His performance in a 1987 Marathi play titled Zulva was very well received, and since then he started gaining popularity among the circle of stalwarts.

He won Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Marathi for Aboli film, for his reprising debutant role "Sayaji".

Sayaji Shinde joined the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on 11 October 2024 ahead of 2024 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Elections in the presence of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, NCP working president Praful Patel, and State unit chief Sunil Tatkare.

[2] Born in a farmer's family in a small village named Sakharwadi in Satara District in Maharashtra, Sayaji completed his bachelor's degree in arts in Marathi language, and started his career in 1978 while studying in college as a night watchman for Maharashtra Government's Irrigation Department for a meager pay of Rs.

Varma, who was at that time making the movie Shool, immediately offered the role of Bachhu Yadav to Sayaji, thus marking his entry into Bollywood.