A home is more than just four walls, it carries dreams, memories, and identity. When it is on the verge of being lost, people go to any length to save it. That is exactly what happened recently when noted Marathi actor and poet Kishor Kadam appealed for help to secure a home in Mumbai.
Despite a celebrated career with films like Natrang, Fandry, Jogwa, and Zarn, Kadam now finds himself struggling for a place of his own. His plea reached the Chief Minister, who issued instructions, but the outcome is still uncertain.
This situation brings back a remarkable incident from 1980, when then Maharashtra Chief Minister Abdul Rahman Antulay attended a wedding at the home of High Court Justice Venkata Rao Deshpande. Among the guests was a man sitting quietly in a corner.
Antulay, not recognising him, asked why he had not stood up to greet him. Justice Deshpande explained, “Sir, he is blind. He is Uttamrao Agnihotri, one of India’s most respected musicians.”
Realising his mistake, Antulay felt deep regret. That very night, he instructed his secretary to gather all information about Agnihotri. He discovered that the musician had applied for a government-allotted home in Mumbai years earlier but never received a response.
Antulay acted immediately, ordering that Agnihotri be given a house before morning. When told there was no rule for such a provision, he created one on the spot by issuing a new Government Resolution. By midnight, the paperwork was completed and signed.
Antulay’s support did not stop there. A few days later, at an event in SNDT University, he requested the Vice-Chancellor to offer Agnihotri a job, not only a home but also financial stability. It was an extraordinary example of sensitivity, speed, and decisive governance.
Today, as Kishor Kadam struggles for a roof over his head in Pune, the contrast is striking. If a Chief Minister could change an artist’s life overnight in 1980, the question is, why is it not possible in 2025?