The Unseen Encounter of Balasaheb Thackeray and P.L. Deshpande - Harish Kenchi

A Meeting of Icons, a Union of Hearts, a Surrender of Egos

Last year, on the 8th of November, P.L. Deshpande’s birth anniversary, I posted an unpublished account and a photograph on social media—a moment I had been urged never to reveal. It was the story of a meeting between Shiv Sena Chief Balasaheb Thackeray and the literary giant P.L. Deshpande. Balasaheb himself had forbidden me from publishing it, but the profound lesson in civility that these two titans of the Marathi world demonstrated felt too important to remain hidden. While I was bound by my word to the Sena Chief, a certain restlessness plagued me. Now, with both men no longer among us, I finally dared to share the story of that historic visit. The reason I recount this today is that the post went viral across Maharashtra, and even now, the calls have not stopped. It is my humble tribute to these two great souls. The episode began when the Maharashtra government announced the prestigious ‘Maharashtra Bhushan’ award for P.L. Deshpande. In response, Pu La, as he was affectionately known, unleashed a scathing critique of the government. At the time, Manohar Joshi was the Chief Minister and Pramod Navalkar, the Minister for Cultural Affairs. During the award ceremony, Pu La did not mince words, stating from the podium: “In the final chapter of my life, if there is one thing that disquiets me most, it is the rising tendency to crush reasoned debate with brute force. I have been a lifelong champion of the freedom of thought. How can I describe the anguish I feel when a party, elected through democratic means, comes to power and declares a preference for ‘thokshahi’ (rule by force) over ‘lokshahi’ (democracy)? The words of Saint Tukaram, ‘Ours is a legacy of despair,’ echo in my mind. Of late, words like ‘state,’ ‘politics,’ and ‘government’ have become synonymous with corruption, hooliganism, murder, and arson. When a chasm appears between what is preached and what is practiced, one’s faith in the very goodness of life begins to erode. For an artist, the enthusiasm to create experiences of joy is extinguished. The freedom to write and speak according to one’s convictions is of paramount importance to me. Thinkers who insist on bringing truth to the people, even when it is unpalatable to the powerful, must remain fearless. Rulers who use the might of the state to suppress ideas they disagree with render all social progress impotent.” Naturally, Pu La’s candid and incisive speech received widespread media coverage. Shiv Sena Chief Balasaheb Thackeray was deeply perturbed by it. In his characteristic fiery style, Balasaheb retorted publicly, leading to further controversy. The idea that Pu La would so openly chastise the government did not sit well with him. A couple of days later, at the inauguration of a flyover, Balasaheb launched a tirade from the stage. "We made a mistake giving the award to Pu La," he thundered. "If we are proponents of ‘thokshahi,’ then why did you accept our award?" He even derisively referred to the beloved author as a ‘broken bridge’ (a pun on ‘Pul,’ which means bridge). The media fanned the flames, and the public believed a permanent rift had formed between the two icons. A few days after this public fallout, theatre producer Mohan Wagh and a young Raj Thackeray visited Pu La at his Pune residence. Raj Thackeray approached the author and asked, "Uncle wishes to see you. May I bring him here?" Pu La’s response was immediate and warm. "Who, Bal? Of course, he can come anytime. He is, after all, my student from Oriental High School in Mumbai!" Soon after, Raj Thackeray arranged the meeting. Balasaheb was scheduled to arrive at Pu La's home at 4:30 PM. Pu La had made one request to Raj: ensure that the visit was not accompanied by a massive police entourage or a crowd of party workers. And so, keeping his promise, Raj arrived with Balasaheb, and no one else. I was granted the incredible fortune of witnessing this historic encounter, accompanied by photographer Manoj Bidkar. The day arrived. Balasaheb Thackeray, along with Raj Thackeray and his personal assistant Ravi Mhatre, pulled up to ‘Malati Madhav,’ Pu La’s residence on Bhandarkar Road. The visit was kept a secret, so the street was quiet, save for a few plainclothes policemen. Pu La, frail with age, was in his wheelchair. Raj stepped forward to announce Balasaheb’s arrival. Pu La's wife, Sunita-bai, went to the door to greet them. As Balasaheb entered, she welcomed him, "Do come in, Balasaheb." With a humble expression, he replied, "I am ‘Balasaheb’ for the world. In this house, I am just ‘Bal’." Sunita-bai had been the schoolteacher of Raj Thackeray's father, Shrikant Thackeray. Pu La sat confined to his wheelchair, his body trembling due to Parkinson's disease. Balasaheb approached him with a gentle smile, knelt before him, and bowed his head to touch Pu La’s feet. Overwhelmed by this profound gesture of humility, Pu La’s eyes welled up. Everyone in the room was moved to tears. Placing his hand on Balasaheb’s head, Pu La said, "Bal, I am proud of you." Balasaheb expressed his regret for the recent events. Pu La, with a magnanimous smile, dismissed it as if nothing had happened. As a correspondent for 'Saamana,' I documented the moment in words, while Manoj captured it with his camera. For the next hour, Pu La, Sunita-bai, Balasaheb, and Raj were lost in heartfelt conversation. It was a private moment, and knowing it was not our place to intrude, Manoj, Mhatre, and I stepped outside. As Balasaheb was leaving, he called me over and instructed, "Do not publish this news or the photograph." His visit was a testament to his greatness of heart. The perceived conflict between two of Maharashtra's most revered figures had been nothing more than a storm in a teacup. For years, this memory has resonated within me. I had the privilege of observing the character of both Pu La and Balasaheb, their value systems, and their ideological contradictions. Though their ideologies were poles apart, neither held any malice for the other. They remained true to their convictions. Despite their public disagreements, they never allowed their personal affection to wane. Pu La embraced the Sena Chief as his student, while Balasaheb, acknowledging Pu La's seniority, knelt and touched his feet. Such was their magnanimity. In today's age, where political opposition is treated as enmity, Pu La’s words from that award ceremony feel more relevant than ever. Later, another controversy erupted between Balasaheb and Vasant Bapat, the president of a literary meet in Dadar. When Bapat declared, "We spit on the government's 25 lakh rupee grant," Balasaheb retorted by calling the literary meet a ‘cattle market.’ The feud between Balasaheb and Pu La had already sent ripples through the literary world, and its echoes were felt even at a subsequent literary conference in Navi Mumbai, where actor Nana Patekar famously addressed Balasaheb, saying, "The image we hold of you in our hearts is sacred. No one, not even you, has the right to tarnish it." Today, our country, and Maharashtra in particular, is mired in unprecedented political filth. Just as every earthquake has an epicenter, Maharashtra has become the epicenter of a political earthquake. Where did these shameless and brazen politicians get such audacity? Or is it that by ignoring the problem at its inception, we allowed these parasitic vines to grow so large they now dwarf the tree of democracy? No politician is an exception. Citizens once tolerated the deceptions and stratagems of politics, but now the stench is overflowing its confines, spreading like a burst sewer line, creating a deep-seated revulsion for politicians. Against this bleak backdrop, the words and actions of P.L. Deshpande and Balasaheb Thackeray stand as a beacon of civility. Perhaps that is why the story of this meeting, this union, this surrender of ego between two of Maharashtra's most cherished icons, went viral. It was a moment that reminded us of a more cultured time. By Harish Kenchi Veteran Editor and Columnist (This article is the translated version of the original article श्रद्धास्थानाची भेट, मिलन अन्‌‍ समर्पण! शिवसेनाप्रमुख आणि पुलंची ‌‘ती‌’ भेट!  written by Harish Kenchipublished in the Sahitya Chaprak Diwali Ank 2025 )