He tried to run his own drama company but found it difficult to perform the dual roles of manager and actor.

His role in the drama Andhalyanchi Shala ("The Blinds' School", 1933) won him rave reviews, subsequently he became a star, and also joined the Prabhat Film Company.

His acting in the Marathi film Kunku (1937) set a standard which has rarely been approached since on the silver screen.

[3] Keshavrao directed four films, Kisise Na Kehna (1942), Andhon Ki Duniya (1947),[4] and Maali or Mali in Hindi (1944) and its Marathi version Bhakticha Mala (1944).

Maali and Bhakticha Mala (1944) were Date's the second and third of his directorial ventures, and were produced by V. Shantaram under his new banner Rajkamal Kalamandir.