Celebrity Puppets Designed by Ramdas Padhye in his Puppet Studio

Ramdas Padhye and his team of trained puppeteers are behind this new show "Juicy Pammi" on India's leading Lifestyle channel "ZOOM".The puppets are designed and created in Ramdas Padhye's "Puppet Studio".The show features India's various Celebrity Puppets.The Lead Puppeteers behind the show are Ramdas Padhye, wife Aparna and son Satyajit.

Ramdas Padhye's "Puppet Studio" has literally given birth to thousands of celebrity puppets like George W Bush, Bill Clinton, Marilyn Monoroe,Frank Sinatra, Amitabh Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan, Sanjay Dutt etc.

Ramdas Padhye has in his collection more than 2000 puppets which are carefully stored in his "Puppet Studio".

Ramdas Padhye says "WE CAN DESIGN PUPPETS OF ANY CELEBRITY ON EARTH"

To know more please email us at ramdas@vpuppets.com

Visit http://www.vpuppets.com

"Puppet and the Politician's Nautanki"

It is always said that a “Politican” has two minds.What he speaks, he may not necessarily mean it, because something different may be going on in his mind.What happens when you listen to his second mind.Satyajit Padhye has used this concept to create a humor based show titled 'A Beautiful Mind' , where Satyajit himself plays a typical Indian Politican and the Puppet is his Alter Ego or second mind.This weekly show is very cult,sarcastic, extremely witty and pokes fun of politicans.Another unique part of this show is that it will be seen on INDIA’s First On-line T.V. Channel called “Nautanki.TV”.Here are more Videos :

Episode 4 : RAKHI TO SANIA

Puppets create awareness for AIDS

AIDS is the most serious problem facing mankind in this century.Several films are made every year to create awareness amongst people of all age groups regarding this disease.But “Puppetry and AIDS” sounds quite different.That’s exactly what Gen-Next Ventriloquist and Puppeteer Satyajit Padhye has done.He has used this Puppetry medium to create awareness regarding AIDS and HIV in the film titled “AIDS – The Deadline”. The 4 minute short film will be released on the occasion of the World AIDS Day which is celebrated on 1st December every year.
Satyajit Ramdas Padhye got interested in this art of puppetry from childhood.Being son of famous Ventriloquist and Puppeteer Ramdas Padhye, Satyajit regularly use to accompany his dad in every show.Speaking more on this he said “AIDS is one of the most serious problem and is continuously increasing, so it is necessary to create awareness amongst people regarding this disease .Mr Devendra Patil of Manav Seva Sangh, Sion wanted to make a film on AIDS, but wanted something different and unique, so that it could really make an impact on minds of the audience.When he narrated me the concept, we decided that this film cannot be done with live actors.I did some research and found out that Puppet is a visual metaphor, representing the 'real life', but at the same time, it is one step removed from the real world. It can inform and educate at the same time. Puppetry medium can be used to break down racial, social, political barriers and stereotypes, because it represents the 'neutral' aspect of the human, exaggerating its 'larger than life' issues. The reason for this is the puppet does not necessary have to belong to any particular culture, race or language group or social class, as these can be researched and adapted to the target audience. It is an ideal way to reach a largely illiterate audience.Puppetry medium can deliver the strongest possible message, in a light-hearted manner. It has an universal appeal.It can cater to all age groups and people of all nationalities if used with music.It can convey an expression in subtle way which can be understood by one and all.So we decided to use the Puppetry medium.
The concept of the film is very unique and different.The film succeeds in creating awareness about AIDS and HIV.The film at the end, gives the message, that now is the time to come together and solve this problem facing mankind.Thus film is aptly titled “AIDS – The Deadline”.
Speaking more about the film Satyajit said “Conventionally, Puppetry medium is often used for creating comedy.Hence it was really a great challenge to do this film as it dealt with a serious subject like AIDS.I was required to make the puppets entirely new for this film.So the puppet making took a lot of time.I have used more than 30 puppets in this film, which were exclusively designed for this film.I have used different type of puppetry forms, from simple finger puppets to highly sophisticated “Muppet style of Puppets”. I was the lead puppeteer and I had trained other 5 puppeteers who assisted me in this project.I think so, this may be the first film in India which is using the Puppetry medium to create awareness regarding AIDS and HIV.We are planning to release this film in different theatres in Mumbai in the 1st week of December and it will be screened before the regular film. The film is directed and produced by Devendra Patil, Associate Director is Mahesh Rahi and the background commentary is done by television actor Sudhir Dalvi.
At the age of 13, Satyajit started as an assistant puppeteer & assisted his father for the play “Good Night Baby Dino” which was directed by Ad-man Bharat Dabolkar.From then on,he has been working along with his father on number of projects which includes various ad-films, movies, puppet serials and puppet plays.He was one of the lead puppeteers for the music video “Maine Payal Hain Chhankai”.He also assisted his father for the film “Dil Hai Tumharra”.He has also performed for Mumbai High Court to create awareness amongst masses regarding “Right To Information Act”. After a successful Gulf tour where he performed shows in different schools across Dubai and Sharjah, he represented “INDIA” along with his father at the World Festival of Puppet Art in Prague in June, 2006.
Currently pursuing his Chartered Accountancy course, Satyajit is a graduate from R.A.Podar College and has represented his college at various inter-collegiate festivals.His performances at Malhar & Youth Fest won him accolades.He has also represented “INDIA” at Japan Ventriloquist Festival,one of the prestigious events in Puppetry World held at Tokyo along with his father.
With his razor sharp wit & rib-tickling humor, Satyajit has really arrived on the scene of Indian entertainment.He has capacity to instill fresh ideas and approaches in the performing act of ventriloquism and puppetry for the younger generations. He is a serious computer buff and has lived up in his priorities the development and presentations of computerised puppetry apart from live shows.

Contact : Satyajit R Padhye, Padhye Bldg, S.K Bole Road, Dadar(W) Mumbai – 28
Tel : 9820683852, 24229842

India wins at the World Festival of Puppet Art, Prague

India is going Global in all fields.And the art of Puppetry is also not an exception to this rule.India literally shined at the recently concluded World Festival of Puppet Art in Prague, Czech Republic. This is one of the most prestigious events in Puppetry World, where 50 best Puppet Theatres from around the world represent their respective countries in the festival. Ramdas Padhye, Ventriloquist, Puppeteer and Puppet-Maker from Mumbai represented “INDIA” at this festival.He won a Special Jury Award for his play “Marriage of Draupadi” a puppet presentation of 150 Years old Puppets of Pioneer Marathi Dramatist Vishnudas Bhave.This puppet playlet is from the Great Indian epic Mahabharata.

Speaking more on this Mr.Padhye said “I am happy that I got the award.I am proud to be an Indian.Everybody loved our performance, especially the traditional Indian Puppets and their manipulation”.Ramdas Padhye along with wife Aparna and two sons Satyajit and Parikshit presented this play at the festival.Mr.Padhye said “I am happy that an Indian puppeteer has been selected.When asked about how he got chosen, he said “The committee of the festival short-listed 50 best Puppetry Theatres from 100 countries.I was really surprised when I got a mail from them.I wrote to them that I am going to present the 150 Years Old Puppets of Pioneer Indian Dramatist Vishnudas Bhave.And I got selected.

20 years ago when Ramdas Padhye was handed over this treasure of puppets they were all in shambles & nothing more than a neglected heap of wooden parts. Motivated by historic contribution of Late Vishnudas Bhave, Ramdas Padhye set upon with singular devotion to restore this treasure to its original glory & splendor. In the quest for resurrection and restoration of these puppets he waded through available 19th century literature, newpapers & biography with the able assistance of his wife Aparna Ramdas. Together they pieced together various references, scripts & leads gathered from the various spare parts of puppets & finally restored some of the puppets to the original splendor.After research of 20 years, Ramdas Padhye & his team brought to life these puppets almost after 150 years by staging this historic event at the Nehru Centre auditorium in Mumbai in 2000.After that he presented this play in various parts of India.He said “I always wanted to perform this play in an International Puppetry Festival because these puppets are really unique and different.” These puppets are basically operated by string & rod techniques which are superbly complemented by mechanical pulleys & specially crafted puppet theatre with inter-changeable wooden tracks. This unique technique presented by Ramdas Padhye may be or is first of its kind in international arena which was discovered 150 years ago by Indian puppeteer, Vishnudas Bhave.He said “That is the reason they chose me.”

In this festival there were many performances from different countries like China, Thailand, Belorussia, Holland, Poland, England.China and Thailand presented their traditional puppetry whereas Belorussia presented a puppet play of famous writer Leo Tolstoy.Romania presented another classic play “Faust” through puppets.”Pin Ups” presented by Spain was also outstanding where they showed different cabaret dancers through the art of puppetry.

Mr Padhye says that this festival is literally an example of how puppetry can be presented in different forms and for different age-groups right from children to adults.Mr.Padhye over the years has used traditional Indian puppetry technique in the modern form to give a contemporary look which will appeal to global audiences.Over 3 and half decades, Mr Padhye has so far performed more than 9000 shows around the world including number of television specials on various national and international networks including NBC, CBS, Channel 4 and continues to regale his audiences with his witty and entertaining puppets.

Mr Padhye has made all the Indians proud by winning the Special Jury Award by his excellent performance at the festival and resurrecting the 150 Years Old Puppets.

For more information visit http://www.vpuppets.com or email ramdas@vpuppets.com ramdaspadhye@gmail.com

Hi,

Everybody out there.I am Ramdas Padhye Ventriloquist, Puppeteer and Puppet-Maker from India performing for last 39 years in India and abroad.My website www.vpuppets.com I am starting my own blog.This blog is about everything related to puppetry.

Thanks
Ramdas Padhye,INDIA.