Noted theatre personality and ad film maker Alyque Padamsee has died at the age of 90.
He was well-known for superb campaigns like Surf's Lalitaji, the MRF muscle man, the Liril girl in the waterfall, Hamara Bajaj, Kamasutra couple among others.
Padamsee was most-well known for his role as Muhammad Ali Jinnah in Richard Attenborough-directed 1982 historcial drama Gandhi, which starred Ben Kingsley in the titular role.
He is also known for many English theatre productions including Evita and Jesus Chirst Superstar.
Padamsee has a rich background in the areas of advertising, theatre and public services. He is known as the Brand Father of Indian Advertising. He is also called the guru of the English Theatre in India. He was conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award for Theatre by the Sangeet Natak Akademi.
He was voted into the International Clio Hall of Fame, the Oscars of World Advertising. He serves as a Social Activist for the Citizens for Justice b Peace Committee, the Citizens Action Group and he was on the Advisory Council of The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT Bombay).
He was awarded the Padmashri in 1999 for his contributions to the field of advertising and theatre. The Advertising Club of Bombay named him "Advertising Man of the Century". He was appointed to the Prime Minister's AIDS Task Force. Penguin Books has published his autobiography about his exciting years in the Theatre and Advertising, entitled 'A Double Life', which has become a bestseller and is prescribed in Business Schools.
He married thrice - actress and stage artist Pearl Padamsee, newscaster and TV personality Dolly Thakore and singer Sharon Prabhakar.
With Pearl, he has a daughter Reall Padamsee and son Rahul Padamsee, with Dolly he has a son Quasar Padamsee and with Sharon, a daughter Shazahn Padamsee.