Sudhir Dalvi played Sai Baba at 38, had no work for years; Kartik Aaryan, Akshay Kumar helped

In October last year, the veteran actor Sudhir Dalvi, renowned for his portrayal of Sai Baba in the 1977 film "Shirdi Ke Sai Baba," was hospitalized with severe sepsis at the age of 86. Initially, his family funded his treatment, but eventually, they sought financial assistance from various sources, including trusts, fans, and celebrities who idolized him.

Although many were aware of his significant contributions to Marathi cinema, Dalvi had initially pursued a different career path before entering the acting industry. Before becoming an actor, Sudhir Dalvi practised as an interior designer. It was during a project for actress Tarla Mehta, Dharmendra's first heroine, that he met Satyadev Dubey, who offered him his first role in a drama.

However, he declined to play the role of Aurangzeb in the play "Sher Shivaji" due to his reservations about his appearance. This decision led him to audition for the role of Mirza Raja Jai Singh Rajput. It was during the rehearsals that Pandurang Dixit praised his acting, leading to an unexpected call from Shrikant Moge, who cast him as Sai Baba.

Despite his reluctance, Sudhir Dalvi found himself embodying the spiritual figure after Pandurang Dixit invited him to his home and greeted him with "Aao Sai." The film went on to become a massive hit, earning nearly Rs 2 crore at the box office, which would be equivalent to over Rs 60 crore today. However, Sudhir Dalvi's career was impacted by his portrayal of Sai Baba, as producers struggled to separate him from the character and were reluctant to offer him new roles.