V. Shantaram
- Birthday: 18. November 1901
- Birthplace: Kolhapur, Maharashtra, British India
- Awards: 1955 - All India Certificate of Merit for Best Feature Film - Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje, 1955 - President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film in Hindi - Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje, 1957 - President's Gold Medal for the All India Best Feature Film - Do Aankhen Barah Haath, 1957 - President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film in Hindi - Do Aankhen Barah Haath, 1957: Filmfare Award for Best Director: Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje, 1958: Berlin International Film Festival, OCIC Award: Do Aankhen Barah Haath, 1958: Berlin International Film Festival, Silver Bear (Special Prize): Do Aankhen Barah Haath, 1985: Dadasaheb Phalke Award, 1992: Padma Vibhushan
Biography
Shantaram Rajaram Vankudre (18 November 1901 – 30 October 1990), referred to as V. Shantaram, was an Indian filmmaker, film producer and actor. He is most known for his films like Dr. Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani (1946), Amar Bhoopali (1951), Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje (1955), Do Aankhen Barah Haath (1957), Navrang (1959), Duniya Na Mane (1937), Pinjra (1972), Chani, Iye Marathiche Nagari and Zunj.
He directed his first film, Netaji Palkar in 1927. In 1929, he founded the Prabhat Film Company along with Vishnupant Damle, K.R. Dhaiber, S. Fatelal and S.B. Kulkarni, which made Ayodhyecha Raja, the first Marathi language film in 1932 under his direction. He left Prabhat in 1942 to form "Rajkamal Kalamandir" in Mumbai. In time, 'Rajkamal' became one of most sophisticated studios of the country.
He was praised by Chaplin for his Marathi film Manoos. Chaplin reportedly liked the film very much.