Ajit Pawar's father Anantrao Pawar once worked in Indian Cinema with filmmaker V. Shantaram

Ajit Pawar's father Anantrao Pawar once worked in Indian Cinema with filmmaker V. Shantaram

• Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash on Jan 28, 2026.
• All 5 aboard died as the plane crashed and caught fire near the landing area.
• Ajit Pawar's father worked at Rajkamal Studios, owned by filmmaker V. Shantaram

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In one of the most shocking news incidents of the year, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died in a private aircraft crash on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, while travelling from Mumbai to Baramati.

Authorities said there were five people on board, and none survived as the aircraft went down during its approach and caught fire near the landing area.

As condolences poured in from across parties and the country, a lesser-known detail about Pawar’s family began circulating again: his father had a connection to Indian cinema long before the Pawars became a household political name.

Ajit Pawar’s father was Anantrao Pawar. Multiple reports over the years have said Anantrao worked at Rajkamal Studios (Rajkamal Kalamandir) in Bombay, a studio owned by legendary filmmaker V. Shantaram.

Also Read: When Ajit Pawar helped Bigg Boss Marathi 5 winner Suraj Chavan build a bungalow in Baramati after learning that he was living in a shack

Anantrao is often described as having worked in production or studio operations, but the exact designation is not consistently documented in public biographies.

What is clearer is that the family had a working foothold in Mumbai’s professional world through the studio system, while still remaining rooted in rural Maharashtra.

V. Shantaram, the filmmaker Anantrao reportedly worked with, was not just another director with a few hits. He was one of the builders of modern Indian cinema, and he established Rajkamal Kalamandir in 1942 after leaving Prabhat Films. The studio went on to produce landmark titles, including Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje and Do Aankhen Barah Haath, films still referenced for craft and social themes.

Anantrao Pawar died when Ajit was young, and later accounts note that Ajit’s education and early responsibilities were shaped by that loss.

Ajit Pawar’s sudden demise has left his family, friends, and colleagues from the political world in deep mourning, with the tragic news sending shockwaves across Maharashtra and the entire nation.