Happy Birthday Girish Karnad: an acclaimed playwright and actor. Born in Matheran, Maharashtra, Karnad has made immense contributions to Indian theatre and cinema. In this article, we trace his journey from his humble beginnings to his current stature as one of the most respected figures in the Indian arts scene.
Happy Birthday Girish Karnad
Girish Karnad is one of the most acclaimed playwrights and actors of our time. He has worked in both Hindi and Kannada films, and his work has been widely appreciated by audiences and critics alike.
On his birth anniversary, let’s take a look at the journey of this great artist.
Girish Karnad was born on 19th May 1938 in Matheran, Maharashtra. His family was originally from Karnataka, and he was brought up in Mumbai. He completed his schooling from St. Xavier’s High School, Mumbai and went on to study Bachelor of Arts (BA) at Karnatak College Dharwad, Karnataka. After completing his BA, he studied MA in English Literature at Oxford University on a Rhodes scholarship.
It was during his time at Oxford that he wrote his first play, ‘Yayati’, which was inspired by an episode from the Mahabharata. The play was directed by Peter Brook and was well-received by audiences. After returning to India, he wrote several other plays like ‘Tughlaq’, ‘Hayavadana’, ‘Nagamandala
Girish Karnad: Literature and Cinema
Girish Karnad is one of the most acclaimed playwrights and actors in India. He has written some of the most memorable plays in Indian literature, and has also appeared in some of the most popular Indian films.
Karnad completed his schooling in Mumbai, before moving to Karnataka to study at the prestigious National Institute of Technology, Karnataka (NITK). It was here that he developed an interest in theatre, and began writing plays. After completing his degree at NITK, Karnad went on to study at Oxford University, where he wrote his first play, Yayati.
Yayati was an instant success, and established Karnad as one of the leading playwrights of his generation. His subsequent plays included Tughlaq (1964), Hayavadana (1971), Nagamandala (1988), and Girikanthangalu (1997). Karnad has also written several screenplays for Indian films, including Ek Tha Tiger (1975), Jaane
Girish Karnad journey
Girish Karnad made his acting debut in the Kannada film Samskara in 1970. He went on to act in several other films including Vamsha Vriksha, Godhuli, and Utsav. He also wrote and directed the films Kaadu and Nishant. In addition to films, Girish Karnad has also worked extensively in television and theatre. Some of his notable plays include Tughlaq, Hayavadana, and Naga-Mandala.
Girish Karnad has received several prestigious awards including the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and the Jnanpith Award.
He passed away on June 10, 2019 at the age of 81, leaving behind an expansive and relevant body of work.
