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Ghashiram Kotwal was a Marathi play written by playwright Vijay Tendulkar. It is a story about how men in power give rise to certain fascist ideologies to serve their purposes and later destroy them when they become useless. It was first performed on 16^th December 1972 by the Progressive Drama Association in Pune. This play caused a lot of controversy because some people believed that it hurt the feelings of the Brahmin community and that it showed the statesman Nana Phadnavis in a bad light.

The play begins with an invocation to lord Ganesha. Then the Brahmins of Pune introduce themselves and we can see the morally corrupt state of affairs in Pune. Nana Phadnavis who is the Prime Minister of Pune is also corrupt and visits the lavani dancer. Ghashiram is working with the lavani dancer. Ghashiram being a Brahmin goes to collect alms at the Peshwa's festival the next day. However he is ill-treated there and is charged with pick-pocketing and thrown to jail. He then decides to take revenge. Ghashiram uses his own daughter as a prostitute to get the Kotwali(post of police chief) of Pune from Nana.Having got the Kotwali he begins to enforce strict rules in the city. He starts asking for permits for everything and starts throwing people in jail for the smallest offences. In the mean time, Ghashi's daughter is killed by Nana. The situation goes out of hand when a few people in the jail die out of suffocation. The brahmins then complain to the Peshwa. The Peshwa summons Nana who gives order to kill Ghashi in the most derogatory way possible. Thus it leads to Ghashi's Death.

Ghashiram Savaldas : RAmesh Tilekar Nana Phadnavis : Mohan Agashe Sutradhar(Narrator) : Shreeram Ranade

The play was adapted into a film released in 1976 which was the debut of actor Om Puri.