Girish Karnad- An Introduction
- 1. Sonima K K Assistant Professor in English St Joseph’s College, Irinjalakuda
- 2. 19 May 1938-10 June 2019
- 3. Playwright, Director, Actor, Screenplay writer Together with Badal Sirkar, Vijay Tendulkar and Mohan Rakesh enriched the modern Indian Theatre The face of modern theatre in Kannada Rose to fame in 1960s
- 4. Used history (Tughlaq), mythology (Yayati) and folktales (Nagamandala, Hayavadana) to comment on the contemporary society. Usually wrote in Kannada and then translated to English Many of his plays were adapted as movies
- 5. Jnanpith-1998 Padma Shri-1974 Padma Bhushan-1992 National film award for best director and best film - 1971
- 6. Born in Matheran , Maharashtra His mother was a woman of power and progressive thoughts. Shifted to Sirsi after his primary education which contributed a lot towards his development as a writer. Sirsi introduced him to the world of performing arts through the travelling theatres and Yakshagana performances which were part of its culture.
- 7. After his graduation in Maths went to England for higher studies as a Rhodes Scholar. Started his literary career as a poet, then turned to dramas Yayati is his first major play- 1961 After the publication of some of his earlier plays he decided to become a full time writer and left his job at Oxford University Press, Chennai in 1970 Entered the world of films as a director with Vamsavriksha, an adaptation of a Kannada novel by S L Byrappa . Later wrote the script for U R Ananthamoorthy’s Samskara and made his debut as an actor in the same film
- 8. His works are noted for the beautiful blend of myth, history, ritual, superstitions and folk literature as a medium to comment on contemporary society. “The energy for the folk theatre comes from the fact that although it seems to uphold traditional values, it also has the means of questioning these values. The various conventions-the chorus, the music, the seemingly unrelated comic interludes, the mixing of humanand non humanworlds permit a simultaneous presentation of alternative points of view.”
- 9. Yayati- 1960 Tughlaq-1964 Hayavadana-1972 Hittina Hunja-1980 Naga-Mandala-1988 Tale Danda-1990 Agni Mattu Male-1995
- 10. THANK YOU!!