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Makarand Deshpande Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 5, 2026 • 3 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth6 March 1966

Age59 Years (as of 2025)

BirthplaceDahanu, Maharashtra, India

ProfessionActor, Director, Writer, Producer

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseNivedita Pohankar

FamilyNone listed

Makarand Deshpande Biography

Makarand Deshpande is an Indian actor, director, writer and producer known for a long-running career in theatre and film across multiple Indian languages.A

Early life and background

Makarand Deshpande was born on 6 March 1966 in Dahanu, Maharashtra. He grew up in Dahanu and completed his schooling at B. P. M. High School in Mumbai before graduating from Narsee Monjee College of Commerce and Economics. He is Indian by nationality and his astrological sign is Pisces.

Career

Deshpande made his first appearance in mainstream Hindi cinema with a role in the 1988 film Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. Over the years he has built a diverse career as an actor, director, writer and producer, working across Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam and Marathi films.

His screen work spans supporting, comic and negative roles; he has also directed for Bollywood, with Danav (2003) listed among his directorial credits. As an actor he has notable credits in regional cinema, including appearances in Telugu (Jalsa, 2008), Marathi (Rita, 2009), Kannada (Dandupalya, 2012) and Malayalam (No. 66 Madhura Bus, 2012) films.

Deshpande’s work has been recognised with awards. In 2012 he received the South Indian International Movie Award in the category of Best Actor in a Negative Role for his performances in the Kannada film Dandupalya and the Malayalam film No. 66 Madhura Bus.

Theatre has been a central strand of his creative life. After joining Prithvi Theatre in 1990, he ran an informal troupe called Head’s Together and, in 1993, co-founded Ansh Theatre Group with Kay Kay Menon. That same year he produced his first full-length play, Dream Man, and went on to write and direct many more stage works.

By 2018 Deshpande had created an extensive body of theatrical work: more than 50 short plays and around 40 full-length productions, including Sir Sir Sarla (2006), Karodo Mein Ek (2008), Joke (2009), Miss Beautiful (2009) and Dev Vanar. His stage directing credits include productions such as Chitra, Ek Kadam Aage, Kasturi, Grihalaxmi, Krishna Kidding and The Doll.

He has published a limited-edition book titled Ansh Theatre Group that reflects his long association with the troupe he helped establish.

Other creative work

Deshpande has contributed as a singer to several film soundtracks, lending his voice to songs in Jungle (2000), Ek Aur Visphot (2002), Supari (2003) and Naach (2004). He has expressed interest in portraying the painter Raja Ravi Varma on screen.

Public profile

Known for an unconventional personal style, Deshpande has been noted for distinctive outfits and hairstyles. He has worked with prominent theatre personalities; his move into Prithvi Theatre came with help from Sanjana Kapoor. In 2011 he served as a judge, alongside Urmila Matondkar, on the Marathi reality television show Marathi Paul Padate Pudhe.

He has also appeared in non-acting entertainment formats, participating as a player for the Veer Marathi team in Season 3 of the Celebrity Cricket League in 2013.

Personal life

Makarand Deshpande is married to writer Nivedita Pohankar; the marriage was recorded in 2016. Previously he had been engaged to actress Sonali Kulkarni, an engagement that was later called off. Deshpande has no children listed in the available information.

Latest updates

Up to 2018, his theatrical output remained prolific, with dozens of short plays and a long list of full-length productions to his credit. His ongoing involvement in theatre, film and occasional television projects continues to define a multifaceted career across India’s performing arts landscape.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Makarand Deshpande, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded
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Recent Work

Dandupalya

Actor in Kannada film; won SIIMA Best Actor in a Negative Role (2012)

2012
No. 66 Madhura Bus

Actor in Malayalam film; won SIIMA Best Actor in a Negative Role (2012)

2012
Danav

Bollywood film directed by Makarand Deshpande

2003
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Career Highlights

  1. Bollywood acting debut in Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988)
  2. Co-founder of Ansh Theatre Group (1993)
  3. Produced first full-length play Dream Man (1993)
  4. Directed numerous stage plays and authored a limited-edition book on Ansh Theatre Group
  5. Won SIIMA Best Actor in a Negative Role (2012) for Dandupalya and No. 66 Madhura Bus
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Makarand Deshpande born?

Makarand Deshpande was born on 6 March 1966.

What is Makarand Deshpande known for?

Makarand Deshpande is known for actor, Director, Writer, Producer.

What is Makarand Deshpande’s marital status?

Makarand Deshpande's marital status is listed as Married.

Who is Makarand Deshpande married to?

Makarand Deshpande is publicly listed as married to Nivedita Pohankar.