Girish Karnad
Encyclopedia
Girish Raghunath Karnad (Konkani
: गिरीश रघुनाथ कार्नाड, Kannada
: ಗಿರೀಶ್ ರಘುನಾಥ್ ಕಾರ್ನಾಡ್) (born 19 May 1938) is a contemporary writer
, playwright
, screenwriter, actor
and movie director
in Kannada language. His rise as a prominent playwright in 1960s, marked the coming of age of Modern Indian playwriting in Kannada, just as Badal Sarkar
did it in Bengali
, Vijay Tendulkar
in Marathi, and Mohan Rakesh
in Hindi. He is a recipient of the 1998 Jnanpith Award
for Kannada
, the highest literary honour conferred in India
.
For four decades Karnad has been composing plays
, often using history
and mythology
to tackle contemporary issues. He has translated his major plays into English, and has received critical acclaim across India. His plays have been translated into several Indian languages and directed by eminent directors like Ebrahim Alkazi
, B. V. Karanth
, Alyque Padamsee
, Prasanna
, Arvind Gaur
, Satyadev Dubey
, Vijaya Mehta
, Shyamanand Jalan
and Amal Allana
. He is also active in the world of Indian cinema
working as an actor
, director
, and screenwriter
, both in Hindi and Kannada cinema, earning numerous awards along the way. He was conferred Padma Shri
and Padma Bhushan
by the Government of India.
, Maharashtra
, into a Konkani
-speaking Saraswat Brahmin
family. His initial schooling was in Sirsi, Karnataka, here he was exposed to travelling theatre groups, Natak Mandalis as his parents were deeply interested in their plays. As a youngster, Karnad was an ardent admirer of Yakshagana
and the theater in his village.
He earned his Bachelors of Arts degree in Mathematics and Statistics, from Karnatak Arts College, Dharwad
(Karnataka University), in 1958. Upon graduation Karnad went to England
and studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Lincoln
and Magdalen
colleges in Oxford
as a Rhodes Scholar (1960–63), earning his Master of Arts
degree in philosophy
, political science
and economics
.
, Chennai for seven years (1963–70), he resigned to take to writing full time. While in Chennai he got involved with local amateur theatre group, The Madras Players
.
During 1987-88, he was at the University of Chicago
as Visiting Professor and Fulbright Playwright-in-Residence. It was during his tenure at Chicago that Nagamandala had its world premiere at the Guthrie Theater
in Minneapolis based on an English translation of the Kannada original that Karnad himself did. Most recently, he served as Director of the Nehru Centre and as Minister of Culture, in the Indian High Commission, London (2000–03).
He has served as Director of the Film and Television Institute of India
(1974–1975) and Chairman of the Sangeet Natak Akademi, the National Academy of the Performing Arts (1988–93).
. His plays, written in Kannada, have been widely translated into English
and all major Indian languages. Karnad's plays are written neither in English
, in which he dreamed of earning international literary fame as a poet, nor in his mother tongue Konkani
. Instead they are composed in his adopted language Kannada
. When Karnad started writing plays, Kannada literature
was highly influenced by the renaissance in Western literature
. Writers would choose a subject which looked entirely alien to manifestation of native soil. C. Rajagopalachari
's version of the Mahabharat published in 1951, left a deep impact on him, and soon sometime in the mid 1950s, one day he experienced a rush of dialogues spoken by characters from the Mahabharata in his adopted language Kannada. "I could actually hear the dialogues being spoken into my ears..."I was just the scribe, " said Karnad in a later interview. Eventually Yayati was published in 1961, he was 23 years old. It is based on the story of King Yayati
, one of the ancestors of the Pandavas, who was cursed into premature old age by his father-in-law, Shukracharya, incensed by Yayati's infidelity. Yayati in turn asks his sons to sacrifice their youth for him, and one of them agrees. It ridicules the ironies of life through characters in Mahabharata
and became an instant success, immediately translated and staged in several other Indian languages.
In a situation like that Karnad found a new approach like drawing historical
and mythological
sources to tackle contemporary themes, and existentialist crisis of modern man, through his characters locked in psychological and philosophical conflicts. His next was Tughlaq (1964), his best loved play, about an idealist 14th-century Sultan of Delhi, Muhammad bin Tughluq
, and allegory on the Nehruvian era which started with ambitious idealism and ended up in disillusionment. This established Karnad, now 26-years old, as one of the most promising playwrights in the country
. It was stage by the National School of Drama
Repertory under the direction of Ebrahim Alkazi
, with the actor Manohar Singh
, playing the visionary king who later becomes disillusioned and turns bitter, amidst the historic Purana Qila in Delhi. It was later staged in London by the National School of Drama for the Festival of India in 1982.
Hayavadana (1971) was based on a theme drawn from The Transposed Heads, a 1940 novella by Thomas Mann
, which is originally found in Kathasaritsagara
, herein he employed the folk theatre form of Yakshagana. A German version of the play, was directed by Vijaya Mehta
as part of the repertoire of the Deutsches National Theatre, Weimar. Naga-Mandala (Play with Cobra, 1988) was based on a folk tale related to him by A. K. Ramanujam, brought him the Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award for the Most Creative Work of 1989. It was directed by J. Garland Wright, as part of the celebrations of the 30th anniversary of Guthrie Theatre, Minneapolis. The theatre subsequently commissioned him to write the play, Agni Mattu Male (The Fire and the Rain). Though prior to it came Taledanda
(Death by Beheading, 1990) which used the backdrop, the rise of Veerashaivism, a radical protest and reform movement in 12th century Karnataka to bring out current issues.
Karnad himself has translated all his plays into English. A large number of his Kannada plays have been translated by Dr. Bhargavi P Rao
to Telugu
. His play Agni Aur Varsha (The Fire and the Rain) was adapted into a Hindi film, Agni Varsha
(2002).
(1970), based on a novel by U.R. Ananthamurthy and directed by Pattabhirama Reddy. That movie won the first President's Golden Lotus Award
for Kannada cinema
. Over the years he had acted in a number Hindi and Kannada feature films, and worked with directors like Satyajit Ray
, Mrinal Sen
and Shyam Benegal
. In television, he played the role of Swami's father in TV series Malgudi Days
(1986–1987), based on R. K. Narayan
's books.
He made his directorial debut with Vamsha Vriksha
(1971), based on a Kannada
novel by S.L. Bhairappa. It won him National Film Award for Best Direction along with B. V. Karanth
, who co-directed the film. Later, Karnad directed several movies in Kannada and Hindi
, including Godhuli
(1977) and Utsav
(1984). He has made number of documentaries, like one on the Kannada poet D. R. Bendre
(1972), Kanaka-Purandara (English, 1988) on two medieval Bhakti
poets of Karnataka, Kanaka Dasa
and Purandara Dasa
, and The Lamp in the Niche (English, 1989) on Sufism and the Bhakti movement
. Many of his films and documentaries have won several national and international awards.
Some of his famous Kannada movies include Tabbaliyu Neenade Magane
, Ondanondu Kaladalli
, Cheluvi and Kaadu
and most recent film Kanooru Heggaditi (1999), based on a novel by Kannada
writer Kuvempu
.
His Hindi movies include Nishaant (1975), Manthan
(1976), Swami
(1977) and Pukar
(2000). He has acted in a number of Nagesh Kukunoor
films, starting with Iqbal (2005) written by Vipul K Rawal
, where his role of the ruthless cricket coach too got him critical acclaim. This was followed by Dor
(2006), 8 x 10 Tasveer (2009), with lead actor Akshay Kumar and Aashayein (2010).
He has also acted in Kannada gangster movie Aa Dinagalu
.
. He has also been the voice of APJ Abdul Kalam, former President of India
, in the audiobook of Kalam's autobiography by Charkha Audiobooks Wings of Fire
.
Filmfare Awards
Others
He also served as the director of the Film and Television Institute of India
from 1974–1975, the Indian co-chairman for the Joint Media Committee of the Indo-US Sub-Commission on Education and Culture from 1984–1993, chairman of the Sangeet Natak Academy from 1988–1993, and president of Karnataka Nataka Academy from 1976-1978.
in India. He publicly condemned the demolition of Babri Masjid
in 1992, and later spoke against the attempts to create controversy about the Idgah Maidan in Hubli.
Konkani language
KonkaniKonkani is a name given to a group of several cognate dialects spoken along the narrow strip of land called Konkan, on the west coast of India. This is, however, somewhat an over-generalisation. Geographically, Konkan is defined roughly as the area between the river Damanganga to the north...
: गिरीश रघुनाथ कार्नाड, Kannada
Kannada language
Kannada or , is a language spoken in India predominantly in the state of Karnataka. Kannada, whose native speakers are called Kannadigas and number roughly 50 million, is one of the 30 most spoken languages in the world...
: ಗಿರೀಶ್ ರಘುನಾಥ್ ಕಾರ್ನಾಡ್) (born 19 May 1938) is a contemporary writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
, screenwriter, actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and movie director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
in Kannada language. His rise as a prominent playwright in 1960s, marked the coming of age of Modern Indian playwriting in Kannada, just as Badal Sarkar
Badal Sarkar
Badal Sarkar , also known as Badal Sircar, was an influential Indian dramatist and theatre director, most known for his anti-establishment plays during the Naxalite movement in the 1970s and taking theatre out of the proscenium and into public arena, when he founded his own theatre company,...
did it in Bengali
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
, Vijay Tendulkar
Vijay Tendulkar
Vijay Tendulkar was a leading Indian playwright, movie and television writer, literary essayist, political journalist, and social commentator primarily in Marāthi...
in Marathi, and Mohan Rakesh
Mohan Rakesh
Mohan Rakesh was one of the pioneers of the Nai Kahani literary movement of the Hindi literature in the 1950s. He wrote the first modern Hindi play, Ashadh Ka Ek Din , which won a competition organized by the Sangeet Natak Akademi...
in Hindi. He is a recipient of the 1998 Jnanpith Award
Jnanpith Award
The Jnanpith Award is a literary award in India. Along with the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship, it is one of the two most prestigious literary honours in the country...
for Kannada
Kannada language
Kannada or , is a language spoken in India predominantly in the state of Karnataka. Kannada, whose native speakers are called Kannadigas and number roughly 50 million, is one of the 30 most spoken languages in the world...
, the highest literary honour conferred in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
For four decades Karnad has been composing plays
Play (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
, often using history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
and mythology
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
to tackle contemporary issues. He has translated his major plays into English, and has received critical acclaim across India. His plays have been translated into several Indian languages and directed by eminent directors like Ebrahim Alkazi
Ebrahim Alkazi
Ebrahim Alkazi is one of the most influential Indian theatre directors and Drama teachers in 20th century Indian theatre. He also remained the Director of National School of Drama, New Delhi He has also been a noted art connoisseur, collector and gallery owner, and found Art Heritage Gallery in...
, B. V. Karanth
B. V. Karanth
Babukodi Venkataramana Karanth was a renowned film and theatre personality from India...
, Alyque Padamsee
Alyque Padamsee
Alyque Padamsee is an Indian theater personality and ad film maker. He is probably best known in the English-speaking world for playing Muhammad Ali Jinnah in the film Gandhi...
, Prasanna
Prasanna
Prasanna , is an Indian theatre director and playwright from Karnataka. He is one of the pioneers of modern Kannada theatre. He graduated from the National School of Drama . He founded Samudaya and gave a creative direction to Kannada theatre in the 1970's with other activists. Prasanna lives in...
, Arvind Gaur
Arvind Gaur
Arvind Gaur , Indian theatre director, is known for his work in innovative, socially and politically relevant theatre. Gaur's plays are contemporary and thought-provoking, connecting intimate personal spheres of existence to larger social political issues...
, Satyadev Dubey
Satyadev Dubey
Satyadev Dubey is an Indian theatre director, actor, playwright, screenwriter, and film actor and director. He was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1971....
, Vijaya Mehta
Vijaya Mehta
Vijaya Mehta is an Indian Theatre and film director and also an actor in many films from the Parallel Cinema. She is most known for her acclaimed role in film Party and for her directorial ventures, Rao Saheb and Pestonjee ....
, Shyamanand Jalan
Shyamanand Jalan
Shyamanand Jalan was an influential Kolkata-based Indian thespian, theatre director, and actor. He is credited for the renaissance period of modern Indian theatre and especially the Hindi theatre in Kolkata from the 1960s to 1980s...
and Amal Allana
Amal Allana
Amal Allana is an Indian theatre director, scenic designer and costume designer and presently she is in her second consecutive term as the Chairperson of National School of Drama, India's premier institute of Theatre training, she also runs the Dramatic Art and Design Academy , New Delhi, with her...
. He is also active in the world of Indian cinema
Cinema of India
The cinema of India consists of films produced across India, which includes the cinematic culture of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. Indian films came to be followed throughout South Asia and...
working as an actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, and screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, both in Hindi and Kannada cinema, earning numerous awards along the way. He was conferred Padma Shri
Padma Shri
Padma Shri is the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan...
and Padma Bhushan
Padma Bhushan
The Padma Bhushan is the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri. It is awarded by the Government of India.-History:...
by the Government of India.
Early life and education
Girish Karnad was born in MatheranMatheran
- Getting to Matheran :Matheran is located about 100 km from Mumbai, 120 km from Pune. and 320 km from Surat. It lies on the busy Mumbai-Pune rail link and the nearest train station is at Neral, approximately 11 km from Matheran. From Neral, one can either rent a taxi to the...
, Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
, into a Konkani
Konkani language
KonkaniKonkani is a name given to a group of several cognate dialects spoken along the narrow strip of land called Konkan, on the west coast of India. This is, however, somewhat an over-generalisation. Geographically, Konkan is defined roughly as the area between the river Damanganga to the north...
-speaking Saraswat Brahmin
Saraswat Brahmin
The Saraswats are a Brahmin caste of India.- History :According to the legend, Saraswat Brahmins are Brahmins who lived on the banks of the former Saraswati River that once flowed in northern India. Although it is said that at Prayag the three rivers meet or met.the fact is that the Saraswati never...
family. His initial schooling was in Sirsi, Karnataka, here he was exposed to travelling theatre groups, Natak Mandalis as his parents were deeply interested in their plays. As a youngster, Karnad was an ardent admirer of Yakshagana
Yakshagana
Yakshagana is a musical theater popular in the coastal and Malenadu regions of Karnataka, India. Yakshagana is the recent scholastic name for what are known as kēḷike, āṭa, bayalāṭa, bayalāṭa, daśāvatāra . It is believed to have evolved from pre-classical music and theatre during Bhakti movement...
and the theater in his village.
He earned his Bachelors of Arts degree in Mathematics and Statistics, from Karnatak Arts College, Dharwad
Dharwad
Dharwad, also known as Dharwar, is a city and a DISTRICT PLACE in India's Karnataka state.Dharwad is the administrative seat of the Dharwad District. The municipality of Hubli-Dharwad covers an area of 200.23 km²...
(Karnataka University), in 1958. Upon graduation Karnad went to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Lincoln
Lincoln College, Oxford
Lincoln College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It is situated on Turl Street in central Oxford, backing onto Brasenose College and adjacent to Exeter College...
and Magdalen
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
colleges in Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
as a Rhodes Scholar (1960–63), earning his Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree in philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
, political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
and economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
.
Career
After working with the Oxford University PressOxford University Press
Oxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
, Chennai for seven years (1963–70), he resigned to take to writing full time. While in Chennai he got involved with local amateur theatre group, The Madras Players
The Madras Players
The Madras Players is an Indian amateur theatre group and is the oldest English-language theatre group in Chennai, India. The Madras Players have staged over 240 theatre productions over the span of more than fifty years.-History:...
.
During 1987-88, he was at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
as Visiting Professor and Fulbright Playwright-in-Residence. It was during his tenure at Chicago that Nagamandala had its world premiere at the Guthrie Theater
Guthrie Theater
The Guthrie Theater is a center for theater performance, production, education, and professional training in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the result of the desire of Sir Tyrone Guthrie, Oliver Rea, and Peter Zeisler to create a resident acting company that would produce and perform the classics in...
in Minneapolis based on an English translation of the Kannada original that Karnad himself did. Most recently, he served as Director of the Nehru Centre and as Minister of Culture, in the Indian High Commission, London (2000–03).
He has served as Director of the Film and Television Institute of India
Film and Television Institute of India
Film and Television Institute of India , is an autonomous Institute under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Govt. of India. It is fully aided by Central Government of India. It is situated in the premises of the erstwhile Prabhat Film Company in Pune, India...
(1974–1975) and Chairman of the Sangeet Natak Akademi, the National Academy of the Performing Arts (1988–93).
Literature
Karnad is most famous as a playwrightPlaywright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
. His plays, written in Kannada, have been widely translated into English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and all major Indian languages. Karnad's plays are written neither in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, in which he dreamed of earning international literary fame as a poet, nor in his mother tongue Konkani
Konkani language
KonkaniKonkani is a name given to a group of several cognate dialects spoken along the narrow strip of land called Konkan, on the west coast of India. This is, however, somewhat an over-generalisation. Geographically, Konkan is defined roughly as the area between the river Damanganga to the north...
. Instead they are composed in his adopted language Kannada
Kannada language
Kannada or , is a language spoken in India predominantly in the state of Karnataka. Kannada, whose native speakers are called Kannadigas and number roughly 50 million, is one of the 30 most spoken languages in the world...
. When Karnad started writing plays, Kannada literature
Kannada literature
Kannada literature is the corpus of written forms of the Kannada language, a member of the Dravidian family spoken mainly in the Indian state of Karnataka and written in the Kannada script....
was highly influenced by the renaissance in Western literature
Western literature
Western literature refers to the literature written in the languages of Europe, including the ones belonging to the Indo-European language family as well as several geographically or historically related languages such as Basque, Hungarian, and so forth...
. Writers would choose a subject which looked entirely alien to manifestation of native soil. C. Rajagopalachari
C. Rajagopalachari
Chakravarti Rajagopalachari , informally called Rajaji or C.R., was an Indian lawyer, independence activist, politician, writer and statesman. Rajagopalachari was the last Governor-General of India...
's version of the Mahabharat published in 1951, left a deep impact on him, and soon sometime in the mid 1950s, one day he experienced a rush of dialogues spoken by characters from the Mahabharata in his adopted language Kannada. "I could actually hear the dialogues being spoken into my ears..."I was just the scribe, " said Karnad in a later interview. Eventually Yayati was published in 1961, he was 23 years old. It is based on the story of King Yayati
Yayati
Yayati was a Puranic king and the son of king Nahusha and one of ancestors of Pandavas. He was a great scholar of Vedas. He had five brothers, Yati, Samyati, Ayati, Viyati and Kriti. He had two wives, Devayani and Sharmishtha. Devayani was the daughter of Shukracharya, the priest of Asuras ....
, one of the ancestors of the Pandavas, who was cursed into premature old age by his father-in-law, Shukracharya, incensed by Yayati's infidelity. Yayati in turn asks his sons to sacrifice their youth for him, and one of them agrees. It ridicules the ironies of life through characters in Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
and became an instant success, immediately translated and staged in several other Indian languages.
In a situation like that Karnad found a new approach like drawing historical
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
and mythological
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
sources to tackle contemporary themes, and existentialist crisis of modern man, through his characters locked in psychological and philosophical conflicts. His next was Tughlaq (1964), his best loved play, about an idealist 14th-century Sultan of Delhi, Muhammad bin Tughluq
Muhammad bin Tughluq
Muhammad bin Tughluq was the Turkic Sultan of Delhi from 1325 to 1351. He was the eldest son of Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq.He was born in Kotla Tolay Khan in Multan. His wife was daughter of the raja of Dipalpur...
, and allegory on the Nehruvian era which started with ambitious idealism and ended up in disillusionment. This established Karnad, now 26-years old, as one of the most promising playwrights in the country
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It was stage by the National School of Drama
National School of Drama
National School of Drama is a theatre training institute situated at New Delhi, India, established . It is an autonomous organization under Ministry of Culture, Government of India. It was set up in 1959 by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, and became an independent school in 1975...
Repertory under the direction of Ebrahim Alkazi
Ebrahim Alkazi
Ebrahim Alkazi is one of the most influential Indian theatre directors and Drama teachers in 20th century Indian theatre. He also remained the Director of National School of Drama, New Delhi He has also been a noted art connoisseur, collector and gallery owner, and found Art Heritage Gallery in...
, with the actor Manohar Singh
Manohar Singh
Manohar Singh was a distinguished Indian theatre actor-director and a character actor in Hindi films. He is best known for his performances in films such as Party and Daddy...
, playing the visionary king who later becomes disillusioned and turns bitter, amidst the historic Purana Qila in Delhi. It was later staged in London by the National School of Drama for the Festival of India in 1982.
Hayavadana (1971) was based on a theme drawn from The Transposed Heads, a 1940 novella by Thomas Mann
Thomas Mann
Thomas Mann was a German novelist, short story writer, social critic, philanthropist, essayist, and 1929 Nobel Prize laureate, known for his series of highly symbolic and ironic epic novels and novellas, noted for their insight into the psychology of the artist and the intellectual...
, which is originally found in Kathasaritsagara
Kathasaritsagara
Kathasaritsagara is a famous 11th-century collection of Indian legends, fairy tales and folk tales as retold by a Saivite Brahmin named Somadeva....
, herein he employed the folk theatre form of Yakshagana. A German version of the play, was directed by Vijaya Mehta
Vijaya Mehta
Vijaya Mehta is an Indian Theatre and film director and also an actor in many films from the Parallel Cinema. She is most known for her acclaimed role in film Party and for her directorial ventures, Rao Saheb and Pestonjee ....
as part of the repertoire of the Deutsches National Theatre, Weimar. Naga-Mandala (Play with Cobra, 1988) was based on a folk tale related to him by A. K. Ramanujam, brought him the Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award for the Most Creative Work of 1989. It was directed by J. Garland Wright, as part of the celebrations of the 30th anniversary of Guthrie Theatre, Minneapolis. The theatre subsequently commissioned him to write the play, Agni Mattu Male (The Fire and the Rain). Though prior to it came Taledanda
Taledanda
Taledanda Taledanda Taledanda ((Kannada: ತಲೆದಂಡ, Hindi: Rakt Kalyan, literally: Death by Beheading) is a 1990 Kannada play written by Girish Karnad, an eminent person in Kannada literature, about the rise of the radical protest and reform movement, Veerashaivism, in 12th century Karnatak...
(Death by Beheading, 1990) which used the backdrop, the rise of Veerashaivism, a radical protest and reform movement in 12th century Karnataka to bring out current issues.
Karnad himself has translated all his plays into English. A large number of his Kannada plays have been translated by Dr. Bhargavi P Rao
Bhargavi Rao
Bhargavi Prabhanjan Rao , a Sahitya Akademi Awardee, was an eminent translator in Telugu Literature. She was actively involved in Translating various works of celebrated author and playwright Girish Karnad...
to Telugu
Telugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
. His play Agni Aur Varsha (The Fire and the Rain) was adapted into a Hindi film, Agni Varsha
Agni Varsha
Agni Varsha is a 2002 critically acclaimed epic Hindi film directed by Arjun Sajnani. The film is a silver screen adaptation of Girish Karnad's Mahabharat play "The Fire and The Rain". The film's art direction was handled by Shashi Adappa and Choreography was handled by Prabhu Deva...
(2002).
Movies
Karnad made his acting as well as screenwriting debut in a Kannada movie, SamskaraSamskara (film)
Samskara is a 1970 film in the Kannada language which is based on a novel of the same name, written by the renowned writer and Jnanpith award winner, U. R. Ananthamurthy. The film is said to have been a path-breaking venture and is supposed to have pioneered the parallel cinema movement in Kannada...
(1970), based on a novel by U.R. Ananthamurthy and directed by Pattabhirama Reddy. That movie won the first President's Golden Lotus Award
National Film Award for Best Film
The National Award for Best Feature film is one of the National Film Awards presented annually by the Directorate of Film Festivals, India, and was constituted in the year 1954. This is one of the Golden Lotus Awards given among National Film Awards...
for Kannada cinema
Cinema of Karnataka
The cinema of Karnataka , sometimes colloquially referred to as Sandalwood and as Chandanavana in Kannada, encompasses movies made in the Indian state of Karnataka based in Bangalore. Most of the movies are made in Kannada, with a handful of them in Konkani or Tulu. Today more than 100 films are...
. Over the years he had acted in a number Hindi and Kannada feature films, and worked with directors like Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray was an Indian Bengali filmmaker. He is regarded as one of the greatest auteurs of 20th century cinema. Ray was born in the city of Kolkata into a Bengali family prominent in the world of arts and literature...
, Mrinal Sen
Mrinal Sen
Mrinal Sen is a Bengali Indian filmmaker. He was born on 14 May 1923, in the town of Faridpur, now in Bangladesh in a Hindu family. After finishing his high school there, he left home to come to Calcutta as a student and studied physics at the well-known Scottish Church College and at the...
and Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal is a prolific Indian director and screenwriter. With his first four feature films Ankur , Nishant Manthan and Bhumika he created a new genre, which has now come to be called the "middle cinema" in India although he himself has expressed dislike in the term preferring his work to...
. In television, he played the role of Swami's father in TV series Malgudi Days
Malgudi Days
Malgudi Days is an Indian television series based on the works of R.K. Narayan. The series was directed by the late Kannada actor and director, Shankar Nag and Carnatic musician L. Vaidyanathan composed the score. R. K Narayan's brother and acclaimed cartoonist R. K. Laxman was the sketch artist....
(1986–1987), based on R. K. Narayan
R. K. Narayan
R. K. Narayan , shortened from Rasipuram Krishnaswami Iyer Narayanaswami Tamil: ) , Madras Presidency, British India. His father was a school headmaster, and Narayan did some of his studies at his father's school...
's books.
He made his directorial debut with Vamsha Vriksha
Vamsha Vriksha
Vamsha Vriksha , is a feature film in the Kannada language. It is based on a novel of the same name, written by S. L. Bhyrappa. This film was directed by Girish Karnad and B. V. Karanth, who went on to win India's National Film Award for Best Direction for the film....
(1971), based on a Kannada
Kannada language
Kannada or , is a language spoken in India predominantly in the state of Karnataka. Kannada, whose native speakers are called Kannadigas and number roughly 50 million, is one of the 30 most spoken languages in the world...
novel by S.L. Bhairappa. It won him National Film Award for Best Direction along with B. V. Karanth
B. V. Karanth
Babukodi Venkataramana Karanth was a renowned film and theatre personality from India...
, who co-directed the film. Later, Karnad directed several movies in Kannada and Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
, including Godhuli
Godhuli
Godhuli is a 1977 movie by Girish Karnad, starring Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Om Puri and Naseeruddin Shah. It won the best screenplay award at the 27th Filmfare Awards....
(1977) and Utsav
Utsav
Utsav is a 1984 Hindi film, produced by Shashi Kapoor and directed by Girish Karnad.The film stars Shashi Kapoor, Rekha, Amjad Khan, Anuradha Patel, Shekhar Suman, Anupam Kher, Shankar Nag, Neena Gupta, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Annu Kapoor, Sanjana Kapoor and Kunal Kapoor.The role played by Shashi...
(1984). He has made number of documentaries, like one on the Kannada poet D. R. Bendre
D. R. Bendre
Dattatreya Ramachandra Bendre was amongst the most famous of Kannada poets of the Navodaya Period. Praised as varakavi, literally 'gifted poet', he was the second person among eight recipients of Jnanpith Award for Kannada, the highest literary honour conferred in India...
(1972), Kanaka-Purandara (English, 1988) on two medieval Bhakti
Bhakti
In Hinduism Bhakti is religious devotion in the form of active involvement of a devotee in worship of the divine.Within monotheistic Hinduism, it is the love felt by the worshipper towards the personal God, a concept expressed in Hindu theology as Svayam Bhagavan.Bhakti can be used of either...
poets of Karnataka, Kanaka Dasa
Kanaka Dasa
Kanaka Dasa was a great poet, philosopher, musician and composer from Karnataka. He is known for his Kirtanes and Ugabhoga compositions in the Kannada language for Carnatic music...
and Purandara Dasa
Purandara Dasa
Purandara Dāsa is one of the most prominent composers of Carnatic music and is widely regarded as the "father of Carnatic Music". Purandara Dasa addressed social issues in addition to worship in his compositions, a practice emulated by his younger contemporary, Kanaka Dasa...
, and The Lamp in the Niche (English, 1989) on Sufism and the Bhakti movement
Bhakti movement
The Bhakti movement is a Hindu religious movement in which the main spiritual practice is loving devotion among the Shaivite and Vaishnava saints. The Bhakti movement originated in ancient Tamil Nadu and began to spread to the north during the late medieval ages when north India was under Islamic...
. Many of his films and documentaries have won several national and international awards.
Some of his famous Kannada movies include Tabbaliyu Neenade Magane
Tabbaliyu Neenade Magane (1977 film)
Tabbaliyu Neenade Magane was an Indian Kannada film directed by Girish Karnad and B. V. Karanth , with Nasiruddin Shah, Manu as cast. The movie is based S. L. Bhyrappa Kannada novel of the same name.-Plot:...
, Ondanondu Kaladalli
Ondanondu Kaladalli
Ondanondu Kaladalli is a 1978 film by Girish Karnad with music by Bhaskar Chandavarkar, starring Shankar Nag. The movie has influences of the early Samurai films of Japanese director Akira Kurosawa, to whom Karnad has reportedly acknowledged his indebtedness...
, Cheluvi and Kaadu
Kaadu (film)
Kaadu is a 1973 Kannada black-and-white film directed by Girish Karnad and starring Master G. S. Nataraj, Amrish Puri and Nandini in the lead roles.-Cast:* Master G. S...
and most recent film Kanooru Heggaditi (1999), based on a novel by Kannada
Kannada language
Kannada or , is a language spoken in India predominantly in the state of Karnataka. Kannada, whose native speakers are called Kannadigas and number roughly 50 million, is one of the 30 most spoken languages in the world...
writer Kuvempu
Kuvempu
Kuppali Venkatappagowda Puttappa was a Kannada writer and poet, widely regarded as the greatest poet of 20th century Kannada literature. He is the first among eight recipients of Jnanpith Award for Kannada. Puttappa wrote all his literary works using the pen name Kuvempu...
.
His Hindi movies include Nishaant (1975), Manthan
Manthan
Manthan was a 1976 Hindi film made by Shyam Benegal, based on a story written jointly by Verghese Kurien and director Shyam Benegal...
(1976), Swami
Swami (1977 film)
Swami is a 1977 Hindi film directed by Basu Chatterjee and produced by Jaya Chakravarty .The film stars Shabana Azmi, Vikram, Girish Karnad, Utpal Dutt. Hema Malini and Dharmendra make a guest appearance together in the film...
(1977) and Pukar
Pukar (2000 film)
Pukar is a Hindi film directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and starring Anil Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit, Namrata Shirodkar, Danny Denzongpa and Om Puri. The film was critically acclaimed and a moderate success at the box office...
(2000). He has acted in a number of Nagesh Kukunoor
Nagesh Kukunoor
Nagesh Kukunoor is an Indian filmmaker and screenwriter. He is known for movies such as Hyderabad Blues , Rockford , 3 Deewarein and Iqbal .-Early life:...
films, starting with Iqbal (2005) written by Vipul K Rawal
Vipul K Rawal
-Early years:Born on 7th November, 1968 in the former princely state of Wadhwan, Vipul K Rawal did his schooling from a Military School in Dehradun and later in Vapi, Gujarat. It was during his college days in Madras, that the filmy bug really bit him. His college was situated in Kodambakkam, also...
, where his role of the ruthless cricket coach too got him critical acclaim. This was followed by Dor
Dor (film)
Dor is a 2006 Indian drama film written and directed by Nagesh Kukunoor and features Ayesha Takia, Gul Panag and Shreyas Talpade as the lead actors. The film, which is a remake of the Malayalam film, Perumazhakkalam , was well received by the critics after its release on 22 September 2006...
(2006), 8 x 10 Tasveer (2009), with lead actor Akshay Kumar and Aashayein (2010).
He has also acted in Kannada gangster movie Aa Dinagalu
Aa Dinagalu
Aa Dinagalu is a 2007 Indian Kannada film based on the book Daadaagiriya Dinagalu by Agni Shridhar. The film is about the rowdyism that prevailed in Bengaluru during 1986.-The plot:...
.
Other notable works
He has played the role of Karadi, the sootradhar (narrator), for several stories in the popular audiobook series for kids, Karadi TalesKaradi Tales
This article is about a book series and a company of the same nameKaradi Tales are a series of popular audio books for children in India. The company produces original Indian multimedia content with focus on audio & video CDs/VCDs & DVDs in retail, internet and broadcast markets.-Concept:Karadi...
. He has also been the voice of APJ Abdul Kalam, former President of India
President of India
The President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. President of India is also the formal head of all the three branches of Indian Democracy - Legislature, Executive and Judiciary...
, in the audiobook of Kalam's autobiography by Charkha Audiobooks Wings of Fire
Wings of Fire
Wings of Fire: An Autobiography of APJ Abdul Kalam is an autobiography of A P J Abdul Kalam, former President of India. It was written by Dr. Kalam and Arun Tiwari.-Translations:...
.
For literature
- Sangeet Natak Akademi awardSangeet Natak Akademi AwardSangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar is an award given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy of Music, Dance & Drama. It is the highest Indian recognition given to practicing artists. The award consists since 2003 of Rs. 50,000, a citation, an angavastram , and a tamrapatra...
- 1972 - Padma ShriPadma ShriPadma Shri is the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan...
- 1974 - Padma BhushanPadma BhushanThe Padma Bhushan is the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri. It is awarded by the Government of India.-History:...
- 1992 - Kannada Sahitya Academy award - 1992
- Sahitya Academy award - 1994
- Jnanpith AwardJnanpith AwardThe Jnanpith Award is a literary award in India. Along with the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship, it is one of the two most prestigious literary honours in the country...
- 1998 - Kalidas SammanKalidas sammanThe Kalidas Samman is a prestigious arts award presented annually by the government of Madhya Pradesh in India. The award is named after Kālidāsa, a renowned Classical Sanskrit writer of ancient India, widely regarded as the greatest poet and dramatist in the Sanskrit language.The Kalidas Samman...
- 1998 - Rajyotsava Award
- D. Litt., Karnatak UniversityKarnatak UniversityThe Karnatak University established initially at Mumbai in 1949, the location was shifted to Dharwad in October, 1949 and Karnatak University had its official inauguration in March 1950. The campus spans 750 acres . Dr. D. C. Pavate was the vice-chancellor of the university from 1954 to 1967...
- 1994 - Honorary Doctorate, University of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of Southern CaliforniaThe University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
, Los AngelesLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
- 2011
Films
National Film AwardsNational Film Awards
The National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it is administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorate of Film Festivals since 1973.Every year, a national panel...
- 1970: Best FilmNational Film Award for Best FilmThe National Award for Best Feature film is one of the National Film Awards presented annually by the Directorate of Film Festivals, India, and was constituted in the year 1954. This is one of the Golden Lotus Awards given among National Film Awards...
(Golden Lotus): SamskaraSamskara (film)Samskara is a 1970 film in the Kannada language which is based on a novel of the same name, written by the renowned writer and Jnanpith award winner, U. R. Ananthamurthy. The film is said to have been a path-breaking venture and is supposed to have pioneered the parallel cinema movement in Kannada...
Kannada - 1972: Best DirectionNational Film Award for Best DirectingThe National Film Award for Best Direction winners are given below. Satyajit Ray has been awarded the maximum number of times in this category....
: Vamsha VrikshaVamsha VrikshaVamsha Vriksha , is a feature film in the Kannada language. It is based on a novel of the same name, written by S. L. Bhyrappa. This film was directed by Girish Karnad and B. V. Karanth, who went on to win India's National Film Award for Best Direction for the film....
(with B.V. Karanth) - 1974: Second Best Feature FilmNational Film Award for Second Best Feature FilmThe National Film Award for Second Best Feature Film winners :-See also:...
: KaaduKaadu (film)Kaadu is a 1973 Kannada black-and-white film directed by Girish Karnad and starring Master G. S. Nataraj, Amrish Puri and Nandini in the lead roles.-Cast:* Master G. S... - 1978: Best ScreenplayNational Film Award for Best ScreenplayThe National Film Award for Best Screenplay winners:-References:...
: BhumikaBhumikaBhumika is a 1977 Indian film directed by Shyam Benegal. The movie stars Smita Patil, Amol Palekar, Anant Nag, Naseeruddin Shah and Amrish Puri....
(with Shyam Benegal and Satyadev DubeySatyadev DubeySatyadev Dubey is an Indian theatre director, actor, playwright, screenwriter, and film actor and director. He was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1971....
) - 1978: Best Feature Film in KannadaNational Film Award for Best Feature Film in KannadaThe National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Kannada winners:...
: Ondanondu KaladalliOndanondu KaladalliOndanondu Kaladalli is a 1978 film by Girish Karnad with music by Bhaskar Chandavarkar, starring Shankar Nag. The movie has influences of the early Samurai films of Japanese director Akira Kurosawa, to whom Karnad has reportedly acknowledged his indebtedness... - 1989: Best Non-Feature FilmNational Film Award for Best Non-Feature FilmThe National Film Award – Best Non-Feature Film is given by the Directorate of film festivals under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The winners are given a Swarna Kamal and a cash prize of Rs.1,00,000.-Winners:...
: Kanaka Purandara - 1990: Best Non-feature Film on Social IssuesNational Film Award for Best Film on Social IssuesThe National Film Award - Best Film On Social Issues is given by the Non-Feature film jury of the National Film Awards annually, to films covering issues including prohibition, women and child welfare, dowry, drug abuse, and welfare of the handicapped.The National Film Award - Best Film On...
: The Lamp in the Niche - 1993: Best Film on Environment ConservationNational Film Award for Best Film on Environment Conservation/PreservationThe National Film Award - Best Film on Environment Preservation/Conservation winners:-References:...
: Cheluvi - 2000:Best Feature Film in KannadaNational Film Award for Best Feature Film in KannadaThe National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Kannada winners:...
: Kanooru Heggadathi
Filmfare Awards
Filmfare Awards
The Filmfare Awards are presented annually by The Times Group to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the Hindi language film industry of India. The Filmfare ceremony is one of the oldest and most prominent film events given for Hindi films in India. The awards were...
- 1980: Filmfare Best Screenplay AwardFilmfare Best Screenplay AwardThe Filmfare Best Screenplay Award is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films.-Superlatives:Most AwardsSalim-Javed - 3Basu Chatterjee - 2Mani Ratnam - 2Vijay Tendulkar - 2Rajkumar Hirani - 2...
: Godhuli (with B.V. Karanth) - 1980: Filmfare Best Supporting Actor AwardFilmfare Best Supporting Actor AwardThe Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor is given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a male actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a supporting role...
: AashaAashaAasha is a 1980 Hindi movie produced and directed by J. Om Prakash. The film stars Jeetendra, Reena Roy, Rameshwari, Girish Karnad, Bhagwan and Shakti Kapoor. The films music is by Laxmikant Pyarelal. The film became a "blockbuster" at the box office....
: Nominated - 1982: Filmfare Best Supporting Actor AwardFilmfare Best Supporting Actor AwardThe Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor is given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a male actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a supporting role...
: Teri KasamTeri KasamTeri Kasam is 1982 Hindi language film directed by A C Trilogchander and starring Kumar Gaurav, Poonam Dhillon, Girish Karnad, Nirupa Roy.The story had been filmed before in three South Indian languages: the Tamil film Pugunda Veedu , the Telugu film Puttinillu-Mettinillu , and the Kannada film...
: Nominated
Others
- Karnataka State Award for the Best Supporting Actor in "Santa Shishunala Shareef" - 1991
- Mysore StateMysore StateThe Kingdom of Mysore was one of the three largest princely states within the erstwhile British Empire of India. Upon India gaining its independence in 1947, the Maharaja of Mysore merged his realm with the Union of India...
Award for Best Kannada film and the Best Direction for VamshaVruksha - 1972 - Gubbi VeerannaGubbi VeerannaGubbi Veeranna was an Indian theatre director, one of the pioneers and most prolific contributors to Kannada theatre. He established the drama company, Gubbi Veeranna Nataka Company that played a crucial role in promoting the Kannada theatre. Some of the stalwarts that have emerged out of this...
Award - Honorary Doctorate from University of Southern California, Los Angeles - 2011
He also served as the director of the Film and Television Institute of India
Film and Television Institute of India
Film and Television Institute of India , is an autonomous Institute under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Govt. of India. It is fully aided by Central Government of India. It is situated in the premises of the erstwhile Prabhat Film Company in Pune, India...
from 1974–1975, the Indian co-chairman for the Joint Media Committee of the Indo-US Sub-Commission on Education and Culture from 1984–1993, chairman of the Sangeet Natak Academy from 1988–1993, and president of Karnataka Nataka Academy from 1976-1978.
Personal life
Karnad is married to Dr. Saraswathy Ganapathy and they have two children Shalmali Radha and Raghu Amay, and lives in Bangalore.Activism
A proponent of secularism, multi-culturalism and the freedom of expression, Girish Karnad has been a critic of the rise of religious fundamentalism and HindutvaHindutva
Hindutva is the term used to describe movements advocating Hindu nationalism. Members of the movement are called Hindutvavādis.In India, an umbrella organization called the Sangh Parivar champions the concept of Hindutva...
in India. He publicly condemned the demolition of Babri Masjid
Demolition of Babri Masjid
The Demolition of Babri Masjid was the destruction of the 16th-century mosque of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India, on December 6, 1992 by Hindu Karsevaks in an attempt to reclaim the land known as Ram Janmabhoomi...
in 1992, and later spoke against the attempts to create controversy about the Idgah Maidan in Hubli.
Quotations
- "I see a legacy of my generation.."I am happy to belong to a generation that had a Dharmaveer Bharti, a Mohan Rakesh, a Vijay Tendulkar and I. Together we can claim that we did create a national theatre for modern India."
- - 1999 (On being asked about his lasting legacy)
Plays
- Yayati (1961) (Yayati)
- Tughlaq (1964) (translated in Hindustani by B.V. Karanth. Major Indian directors who have staged it: Ebrahim AlkaziEbrahim AlkaziEbrahim Alkazi is one of the most influential Indian theatre directors and Drama teachers in 20th century Indian theatre. He also remained the Director of National School of Drama, New Delhi He has also been a noted art connoisseur, collector and gallery owner, and found Art Heritage Gallery in...
, PrasannaPrasannaPrasanna , is an Indian theatre director and playwright from Karnataka. He is one of the pioneers of modern Kannada theatre. He graduated from the National School of Drama . He founded Samudaya and gave a creative direction to Kannada theatre in the 1970's with other activists. Prasanna lives in...
, Arvind GaurArvind GaurArvind Gaur , Indian theatre director, is known for his work in innovative, socially and politically relevant theatre. Gaur's plays are contemporary and thought-provoking, connecting intimate personal spheres of existence to larger social political issues...
, Dinesh ThakurDinesh ThakurDinesh Thakur is a noted Indian theatre director, actor in theatre, television and Hindi film, where most notably he appeared as one of the leads in Rajnigandha 1974 and directed by Basu Chatterjee, which won both Filmfare Best Movie Award and the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Movie...
& Shyamanand JalanShyamanand JalanShyamanand Jalan was an influential Kolkata-based Indian thespian, theatre director, and actor. He is credited for the renaissance period of modern Indian theatre and especially the Hindi theatre in Kolkata from the 1960s to 1980s...
(in Bengali). - Hayavadana (1972)
- Anjulimallige (1977)
- Hittina Hunja (1980)
- Nagamandala (1988) (Play with Cobra)
- TaledandaTaledandaTaledanda Taledanda Taledanda ((Kannada: ತಲೆದಂಡ, Hindi: Rakt Kalyan, literally: Death by Beheading) is a 1990 Kannada play written by Girish Karnad, an eminent person in Kannada literature, about the rise of the radical protest and reform movement, Veerashaivism, in 12th century Karnatak...
(1990) (Death by Beheading),In Hindi it is known as Rakt-Kalyan translated by Ram Gopal BajajRam Gopal BajajRam Gopal Bajaj is a noted Indian theatre director, academician, and a Hindi film actor. He has also been a faculty member and a former director of National School of Drama, New Delhi ....
, first directed by Ebrahim AlkaziEbrahim AlkaziEbrahim Alkazi is one of the most influential Indian theatre directors and Drama teachers in 20th century Indian theatre. He also remained the Director of National School of Drama, New Delhi He has also been a noted art connoisseur, collector and gallery owner, and found Art Heritage Gallery in...
for NSD rep., then by Arvind GaurArvind GaurArvind Gaur , Indian theatre director, is known for his work in innovative, socially and politically relevant theatre. Gaur's plays are contemporary and thought-provoking, connecting intimate personal spheres of existence to larger social political issues...
(1995–2008, still running) for Asmita Theater Group, New Delhi. - Agni mattu Male (1995) (Agni Aur Varsha, The Fire and the Rain), first directed by PrasannaPrasannaPrasanna , is an Indian theatre director and playwright from Karnataka. He is one of the pioneers of modern Kannada theatre. He graduated from the National School of Drama . He founded Samudaya and gave a creative direction to Kannada theatre in the 1970's with other activists. Prasanna lives in...
for NSD Rep. - Maa Nishaadha
- Bali (Bali: The Sacrifice)
- Tippuvina Kanasugalu (The Dreams of Tipu SultanThe Dreams of Tipu SultanTippuvina Kanasugalu is a play written by Indian playwright Girish Karnad. The play has been performed many times but different groups around the world but mostly in the subcontinent mainly in Pakistan and India...
) - Odakalu Bimba , (Hindi, Bikre Bimb; English, Broken Images)
- Maduve Album
- "Flowers"
Movies
- Komaram Puli (2010) Telugu Film
- Life Goes OnLife Goes On-Music:* Life Goes On * Life Goes On * Life Goes On * Life Goes On * Life Goes On, an album by BMX Bandits* "Life Goes On" * "Life Goes On"...
(2009) (post-production) as Sanjay - Aashayein (2009) (completed) as Parthasarthi
- 8 x 10 Tasveer (2009) as Anil Sharma
- Aa dinagaluAa DinagaluAa Dinagalu is a 2007 Indian Kannada film based on the book Daadaagiriya Dinagalu by Agni Shridhar. The film is about the rowdyism that prevailed in Bengaluru during 1986.-The plot:...
kannada (2007) as Girish nayak - DorDorTel Dor , is an archeological site located on Israel's Mediterranean coast, about 30 km south of Haifa. Lying on a small headland at the north side of a protected inlet, it is identified with D-jr of Egyptian sources, Biblical Dor, and with Dor/Dora of Greek and Roman sources...
(2006) as Randhir Singh - Iqbal (2005) as Guruji
- Shankar Dada MBBSShankar Dada MBBSShankar Dada MBBS is a 2004 Telugu film which is a remake of Hindi blockbuster Munnabhai MBBS. This film stars Chiranjeevi in the lead role and Paresh Rawal, Sonali Bendre, Girish Karnad, and Srikanth. in supporting roles. Jayanth C...
(Telugu) (2004) as Satya Prasad - Hey RamHey RamHey Ram is a controversial Indian film released both in Tamil and Hindi in 2000 and written, directed, produced by and starring Kamal Haasan...
(Tamil) (2000) as Uppilli Iyengar - PukarPukarPukar is a word that means a "cry for help/ attention" or "to call out" in Hindi and Urdu and may refer to:* Pukar , Hindi film produced and directed by Sohrab Modi* Pukar , Hindi film produced and directed by Ramesh Behl...
(2000) as Mr. Rajvansh - Aakrosh: Cyclone of AngerAakrosh (1998 film)Aakrosh is a 1998 Bollywood action crime film directed by Lateef Binny starring Sunil Shetty, Shilpa Shetty and Girish Karnad.-Plot:Due to his activities, Anjali Gujral separates from Mahendra Pratap Gujral, and marries Dr. Malhotra. She does bring up her son, Dev from her first marriage, who...
(1998) as Rajwansh Shashtri - China GateChina GateChina Gate may refer to:* China Gate , a Hindi film directed by Rajkumar Santoshi* China Gate , a Hollywood film directed by Samuel Fuller and starring Gene Barry and Angie Dickinson...
(1998) as Forest Officer Sunder Rajan - Minsaara KanavuMinsaara KanavuMinsara Kanavu is a 1997 Tamil, Romance film, directed by Rajiv Menon. The film's score and soundtrack is composed by A. R. Rahman. Originally produced in Tamil, it went on to be dubbed in Telugu and in Hindi owing to its popularity....
(Tamil) (1997) as Amal Raj - RatchaganRatchaganRatchagan is a 1997 Tamil action film, directed by Praveen Gandhi, starring Nagarjuna and Sushmita Sen in the lead role. It also starred Raghuvaran, S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Vadivelu and Girish Karnad. The soundtrack was composed by A. R. Rahman...
(Tamil) (1997) as Sriram - The Prince (1996) as Vishwanath. Malayalam film
- AatankAatankAatank is a 1996 Bollywood film starring Dharmendra. It is also known as bollywood jaws as it has a sub-plot with a killer shark.-Plot:...
(1996) as Inspector Khan - Aaghata (Kannada) (1994) as Psychiatrist
- KadhalanKadhalanKadhalan is a Tamil film released in 1994, written and directed by S. Shankar. The film's score and soundtrack were composed by A. R. Rahman. The film stars Prabhu Deva and Nagma in the lead roles. Actor Vikram has dubbed his voice for Prabhu Deva...
(Tamil) (1994) as Kakarla - Praana Daata (1993)
- Cheluvi (1992) as Village Headman
- GunaGuna' means 'string' or 'a single thread or strand of a cord or twine'. In more abstract uses, it may mean 'a subdivision, species, kind, quality', or an operational principle or tendency....
(1991) - AntarnaadAntarnaadAntarnaad was a 1991 Hindi film made by Shyam Benegal, based on the Swadhyay Movement by Pandurang Shastri Athavale. Arati Ankalikar-Tikekar was the playback singer for this film. She received The Indian National Award in the category of 'Best Playback Singer'.-Cast:* Kulbhushan Kharbanda* Girish...
(1991) - BrahmaBrahmaBrahma is the Hindu god of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. According to the Brahma Purana, he is the father of Mānu, and from Mānu all human beings are descended. In the Ramayana and the...
(1991) - ChaithanyaChaithanyaThe music score is provided by Ilayaraja.* Kanneledi Kannugeeti Kasimeedundi Magada * Oho Laila O Charuseela Kopamela...
(1991) - Nehru: The Jewel of India (1990)
- Santha Shishunala Sharif (Kannada) (1990) as Govindabhatta
- Mil Gayee Manzil MujheMil Gayee Manzil MujheMil Gayee Manzil Mujhe is a 1989 Hindi-language Indian feature film directed by Moreen Amjad, starring Mithun Chakraborty, Moon Moon Sen, Kalpana Iyer, Urmila Bhatt, Shakti Kapoor, Mazhar Khan, Girish Karnad and Amrish Puri.-Cast:*Mithun Chakraborty...
(1989) - Akarshan (1988)
- Sutradhar (1987) as Zamindar
- Naan Adimai Illai (1986) as Rajinikanth's Father-in-law
- Nilakurinhi Poothappol (Malyalam) (1986) as Appu Menon
- Sur Sangam (1985) as Pandit Shivshankar Shastri
- Meri JungMeri JungMeri Jung is a 1985 Hindi movie produced by N N Sippy and directed by Subhash Ghai. The film stars Anil Kapoor, Meenakshi Sheshadri, Nutan, Amrish Puri, Javed Jaffrey , A. K. Hangal, Iftekhar, Kushboo and Parikshat Sahni,...
(1985) as Deepak Verma - Zamana (1985) as Satish Kumar
- Nee Thanda Kanike (Kannada) (1985)
- Ananda Bhairavi' (1984) as Narayana Sarma
- DivorceDivorceDivorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
(1984) as Jayant Oswal - TarangTarang-External links:*...
(1984) as Dinesh - Ek Baar Chale Aao (1983) as Din Dayal
- Teri KasamTeri KasamTeri Kasam is 1982 Hindi language film directed by A C Trilogchander and starring Kumar Gaurav, Poonam Dhillon, Girish Karnad, Nirupa Roy.The story had been filmed before in three South Indian languages: the Tamil film Pugunda Veedu , the Telugu film Puttinillu-Mettinillu , and the Kannada film...
(1982) as Rakesh - AparoopaAparoopaAparoopa is an Assamese language film directed by Jahnu Barua. It is the first feature film of the director and also the first Assamese film produced by National Film Development Corporation of India. It was released in 1982. The film starred Biju Phukan, Suhasini Mulay, Sushil Goswami and Girish...
(Assamese) (1982) - UmbarthaUmbartha (film)Umbartha , is a Marathi film made in 1982. The film is directed and coproduced by Jabbar Patel. Smita Patil for her performance in it won Marathi Rajya Chitrapat Puraskar for Best Actress...
(Marathi) (1982) as Advocate Subhash Mahajan - ShamaShamaShama may refer to:* Shama شَمّاء, an Arabic feminine name meaning "light, candle/a woman with good traits"* Shema Yisrael, Shama prayer in Judaism* Shema, Ghana, African town* Shamas or Magpie-robins, of the genera Copsychus and Trichixos...
(1981) as Nawab Yusuf Khan - Apne Paraye (1980) as Harish
- Man PasandMan PasandMan Pasand is a 1980 Hindi movie directed by Basu Chatterjee. The film stars Dev Anand, Tina Munim, Girish Karnad, Mehmood and Simple Kapadia. The film's music is by Rajesh Roshan....
(1980) as Kashinath - AashaAashaAasha is a 1980 Hindi movie produced and directed by J. Om Prakash. The film stars Jeetendra, Reena Roy, Rameshwari, Girish Karnad, Bhagwan and Shakti Kapoor. The films music is by Laxmikant Pyarelal. The film became a "blockbuster" at the box office....
(1980) as Deepak - Anveshane (Kannada) (1980)
- BeqasoorBeqasoorBeqasoor is a 1950 Bollywood film about a simple girl caught in the cross-fire of a deep-rooted sibling rivalry between her upright husband and her scheming brother-in-law. The film is directed by K. Amarnath and stars Madhubala. A moderate box-office success, the film became the seventh highest...
(1980) as Dr. Anand Bhatnagar - Ratnadeep (1979)
- SamparkSamparkSampark is a 1979 Bollywood film directed by Inder Sen. The film stars Madhu Kapoor, Girish Karnad and Mazhar Khan.-Cast:* Madhu Kapoor - Manniya* Girish Karnad - Heera* Mazhar Khan - Brindavan Biharilal* Kulbhushan Kharbanda - Ram Pyare Misra...
(1979) as Heera - Jeevan MuktJeevan MuktJeevan Mukt is a 1977 Bollywood film directed by Sudhendu Roy. This family drama stars Girish Karnad and Laxmi in the lead with support cast of Parikshit Sahani, Vidya Sinha, Suresh Oberoi, Meena Roy, Sidhir, Mala Jaggi....
(1977) as Amarjeet - SwamiSwamiA swami sometimes abbreviated "Sw." is an ascetic or yogi who has been initiated into the religious monastic order founded by Adi Sankara, or to a religious teacher.The Oxford English Dictionary gives the etymology as...
(1977) as Ghanshyam - ManthanManthanManthan was a 1976 Hindi film made by Shyam Benegal, based on a story written jointly by Verghese Kurien and director Shyam Benegal...
(1976) as Dr.Rao - Nishaant (1975) as Schoolmaster
- Jadu Ka ShankhJadu Ka ShankhJadu Ka Shankh is a 1974 Bollywood drama film directed by Sai Paranjpye.-Cast:*Nandita Aras*Sulabha Deshpande*Girish Karnad*Kulbhushan Kharbanda*Rahul Ranade...
(1974) - Vamsha VrikshaVamsha VrikshaVamsha Vriksha , is a feature film in the Kannada language. It is based on a novel of the same name, written by S. L. Bhyrappa. This film was directed by Girish Karnad and B. V. Karanth, who went on to win India's National Film Award for Best Direction for the film....
(1971) - SamskaraSamskaraSamskara may refer to:* Saṃskāra, Hindu rites* Saṃskāra , in Buddhism, mental and volitional formations* Samskara , a technique in ayurvedic medicine...
(1970) as Praneshacharya
Movies directed by Girish Karnad
- Vamsha VrikshaVamsha VrikshaVamsha Vriksha , is a feature film in the Kannada language. It is based on a novel of the same name, written by S. L. Bhyrappa. This film was directed by Girish Karnad and B. V. Karanth, who went on to win India's National Film Award for Best Direction for the film....
(1971, Kannada) - D.R. Bendre (1972, documentary)
- Tabbaliyu Neenade MaganeTabbaliyu Neenade Magane (1977 film)Tabbaliyu Neenade Magane was an Indian Kannada film directed by Girish Karnad and B. V. Karanth , with Nasiruddin Shah, Manu as cast. The movie is based S. L. Bhyrappa Kannada novel of the same name.-Plot:...
in Kannada - Godhuli (1977, Hindi)
- Ondanondu KaladalliOndanondu KaladalliOndanondu Kaladalli is a 1978 film by Girish Karnad with music by Bhaskar Chandavarkar, starring Shankar Nag. The movie has influences of the early Samurai films of Japanese director Akira Kurosawa, to whom Karnad has reportedly acknowledged his indebtedness...
(1978) in Kannada - Kanooru Heggadathi in Kannada
- KaaduKaadu (film)Kaadu is a 1973 Kannada black-and-white film directed by Girish Karnad and starring Master G. S. Nataraj, Amrish Puri and Nandini in the lead roles.-Cast:* Master G. S...
(1973, Kannada) - Durga in Mahendar
- UtsavUtsavUtsav is a 1984 Hindi film, produced by Shashi Kapoor and directed by Girish Karnad.The film stars Shashi Kapoor, Rekha, Amjad Khan, Anuradha Patel, Shekhar Suman, Anupam Kher, Shankar Nag, Neena Gupta, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Annu Kapoor, Sanjana Kapoor and Kunal Kapoor.The role played by Shashi...
in Hindi - Woh GharWoh GharWoh Ghar is 1984, television film directed by Girish Karnad , based on Kirtinath Kurtakoti's Kannada play Aa Mani....
(1984, Hindi), based on Kirtinath KurtakotiKirtinath KurtakotiKirtinath Kurtakoti was a Kannada writer and critic who won among other awards, the Central Sahitya Akademi honour of India. Apart from Kannada, he was well-versed in other languages including Hindi and Sanskrit.-Early life:Kurtakoti was born in the town of Gadag in the Indian state of Karnataka...
's Kannada play Aa Mani - The Lamp in the Niche (1990) (documentary)
- Cheluvi (1992, Kannada and Hindi (Dubbed))
Works in Translation
- Yayati. Oxford University Press.
- Yayati (Hindi). Tr. by B. R. Narayan. Rajkamal Prakashan Pvt Ltd, 2008. ISBN 8171196276.
- Tughlaq: A play in 13 scenes, Oxford Univ. Press, 1972
- Hayavadana, Oxford University Press, 1975.
- Tughlaq (Marathi), Tras. Vijay TendulkarVijay TendulkarVijay Tendulkar was a leading Indian playwright, movie and television writer, literary essayist, political journalist, and social commentator primarily in Marāthi...
. Popular Prakashan Pvt. Ltd. ISBN 8171853706. - Three Plays: Naga-Mandala; Hayavadana; Tughlaq. Oxford University Press, 1996. ISBN 0195637658.
- Tughlaq (Hindi). Tr. by B. V. KaranthB. V. KaranthBabukodi Venkataramana Karanth was a renowned film and theatre personality from India...
. Rajkamal Prakashan Pvt Ltd, 2005. ISBN 8171197906. - Collected plays Vol 1: Tuglaq, Hayavadana, Bali: The Sacrifice, Naga-Mandala. Oxford University Press. 2005. ISBN 0195673107.
- Collected Plays: Taledanda, the Fire and the Rain, the Dreams of Tipu Sultan, Flowers and Images: Two Dramatic Monologues: Flowers : Broken Images, Vol. 2. Oxford University Press, USA. 2005. ISBN 0195673115.
- Three plays by Girish Karnad. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0195637658.
Further reading
- Jaydipsinh Dodiya, Plays of Girish Karnad
- Pradeep Trikha, Multiple Celebrations , Celebrating Multiplicity in Girish Karnad - A Monograph
- Chhote Lal Khatri, Girish Karnad: Naga-mandala : a critique. Prakash Book Depot, 2006. ISBN 8179771652.
- Dr. Prafull D. Kulkarni, The Dramatic World of Girish Karnad. Creative Books Nanded, 2010. ISBN 978-81-906717-5-0.