections with younger generations of filmmakers and artists.⁴