Lokshahir Ram Joshi

Lokshahir Ram Joshi
Film Poster
Directed by	V. Shantaram Baburao Painter
Produced by	Rajkamal Kalamandir
Written by	G. R. Madgulkar
Starring	G. Balkrishna Hansa Wadkar Shakuntala Paranjpye Sudha Apte
Music by	Vasant Desai
Cinematography	G. Balkrishna
Production company	Rajkamal Kalamandir
Release date	1947 (1947)
Running time	123 minutes
Country	India
Language	Marathi

Lokshahir Ram Joshi (People's Poet Ram Joshi) also called Matawala Shair Ram Joshi in Hindi, is a 1947 Marathi biopic film of the poet Ram Joshi, directed by Baburao Painter and co-directed by V. Shantaram. Shantaram had given the direction to Painter but had to complete the film when Painter fell ill during production. Produced under the Rajkamal Kalamandir banner it is also referred to as Lok Shahir Ramjoshi. The story writer was G.D. Madgulkar, who is cited as the "first specialist film writer" in Marathi cinema. This film was his first "full-fledged writing assignment", wherein he wrote the story, screenplay, dialogue and lyrics. It was also his debut as a screenplay writer. The film starred Jayaram Shiledar as Ram Joshi and Hansa Wadkar as Baya. The rest of the cast included Shakuntala Paranjpye, Parashuram, Sudha Apte and G. R. Madgulkar.

The film, termed as the "Classic Marathi Tamasha musical" was a biopic of the poet, kirtan, and lavani performer Ram Joshi (1758-1812) set in the Peshwa period.

Ram Joshi is a Brahmin poet, who through his love of poetry and dance starts associating with the tamasha artists. He falls in love with the tamasha dancer Baya (Hansa Wadkar). The artists are of low-caste, and Joshi's interacting with them brings censure and he is out-lawed by the other members of his caste. The film follows his descent into alcoholism and his redemption from it through poetry.

Lokshahir Ram Joshi in Marathi Cinema became of the "biggest post-war success", starting the trend for the "tamasha genre" films. One of the reasons cited for the success of the film in both Marathi and Hindi, were the songs written by Madgulkar. He went on to work for other major Marathi film-makers like Raja Paranjpye, Ram Gabale, Datta Dharmadhikari and Anant Mane. V. Shantaram later used him as a story writer for Do Aankhen Barah Haath (1957). The film made use of the "vibrant lavnis" and "sawaal-jawabs" (musical question and answers) which is stated to have become a "trend-setter". As cited by Narwekar and Kul, the music and dances "enthralled" the audiences.

Music was composed by Vasant Desai with lyrics by the poet Ram Joshi and Madgulkar.