Girish Karnad

Girish Karnad (19 May 1938 – 10 June 2019)[1] was an Indian act or, film direct or, Kannada
writ er,[2] playwright and a Jnanpit h awardee, who predominant ly worked in Sout h Indian cinema
and Bollywood. His rise as a playwright in t he 1960s marked t he coming of age of modern Indian
playwrit ing in Kannada, just as Badal Sarkar did in Bengali, Vijay Tendulkar in Marat hi, and Mohan
Rakesh in Hindi.[3] He was a recipient of t he 1998 Jnanpit h Award, t he highest lit erary honour
conferred in India.[4]
 Girish Karnad

Girish Karnad at Cornell University, 2009

Born Girish Raghunath Karnad

19 May 1938

Matheran, Bombay Presidency, British India

(now in Maharashtra, India)

Died 10 June 2019 (aged 81)

Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Occupation Playwright • director • actor

Alma mater Karnataka University

Magdalen College, Oxford

Period 1961–2019

Genre Fiction

Literary movement Navya

Notable works Tughlaq

Taledanda

Spouse Dr Saraswathy Ganapathy

Children Raghu Karnad, Shalmali Radha

For four decades Karnad composed plays, oft en using hist ory and myt hology t o t ackle
cont emporary issues. He t ranslat ed his plays int o English and received acclaim. His plays have
been t ranslat ed int o some Indian languages and direct ed by direct ors like Ebrahim Alkazi, B. V.
Karant h, Alyque Padamsee, Prasanna, Arvind Gaur, Sat yadev Dubey, Vijaya Meht a, Shyamanand
Jalan, Amal Allanaa and Zafer Mohiuddin.[5]

He was act ive in t he world of Indian cinema working as an act or, direct or and screenwrit er, in Hindi
and Kannada cinema, and has earned awards.

He was conferred Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan by t he Government of India and won four
Filmfare Awards, of which t hree are Filmfare Award for Best Direct or – Kannada and t he fourt h a
Filmfare Best Screenplay Award. He was a present er for a weekly science magazine programme
called "Turning Point " t hat aired on Doordarshan in 1991.

Early life and education

Girish Karnad was born in Chit rapur Saraswat Brahmin family[6] of Mat heran, in present -day
Maharasht ra, in 1938. His mot her Krishnabai (née Mankikar) was a young widow wit h a son who
belonged t o a poor family. Since it was necessary for her t o earn a living, she began working as a
nurse and cook (general housekeeper) for t he bedridden wife of a cert ain Raghunat h Karnad, a
doct or in t he Bombay Medical Services. He was from t he Konkani speaking Chit rapur Saraswat
Brahmin communit y.[7]

Some five years lat er, and while t he first wife was st ill alive, Krishnabai and Dr. Raghunat h Karnad
were married in a privat e ceremony. The marriage was cont roversial not because of bigamy (it
was legal unt il 1956 for a Hindu man t o have more t han one wife) but because of t he prevailing
social prejudice against widow remarriage. Therefore, t he wedding was held privat ely, and under
t he dispensat ion of t he Arya Samaj, a reform organizat ion t hat condones widow remarriage. Girish
was t he t hird of t he four children born t hereaft er.[8]

Karnad's init ial schooling was in Marat hi. Lat er, aft er his fat her was t ransferred t o Sirsi in t he
Kannada-speaking regions of Bombay Presidency, Karnad was exposed t o t ravelling t heat re
groups and natak mandalis (t heat re t roupes), which were experiencing a period of efflorescence
during t he iconic Balgandharva era .[9] As a youngst er, he was an ardent admirer of Yakshagana and
t he t heat er in his village.[10] His family moved t o Dharwad in Karnat aka when he was fourt een,
where he grew up wit h his t wo sist ers and a niece.[11]

He earned his Bachelor of Art s degree in mat hemat ics and st at ist ics from Karnat ak Art s College,
Dharwad (Karnat aka Universit y), in 1958. Aft er graduat ion, he went t o England and st udied
Philosophy, Polit ics and Economics at Magdalen in Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar (1960–63),
earning his Mast er of Art s degree in philosophy, polit ical science and economics.[5] Karnad was
elect ed t he President of t he Oxford Union in 1962–63.[12]

Career

Aft er working wit h t he Oxford Universit y Press, Chennai for seven years (1963–70), he resigned
t o t ake t o writ ing full-t ime.[5] While in Madras (now known as Chennai) he got involved wit h local
amat eur t heat re group, The Madras Players.[13]

During 1987–88, he was at t he Universit y of Chicago as visit ing professor and Fulbright
playwright -in-residence.[5] During his t enure at Chicago Nagamandala had it s world premiere at
t he Gut hrie Theat er in Minneapolis based on Karnad's English t ranslat ion of t he Kannada
original.[14]

He served as direct or of t he Film and Television Inst it ut e of India (1974–1975) and chairman of
t he Sangeet Nat ak Akademi, t he nat ional academy of t he performing art s (1988–93). He served
as direct or of t he Nehru Cent re and as Minist er of Cult ure, in t he Indian High Commission, London
(2000–2003).

Literature

Karnad in 2010
Karnad is known as a playwright . His plays, writ t en in Kannada, have been t ranslat ed int o English
(most ly t ranslat ed by himself) and some Indian languages. Kannada is his language of choice.

When Karnad st art ed writ ing plays, Kannada lit erat ure was highly influenced by t he renaissance in
West ern lit erat ure. Writ ers would choose a subject t hat looked ent irely alien t o manifest at ion of
nat ive soil. C. Rajagopalachari's version of t he Mahabharata published in 1951, left a deep impact
on him[15] and soon, somet ime in t he mid-1950s, one day he experienced a rush of dialogues by
charact ers from t he Mahabharat a in Kannada.

"I could act ually hear t he dialogues being spoken int o my ears ... I was just t he scribe," said Karnad
in a lat er int erview. Yayati was published in 1961, when he was 23 years old. It is based on t he
st ory of King Yayat i, one of t he ancest ors of t he Pandavas, who was cursed int o premat ure old
age by his precept or, Shukracharya, who was incensed at Yayat i's infidelit y.

Yayat i, in t urn, asks his sons t o sacrifice t heir yout h for him, and one of t hem agrees. It ridicules
t he ironies of life t hrough charact ers in Mahabharata. The play in Hindi was adapt ed by Sat yadev
Dubey and Amrish Puri was lead act or for t he play. It became an inst ant success, immediat ely
t ranslat ed and st aged in several ot her Indian languages.[14]

Karnad found a new approach of drawing hist orical and myt hological sources t o t ackle
cont emporary t hemes and exist ent ialist crisis of modern man t hrough charact ers locked in
psychological and philosophical conflict s. His next was Tughlaq (1964), about a rashly idealist
14t h-cent ury Sult an of Delhi, Muhammad bin Tughluq, and allegory on t he Nehruvian era which
st art ed wit h ambit ious idealism and ended up in disillusionment .[15] This est ablished Karnad, now
26 years old, as a promising playwright in t he count ry. It was st aged by t he Nat ional School of
Drama Repert ory under t he direct ion of Ebrahim Alkazi, wit h t he act or Manohar Singh, playing t he
visionary king who lat er becomes disillusioned and t urns bit t er, amidst t he hist oric Purana Qila in
Delhi. It was st aged in London by t he Nat ional School of Drama for t he Fest ival of India in
1982.[5][14]

Hayavadana (1971) was based on a t heme drawn from The Transposed Heads, a 1940 novella by
Thomas Mann, which is originally found in t he 11t h-cent ury Sanskrit t ext Kathasaritsagara. Herein
he employed t he folk t heat re form of Yakshagana. A German version of t he play was direct ed by
Vijaya Meht a as part of t he repert oire of t he Deut sches Nat ional Theat re, Weimar.

Naga-Mandala (Play wit h Cobra, 1988) was based on a folk t ale relat ed t o him by A. K.
Ramanujam, brought him t he Karnat aka Sahit ya Academy Award for t he Most Creat ive Work of
1989. It was direct ed by J. Garland Wright , as part of t he celebrat ions of t he 30t h anniversary of
Gut hrie Theat re, Minneapolis. The t heat re subsequent ly commissioned him t o writ e t he play, Agni
Mattu Male (The Fire and t he Rain). Though before it came Taledanda (Deat h by Beheading, 1990)
which used t he backdrop, t he rise of Veerashaivism, a radical prot est and reform movement in
12t h cent ury Karnat aka t o bring out current issues.[5][16]

Movies

Karnad made his act ing as well as screenwrit ing debut in a Kannada movie, Samskara (1970),
based on a novel by U.R. Anant hamurt hy and direct ed by Pat t abhirama Reddy. That movie won
t he first President 's Golden Lot us Award for Kannada cinema.

In t elevision, he played t he role of Swami's fat her in t he TV series Malgudi Days (1986–1987),
based on R. K. Narayan's books, direct ed by Kannada act or and direct or Shankar Nag. He also
host ed t he science magazine Turning Point on Doordarshan, in t he early 1990s.

He made his direct orial debut wit h Vamsha Vriksha (1971), based on a Kannada novel by S. L.
Bhyrappa. It won him Nat ional Film Award for Best Direct ion along wit h B. V. Karant h, who co-
direct ed t he film. Lat er, Karnad direct ed several movies in Kannada and Hindi, including Godhuli
(1977) and Utsav (1984). Karnad has made number of document aries, like one on t he Kannada
poet D. R. Bendre (1972), Kanaka-Purandara (English, 1988) on t wo medieval Bhakt i poet s of
Karnat aka, Kanaka Dasa and Purandara Dasa, and The Lamp in the Niche (English, 1989) on Sufism
and t he Bhakt i movement . Many of his films and document aries have won several nat ional and
int ernat ional 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
writ er Kuvempu.

His Hindi movies include Nishaant (1975), Manthan (1976), Swami (1977) and Pukar (2000). He
has act ed in a number of Nagesh Kukunoor films, st art ing wit h Iqbal (2005), where Karnad's role
of t he rut hless cricket coach got him crit ical acclaim. This was followed by Dor (2006), 8 x 10
Tasveer (2009) and Aashayein (2010). He played a key role in movies "Ek Tha Tiger" (2012) and it s
sequel "Tiger Zinda Hai" (2017) produced by Yash Raj Films.

Karnad has act ed in t he Kannada gangst er movie Aa Dinagalu.

Other works
He provided t he voice of A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, former President of India, in t he audiobook of
Kalam's aut obiography by Charkha Audiobooks, Wings of Fire.

Awards and honours

For literature
Rajyot sava Award – 1970

Sangeet Nat ak Akademi award and Vart hur navya Award – 1972

Padma Shri – 1974[17]

Padma Bhushan – 1992[17]

Kannada Sahit ya Parishat Award – 1992

Sahit ya Academy award – 1994

Jnanapit h Award – 1998

Kalidas Samman – 1998

Honorary doct orat e by Universit y of Sout hern California, Los Angeles – 2011[18]

For cinema

Nat ional Film Awards

1971: Best Direct ion: Vamsha Vriksha (wit h B. V. Karant h)

1971: Best Feat ure Film in Kannada: Vamsha Vriksha

1973: Second Best Feat ure Film: Kaadu

1977: Best Feat ure Film in Kannada: Tabbaliyu Neenade Magane[19][20]

1978: Best Screenplay: Bhumika (wit h Shyam Benegal and Sat yadev Dubey)

1978: Best Feat ure Film in Kannada: Ondanondu Kaladalli

1989: Best Non-Feat ure Film: Kanaka Purandara

1990: Best Non-feat ure Film on Social Issues: The Lamp in the Niche

1992: Best Film on Environment Conservat ion: Cheluvi

1999: Best Feat ure Film in Kannada: Kaanuru Heggadathi[21]

Filmfare Awards Sout h

1972: Filmfare Award for Best Direct or - Kannada – Vamsha Vriksha

1974: Filmfare Award for Best Direct or - Kannada – Kaadu

1978: Filmfare Award for Best Direct or - Kannada – Ondanondu Kaladalli

1983: Filmfare Award for Best Act or - Kannada - Ananda Bhairavi

Filmfare Awards Hindi

1980: Filmfare Award for Best Screenplay: Godhuli (wit h B. V. Karant h)

1980: Nominat ed - Filmfare Award for Best Support ing Act or: Aasha

1982: Nominat ed - Filmfare Award for Best Support ing Act or: Teri Kasam

Karnat aka St at e Film Awards

1971-72: First Best Film – Vamsha Vriksha

1971-72: Best Dialogue Writ er – Vamsha Vriksha

1973-74: Second Best Film – Kaadu

1989-90: Best Support ing Act or – Santha Shishunala Sharifa

1995-96: Best Support ing Act or – Sangeetha Sagara Ganayogi Panchakshara Gavai

1999-00: Second Best Film – Kanooru Heggadithi

Others
Gubbi Veeranna Award for his services t o t heat re (as a playwright )

Karnad served as t he direct or of t he Film and Television Inst it ut e of India from 1974 t o 1975,
t he Indian co-chairman for t he Joint Media Commit t ee of t he Indo-US Sub-Commission on
Educat ion and Cult ure from 1984 t o 1993, chairman of t he Sangeet Nat ak Academy from 1988
t o 1993, and president of Karnat aka Nat aka Academy from 1976 t o 1978.

Honorary Doct orat e from Universit y of Sout hern California, Los Angeles – 2011[22]

1996 -Dr.T.M.A.Pai Konkani Dist inguished Achievement Award for Performing Art s

Controversies
At t he Tat a Lit erary Fest ival held in Mumbai in 2012, Karnad was invit ed t o speak about "his life in
t heat er" in an hour-long session. Inst ead of t alking about t he subject , he t ook t he opport unit y t o
lash out at V. S. Naipaul for his "ant ipat hy t owards Indian Muslims". V. S. Naipaul had earlier been
conferred t he Lifet ime achievement award by t he fest ival's organisers. Karnad also crit icized t he
organizers for having honored Naipaul.

The audience, which had gat hered t o hear Karnad speak, had mixed react ions t o t he speech.
Some, like organizer Anil Dharker, t ried ineffect ually t o st eer t he speech t oward less
cont roversial wat ers. Ot hers were amused by t he episode, and some comment ed on t he
research and logic t hat had gone int o t he speech (unfort unat ely overshadowed by it s
'scandalous' nat ure).[23]

Just a few weeks aft er t his, Karnad again creat ed cont roversy by claiming t hat Rabindranat h
Tagore, who wrot e India's nat ional ant hem, was a great poet but a second-rat e playwright .[24][25]

In November 2015, during celebrat ions marking t he anniversary of 18t h-cent ury Muslim ruler Tipu
Sult an's birt h, Karnad st at ed t hat Bangalore Int ernat ional Airport should have been named aft er
Tipu Sult an inst ead of Kempe Gowda. This creat ed a furore among many people. Karnad
apologised t he following day.[26][27]

Personal life

While working in Madras for Oxford Universit y Press on his ret urn from England, he met his fut ure
wife Saraswat hi Ganapat hy at a part y. They decided t o marry but t he marriage was only
formalised t en years lat er, when Karnad was 42 years old. Saraswat hi was born t o a Parsi mot her,
Nurgesh Mugaset h, and a Kodava Hindu fat her, Kodandera Ganapat hy.[28] The couple had t wo
children. They lived in Bangalore.[5]

Activism

He was a proponent of mult icult uralism and freedom of expression. He was a crit ic of religious
fundament alism. He had publicly condemned t he demolit ion of Babri Masjid in 1992 and lat er
spoke against t he at t empt s t o creat e cont roversy about t he Idgah Maidan in Hubli.[5] He had
opposed RSS, BJP and ot her organizat ions on several occasions. He opposed Narendra Modi for
t he Prime Minist er's post in t he 2014 parliament elect ions.[29] He was one of t he 200 writ ers who
put out an open let t er against hat e polit ics and for “diverse and equal India” during t he 2019
general elect ions. Wit h a t ube in his nose, he wore a placard saying "Me Too Urban Naxal"[30] at
t he first deat h anniversary of slain journalist Gauri Lankesh.[29] Karnad claimed t hat Tipu Sult an
was t he great est king Karnat aka had in 500 years, on a religious cont roversy about t he king.[29]
Karnad was a support er of t he Forum for Communal Harmony.[31]

Death

Karnad died on 10 June 2019 at Bengaluru at t he age of 81 due t o mult iple organ failure
following prolonged illness.[32][33]

"Aft er a discussion wit h his son, it was made clear t o us t hat his last wish was t o not have any
floral procession, VVIPs or visit s of any dignit aries. Hence, it will be a simple affair."

Bibliography

Plays in Kannada
"Maa Nishaadha" (One Act Play)

"Yayati" (1961)[34]

"Tughlaq" (1964) (t ranslat ed in Hindust ani by B. V. Karant h. Major Indian direct ors who have
st aged it : Ebrahim Alkazi, Prasanna, Arvind Gaur, Dinesh Thakur & Shyamanand Jalan (in Bengali).

"Hayavadana" (1971)

"Anjumallige" (1977) (t ranslat ed in Bengali name "JAMINI", by Dr. Biswa Roy, Direct or Film and
T.V media. Published by Papyrus, in t he year January 2007. )

"Hittina Hunja" aka "Bali" (The Sacrifice) (1980)

"Nagamandala" (1988) (Play wit h Cobra), based on t he script of t his play, Nagamandala, A
movie in Kannada language was released in 1997, st arring Prakash Raj and Vijayalakshmi.

"Taledanda" (1990) (Deat h by Beheading), in Hindi it is known as Rakt-Kalyan t ranslat ed by Ram

Gopal Bajaj, first direct ed by Ebrahim Alkazi for NSD rep., t hen by Arvind Gaur (1995–2008, st ill
running) for Asmit a Theat er Group, New Delhi.[35]

"Agni mattu Male" (1995) (Agni Aur Varsha, The Fire and t he Rain), first direct ed by Prasanna
for NSD Rep.

"Tipu Sultan Kanda Kanasu" (The Dreams of Tipu Sult an)

 "Odakalu Bimba" (2006) (Hindi, Bikre Bimb; English, A heap of Broken Images)

"Maduve Album" (2006)

"Flowers" (2012)

"Benda Kaalu on Toast" (2012)

"Rakshasa Tangadi" (2018)

Plays translated in English

Tughlaq, Oxford Universit y Press.

Hayavadana, Oxford Universit y Press.

Yayati, Oxford Universit y Press.

Nagamandala: Play with Cobra, Oxford Universit y Press.

Fire and the Rain, Oxford Universit y Press, 1998.

Bali : The Sacrifice, Oxford Universit y Press.

Tale Danda, Oxford Universit y Press.

Wedding Album, Oxford Universit y Press, 2006.

Boiled Beans on Toast, Oxford Universit y Press, 2014.

Crossing to Talikota, Oxford Universit y Press, 2019.

Collected Plays, Vol.1, Oxford Universit y Press, New Delhi, 2005 (Tughlaq, Hayavadana, Bali: The
Sacrifice, and Naga Mandala)

Collected Plays, Vol.2, Oxford Universit y Press, 2005 (Tale-Danda, The Fire and t he Rain, The
Dreams of Tipu Sult an, Two Monologues: Flowers and Broken Images)

Filmography

Movies
Year Title Role Language Notes

1970 Samskara Praneshacharya Kannada

1971 Vamsha Vriksha Raju (lect urer) Kannada

1974 Jadu Ka Shankh Hindi

1975 Nishaant Schoolmast er Hindi

1976 Manthan Dr. Rao Hindi

1977 Swami Ghanshyam Hindi

1977 Jeevan Mukt Amarjeet Hindi

Special
1978 Sandharbha Psychiat rist Kannada Appearance in
climax

1979 Sampark Heera Hindi

1979 Ratnadeep Madan Hindi

1980 Beqasoor (1980 film) Dr. Anand Bhat nagar

1980 Aasha Deepak

1980 Man Pasand Kashinat h

1980 Apne Paraye Harish Hindi

1981 Shama Nawab Yusuf Khan

Advocat e Subhash
1982 Umbartha Marat hi
Mahajan

1982 Aparoopa Mr. Khanna Assamese

1982 Teri Kasam Rakesh Hindi

Narayana Sarma
1983 Ananda Bhairavi Kannada
Bilingual Film
• Telugu

1983 Ek Baar Chale Aao Din Dayal Hindi

1983 Anveshane Rot t i Kannada

1984 Tarang Dinesh Hindi

1984 Divorce
Year Title Role Language Notes

Rao Bahadur Raja Ram

1985 Nee Thanda Kanike Kannada
Mohan Rao

1986 Nenapina Doni Kannada

1985 Zamana Sat ish Kumar Hindi

1985 Meri Jung Deepak Verma Hindi

Pandit Shivshankar
1985 Sur Sangam Hindi
Shast ri

1986 Neela Kurinji Poothappol Appu Menon Malayalam

1986 Naan Adimai Illai Rajasekhar Tamil

1987 Sutradhar Zamindar Hindi

1988 Kaadina Benki Kannada

1988 Akarshan

1989 Prathama Ushakirana Doct or Kannada

1989 Mil Gayee Manzil Mujhe

1990 Santha Shishunala Sharifa Govindabhat t a Kannada

1990 Nehru: The Jewel of India

1991 Mysore Mallige Padma's Fat her Kannada

Ret ired Major

1991 Chaitanya Telugu
Harischandra Prasad

1991 Brahma

1991 Antarnaad Hindi

1991 Gunaa Dr. Ganesh Tamil

1992 Cheluvi Village Headman Kannada

1993 Praana Daata

1994 Poorna Sathya Kannada

Kakarla Sat yanarayana

Murt i

1994 Kadhalan Tamil

(Governor of Tamil
Nadu)
Year Title Role Language Notes

1994 Aagatha Psychiat rist Kannada

Sangeetha Sagara Ganayogi

1995 Hanagal Kumaraswamiji Kannada
Panchakshara Gavai

1996 Dharma Chakram Mahendra Telugu

1996 Aatank Inspect or Khan Hindi

1996 The Prince Vishwanat h Malayalam

1997 Ratchagan Sriram Tamil

1997 Minsaara Kanavu Amal Raj Tamil

Sunder Rajan

1998 China Gate Hindi

(Forest Officer)

Rudran

1998 Kadhal Mannan (Black Dog Securit y Tamil

Chief)

A. N. Ramakrishnaiah

1998 April Fool (Chief Minist er of Kannada

Karnat aka)

1998 Aakrosh: Cyclone of Anger Rajwansh Shasht ri Hindi

1999 Kanooru Heggadithi Chandregowda Kannada Direct or also

1999 AK-47 Jagannat h Rao Kannada

1999 Janumadatha Dr. Akbar Ali Kannada

Sheshanag Dixit

1999 Prathyartha (Home Minist er of Kannada

India)

2000 Pukar Mr. Rajvansh Hindi

2000 Hey Ram Uppilli Iyengar Tamil

2001 Vande Matharam Mr. Ballal Kannada

2004 Chellamae Rajasekhar Tamil

2004 Shankar Dada MBBS Sat ya Prasad Telugu

2005 Iqbal Guruji Hindi

Year Title Role Language Notes

2006 Dor Randhir Singh Hindi

2006 Tananam Tananam Shast ry Kannada

2006 Amirtham Ramaswamy Iyengar Tamil

Screenplay
2007 Aa Dinagalu Girish Nayak Kannada
Writ er also

2007 Lava Kusha Ranga Rao Kannada

2008 Chilipili Hakkigalu School Mast er Kannada

2008 Sangaathi Kannada

2008 Dhanam Tamil

2009 8 x 10 Tasveer Anil Sharma Hindi

2009 Aashayein Part hasart hi Hindi

2009 Life Goes On Sanjay English

Narasimha Rao

2010 Komaram Puli Telugu

(Prime Minist er)

2011 Narthagi Tamil

2011 Kempe Gowda Mahadev Gowda Kannada

Dr. Shenoy

2012 Ek Tha Tiger Hindi

(RAW Chief)

2012 Mugamoodi Lee's Grandfat her Tamil

2012 Yaare Koogadali Doct or Kannada

2013 Sweety Nanna Jodi Priya's Fat her Kannada

2014 Samrat & Co. Mahendra Prat ap Singh Hindi

2014 Savaari 2 Vishwanat h Kannada

2015 Rudra Tandava Shivaraj's Fat her Kannada

2015 Rana Vikrama K. V. Anand Rao Kannada

2015 Chandrika Kannada

2015 Guru Dakshina Guruji Hindi

2016 24 Sat hya's Grandfat her Tamil

Year Title Role Language Notes

2016 Shivaay Anushka's fat her Hindi

2016 Chalk n Duster Manohar Sawant Hindi

Dr. Shenoy

2017 Tiger Zinda Hai Hindi

(RAW Chief)

2018 Neenillada Male Kannada

2019 Pora Kannada

2019 Sketch For Love Telugu

2019 Vidura Kannada

TV series
Malgudi Days (1987)
as Swamy's fat her in Swamy and Friends (Episodes 1 t o 8)

as t he Wat chman in The Watchman (episode 17)

Indradhanush (1989) as Appu and Bala's fat her

Khandaan (TV series)[36]

Apna Apna Aasman[37]

Swarajnama as t he main host and direct or, aired on DD1 and Doordarshan

Movies directed

Vamsha Vriksha (1971, Kannada)

D.R. Bendre (1972, document ary)

Tabbaliyu Neenade Magane (1977, Kannada)

Godhuli (1977, Hindi)

Ondanondu Kaladalli (1978, Kannada)

Kanooru Heggadithi (1999, Kannada)

Kaadu (1973, Kannada)

Durga in Mahendar
 Utsav (1984, Hindi)

Woh Ghar (1984, Hindi), based on Kirt inat h Kurt akot i's Kannada play Aa Mani

The Lamp in the Niche (1990) (document ary)

Cheluvi (1992, Kannada and Hindi (dubbed))

Chidambara Rahasya (2005, Kannada) (t v film for DD1)

Production

Om Namo (A mini series for Dooradarshan, direct ed by K M Chait anya)

Kusuma Bale (A mini series for Dooradarshan, direct ed by K M Chait anya)[38]

Other works

Evam Indrajit (English) by Badal Sircar. Translat ed by Girish Karnad. 1974.

Works in translation

Yayati. Oxford Universit y Press.

Yayati (Hindi). Tr. by B. R. Narayan. Rajkamal Prakashan Pvt Lt d, 2008. ISBN 81-7119-627-6.

Tughlaq: A play in 13 scenes, Oxford Univ. Press, 1972

Tughlaq (Assamese). Translat ion Ut pal Dat t a. Assam Publicat ion Board. 2005

Nagamandala (Assamese) Translat ion. Ut pal Dat t a. Assam Publicat ion Board. 2005

Hayavadana, Oxford Universit y Press, 1975.

Tughlaq (Marathi), Tras. Vijay Tendulkar. Popular Prakashan Pvt . Lt d. ISBN 81-7185-370-6.

Three Plays: Naga-Mandala; Hayavadana; Tughlaq. Oxford Universit y Press, 1996. ISBN 0-19-
563765-8.

Tughlaq (Hindi). Tr. by B. V. Karanth. Rajkamal Prakashan Pvt Ltd, 2005. ISBN 81-7119-790-6.

Collected plays Vol 1: Tuglaq, Hayavadana, Bali: The Sacrifice, Naga-Mandala. Oxford Universit y
Press. 2005. ISBN 0-19-567310-7.

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 Universit y Press,
 USA. 2005. ISBN 0-19-567311-5.

Three plays by Girish Karnad. Oxford Universit y Press. ISBN 0-19-563765-8.

Cheluvi (Assamese). Translat ion Ut pal Dat t a.

Autobiography

‛Aadaadtha Aayushya’, published by Manohara Grant ha Mala, 2011.

Notes

1. "Girish Karnad passes away, end of an era in Indian theatre and cinema" (https://web.archive.org/web/2
0190610054315/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/girish-karnad-passes-away-end-era-indian-the
atre-and-cinema-103327) . The News Minute. 10 June 2019. Archived from the original (https://www.t
henewsminute.com/article/girish-karnad-passes-away-end-era-indian-theatre-and-cinema-103327) on
10 June 2019. Retrieved 10 June 2019.

2. "Sahitya Akademi : Who's Who of Indian Writers" (https://web.archive.org/web/20160304192058/http://

sahitya-akademi.gov.in/sahitya-akademi/SASearchSystem/sauser/writerinfo.jsp?wrids=3747) .
Sahitya Akademi. Sahitya Akademi. Archived from the original (http://sahitya-akademi.gov.in/sahitya-ak
ademi/SASearchSystem/sauser/writerinfo.jsp?wrids=3747) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 27 October
2015.

3. "Drama between the lines" (http://www.financialexpress.com/news/drama-between-the-lines/190990/

0) . Financial Express. 28 January 2007. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20130727125624/htt
p://www.financialexpress.com/news/drama-between-the-lines/190990/0) from the original on 27 July
2013. Retrieved 12 March 2011.

4. "Jnanpith for Dr Girish Karnad" (http://www.rediff.com/news/1999/jan/21jnan.htm) . Rediff.com. 21

January 1999. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20150924154238/http://www.rediff.com/news/1
999/jan/21jnan.htm) from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 2 May 2014.

5. AWARDS: The multi-faceted playwright (https://web.archive.org/web/20011230180843/http://www.hind

uonnet.com/fline/fl1603/16031170.htm) [Usurped!] Frontline, Vol. 16, No. 3, 30 Jan.–12 Feb 1999.

6. "The untold story of Girish Karnad" (https://www.livemint.com/news/india/the-untold-story-of-girish-kar

nad-1560438038742.html) . mint. 13 June 2019. Retrieved 1 January 2022.

7. "Girish Karnad, the artiste as a brave intellectual" (https://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai-news/giris

h-karnad-the-artiste-as-a-brave-intellectual/story-b9DKJvnYrGhlfJcZv3spnK.html) . Hindustan Times.
12 June 2019. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
 8. "How a Brahmin woman broke into the twentieth century" (http://www.caravanmagazine.in/essay/begin
nings) . Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20180808135841/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/ess
ay/beginnings) from the original on 8 August 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2018.

9. Kumar, p.115

10. "Conversation with Girish Karnad" (https://web.archive.org/web/20070316065029/http://www.museindi

a.com/showcont.asp?id=10) . Bhargavi Rao on Muse India. Muse India. Archived from the original (ht
tp://www.museindia.com/showcont.asp?id=10) on 16 March 2007. Retrieved 11 July 2007.

11. "Conversation: 'I wish I were a magician' " (http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/ZzkS8xw8yBGc5o2lZkuRA

M/Conversation--I-wish-I-were-a-magician.html) . Livemint. 11 October 2013. Archived (https://web.arc
hive.org/web/20131012033409/http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/ZzkS8xw8yBGc5o2lZkuRAM/Convers
ation--I-wish-I-were-a-magician.html) from the original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved 12 October
2013.

12. Hibbert, Christopher, ed. (1988). "Presidents of the Union since 1900". The Encyclopaedia of Oxford.
Macmillan. pp. 527–532. ISBN 0-333-39917-X.

13. Sachindananda, p. 57

14. "PROFILE: GIRISH KARNAD: Renaissance Man" (https://web.archive.org/web/20101124040310/http://i

ndia-today.com/itoday/12041999/arts.html) . India Today. 12 April 1999. Archived from the original
(http://www.india-today.com/itoday/12041999/arts.html) on 24 November 2010. Retrieved 29 March
2011.

15. Sachindananda, p. 58

16. Don Rubin (1998). The World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre: Asia (https://books.google.com/b
ooks?id=-MUiXjMUl34C&q=hindi+theatre&pg=PA219) . Taylor & Francis. p. 196. ISBN 978-0-415-
05933-6.

17. "Padma Awards" (https://web.archive.org/web/20151015193758/http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/m

ha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf) (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Archived
from the original (http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf) (PDF) on 15
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18. "USC News" (https://web.archive.org/web/20120324021011/http://mobile.usc.edu/news/story.php?id=

68012) . Mobile.usc.edu. 14 April 2011. Archived from the original (http://mobile.usc.edu/news/story.p
hp?id=68012) on 24 March 2012. Retrieved 26 February 2012.

19. "25th National Film Awards" (https://web.archive.org/web/20141010041511/http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Fr

m25thNFAAward.aspx) . International Film Festival of India. Archived from the original (http://iffi.nic.i
n/Dff2011/Frm25thNFAAward.aspx) on 10 October 2014. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
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21. "Biography and plays of Girish Karnad" (https://web.archive.org/web/20041204060342/http://imagi-nat

ion.com/moonstruck/clsc79.html) . Archived from the original (http://www.imagi-nation.com/moonstr
uck/clsc79.html) on 4 December 2004. Retrieved 4 December 2004.

22. "Honorary Doctorate for Karnad" (https://web.archive.org/web/20130722042540/http://www.sify.com/

movies/honorary-doctorate-for-karnad-news-kannada-lcvpKQchdih.html) . Archived from the original
(http://www.sify.com/movies/honorary-doctorate-for-karnad-news-kannada-lcvpKQchdih.html) on 22
July 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2011.

23. Girish Karnad slams V S Naipaul for his anti-Islam views, questions his Mumbai fest award (http://www.
indianexpress.com/news/girish-karnad-slams-v-s-naipaul-for-his-antiislam-views-questions-his-mumbai-f
est-award/1026127/0) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20121105192003/http://www.indianex
press.com/news/girish-karnad-slams-v-s-naipaul-for-his-antiislam-views-questions-his-mumbai-fest-awar
d/1026127/0) 5 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Indian Express, 3 November 2012.

24. [1] (http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/nation/south/rabindranath-tagore%E2%80%99s-plays-u

nbearable-girish-karnad-074) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20121110055443/http://www.de
ccanchronicle.com/channels/nation/south/rabindranath-tagore%E2%80%99s-plays-unbearable-girish-k
arnad-074) 10 November 2012 at the Wayback MachineDeccan Chronicle.

25. "Rabindranath Tagore a 'second-rate playwright', Girish Karnad says" (https://web.archive.org/web/201

30127031806/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-11-09/india/35015880_1_girish-karnad-
rabindranath-tagore-bengali-theatre) . The Times of India. Archived from the original (http://articles.ti
mesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-11-09/india/35015880_1_girish-karnad-rabindranath-tagore-bengali-th
eatre) on 27 January 2013. Retrieved 9 November 2012.

26. "Karnataka Simmers Over Tipu Sultan Row, Girish Karnad Offers Apology" (http://www.ndtv.com/karnat
aka-news/karnataka-simmers-over-tipu-sultan-controversy-1242517) . NDTV. 12 November 2015.
Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20151113140315/http://www.ndtv.com/karnataka-news/karnat
aka-simmers-over-tipu-sultan-controversy-1242517) from the original on 13 November 2015.
Retrieved 13 November 2015.

27. "Girish Karnad offers apology over remarks on Kempegowda" (http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/

karnataka/girish-karnad-offers-apology-over-remarks-on-kempegowda/article7866724.ece) . The
Hindu. 12 November 2015. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20200104062226/https://www.thehi
ndu.com/news/national/karnataka/girish-karnad-offers-apology-over-remarks-on-kempegowda/article7
866724.ece) from the original on 4 January 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
28. "WebHost4Life | Web Hosting, Unix Hosting, E-Mail, Web Design" (http://www.ourkarnataka.com/Article
s/starofmysore/gkarnad.htm) . Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20130908055729/http://www.
ourkarnataka.com/Articles/starofmysore/gkarnad.htm) from the original on 8 September 2013.
Retrieved 3 May 2014.

29. "Girish Karnad: An activist who fought for liberal values" (https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/
girish-karnad-an-activist-who-fought-for-liberal-values/story-bTIRmbZdBRivpICRWTTAsI.html) .
Hindustan Times. 10 June 2019. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20190703062428/https://www.
hindustantimes.com/india-news/girish-karnad-an-activist-who-fought-for-liberal-values/story-bTIRmbZd
BRivpICRWTTAsI.html) from the original on 3 July 2019. Retrieved 3 July 2019.

30. "Girish Karnad Caught in Web of 'New Language' of Hindutva Politics" (https://www.newsclick.in/girish-k
arnad-caught-web-new-language-hindutva-politics) . www.google.com. Archived (https://web.archive.o
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31. "Girish Karnad: Writer, actor and activist who too was on the hit list" (http://www.newindianexpress.co
m/states/karnataka/2019/jun/11/girish-karnad-writer-actor-and-activist-who-too-was-on-the-hit-list--19
88680.html) . The New Indian Express. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20190703062422/htt
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ho-too-was-on-the-hit-list--1988680.html) from the original on 3 July 2019. Retrieved 3 July 2019.

32. "Girish Karnad, veteran actor and playwright, dies at 81" (https://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/g
irish-karnad-award-winning-actor-director-playwright-dies-at-81/story-BWkn2Uo3AID4EDgbmDjMYL.ht
ml) . Hindustan Times. 10 June 2019. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20190610190853/http
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33. "Girish Karnad, veteran actor and playwright, dies at 81 and it's a great loss for Karnataka" (https://ww
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34. Kumar, p. 114

35. Drama critics. "Girish Karnad's Rakt Kalyan (Tale-Danda)" (https://sites.google.com/site/asmitatheatre/

girish-karnad-s-play) . Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20150209103633/https://sites.google.c
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38. "ಕಾರ್ನಾಡರ ಜತೆಗಿನ 'ಆ ದಿನಗಳು' " (https://www.prajavani.net/stories/stateregional/k-m-chaitanyas-opinion-

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References

Nand Kumar (2003). "Myt hs in t he Plays of Girish Karnad" (ht t ps://books.google.com/books?id=

9j7CbYk-IMIC&q=%22Girish+Karnad%22+-inpublisher:icon&pg=PA114) . Indian English Drama.
Sarup & Sons. ISBN 978-81-7625-353-6.

Sachindananda (2006). "Girish Karnad" (ht t ps://books.google.com/books?id=PGWa7v08JikC&q

=%22Girish+Karnad%22+-inpublisher:icon&pg=PT82) . Authors speak. Sahit ya Akademi.
ISBN 978-81-260-1945-8.

Dr. Prafull D. Kulkarni (2010). The Dramatic World of Girish Karnad. Creat ive Books Nanded.
ISBN 978-81-906717-5-0.

Dr. Prafull D. Kulkarni (2010). The Enchanting World of Indian English Drama A Socio-Cultural
Review. Lulu, USA. ISBN 978-0-557-74285-1.

Further reading

Jaydipsinh Dodiya, ed.,The Plays of Girish Karnad: Critical Perspectives Prest ige Books, New
Delhi, 1999.

Pradeep Trikha, Multiple Celebrations, Celebrating Multiplicity in Girish Karnad – A Monograph

Chhot e Lal Khat ri, Girish Karnad: Naga-mandala : a critique. Prakash Book Depot , 2006.
ISBN 81-7977-165-2.

Dr. Prafull D. Kulkarni, The Dramatic World of Girish Karnad. Creat ive Books Nanded, 2010.
ISBN 978-81-906717-5-0.

P Dhanavel, The Indian Imagination of Girish Karnad, Prest ige Books, New Delhi, 2000.

G Baskaran, ed., Girish Karnad and Mahesh Dattani: Methods and Motives, Yking Books, Jaipur,
2012.
 Vanashree Tripat hi, Three Plays of Girish Karnad: Hayavadana, Tale-Danda, The Fire and the Rain,
Prest ige Books, New Delhi, 2004.

Neeru Tandon (2006). "Myt h and Folklore in Girish Karnad's Fire and t he Rain" (ht t ps://books.goo
gle.com/books?id=T9zhq4t oCG0C&q=%22Girish+Karnad%22+-inpublisher:icon&pg=PA35) .
Perspectives and challenges in Indian-English drama. At lant ic Publishers & Dist . ISBN 978-81-
269-0655-0.

Julia Leslie, "Nailed t o t he Past : Girish Karnad's Plays" Journal of South Asian Literature, 1999,
31–2 (for 1996–7), pp. 50–84. JSTOR (ht t ps://www.jst or.org/st able/23234187)

Julia Leslie, "Underst anding Basava: Hist ory, Hagiography and a Modern Kannada Drama" Bulletin
of the School of Oriental and African Studies, 1998, 61, pp. 228–61. DOI (ht t ps://dx.doi.org/10.1
017/S0041977X00013793)

Zinia Mit ra " A Tale of Subversion wit h a Conundrum of Mask: A Reading int o Girish Karnard's
Naga Mandala" in Indian Drama in English ed.K.Chakrabort y, Delhi, PHI,2011,ISBN 978-81-203-
4289-7, INR:295.00 395 pp.

Jolly Das. 'Tracing Karnad's Theat rical Traject ory: An Int egrat ed Approach t o His Life and
Creat ivit y'. New Delhi: Paragon, 2015.

External links

Wikiquote has quotations related to Girish Karnad.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Girish Karnad.

Profile of Girish Karnad (ht t p://www.imagi-nat ion.com/moonst ruck/clsc79.ht ml)

Girish Karnad (ht t ps://www.imdb.com/name/nm0439784/) at IMDb

Profile of Girish Karnad on Virt ual Bangalore (ht t ps://web.archive.org/web/20051216085327/ht

t p://www.virt ualbangalore.com/Ppl/PplKarnad.php)
Retrieved from
"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?
title=Girish_Karnad&oldid=1099633618"

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