Girish Karnad – Acclaimed playwright and cine personality

Girish Karnad (1938 – 2019) was an acclaimed writer, film and television personality, best known as an acclaimed playwright of Kannada language. A celebrated writer, translator and artist of contemporary times, he received Jnanpith Award in 1998, the highest literary honour conferred in India. He has also worked in Bollywood and a few south Indian films as a director, screenwriter and actor, and has hosted the iconic science programme of Doordarshan ‘Turning Point’ in the 1990s for many years. He played Swami’s father in the iconic TV series Malgudi Days in the 1980s. He made a distinct mark in Kannada literature as a celebrated playwright and got active into writing in the 1960s. Tughalak and Taledanda are his major works.

His full name is Girish Raghunath Karnad. His birthplace Matheran is now in Maharashtra. While spending his younger days in Sirsa of Karnataka, he got exposed to Natak Mandalis, which used to travel from one place to another with their shows. At the age of 14, his family settled in Dharwad where he grew up. After completing his studies, he worked at Oxford University Press, Chennai for seven years in the 1960s, before he resigned the job and took up writing full-time. Kannada was his first choice of writing, and most of his works have been translated to English and many other languages.

He scripted the movie, Samskara (1970) and also made his acting debut with the film, which became the first Kannada film to win President’s Golden Lotus Award. In 1972 he co-directed Vamsha Vriksha along with acclaimed director B. V. Karanth. His directorial debut received National Film Award for Best Direction as well as best regional film. Afterwards he continued with directing offbeat films in Kannada and Hindi, apart from documentaries which won him accolades. As an associative of parallel cinema movement, Tabbaliyu Neenade Magane, Ondanondu Kaladalli, Cheluvi and Kaadu are his Kannada films, and Utsav, Nishaant, Manthan, Swami and Pukar (2000) are his famous Hindi films as a director.

As an actor his memorable roles in Bollywood include – Swami, Ek Tha Tiger, Tiger Zinda Hai, Shivaay, Hey Ram, Pukar, China Gate, Dor, Iqbal, Aasha, Teri Kasam, Man Pasand etc. He is a recipient of 10 National film awards for his works in feature films and documentaries. He was also a recipient of 6 Karnataka State Film Awards in different categories including acting and dialogue writing. Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1972, Padma Shri in 1974, Padma Bhushan and Kannada Sahitya Parishat Award in 1992, Sahitya Academy award in 1994, Jnanapith Award and Kalidas Samman in 1998 are major honours received by this versatile personality.

Girish Karnad – Some interesting and less-known facts

1. His mother was a young widow with a child who married Girish Karnad’s father as per Arya Samaj customs. Widow remarriage was not promoted in the conservative Indian society then. His father is a doctor and his mother is a nurse.

2. He wrote his first play, Yayadi in 1961 at the age of 23, and his famous play, Tughlaq was written in 1964. Nagmandala and Hayavadana are other successful plays written by Karnad.

3. Most of his works are rooted in mythology, culture, folk tradition, Yakshagana etc. He also chose historical and social subjects.

4. Anupam Kher has acted in his famous plays – Tughlaq and Hayavadan during his days at NSD.

5. He has served as the director of the Film and Television Institute of India for one year and chairman of the Sangeet Natak Akademi for more than 5 years.

6. Known for his collaboration with B. V. Karanth, his directorial debut Vamsha Vriksha won National Film Award for Best Direction and Hindi film Godhuli bagged Filmfare Best Screenplay Award.

7. For the supporting roles of Bollywood films – Aasha and Teri Kasam, he has been nominated at Filmfare awards.

8. Along with Shyam Benegal and Satyadev Dubey, he won National award for best screenplay for Bollywood film, Bhumika.

9. Known to be an outspoken personality, he was a critic of religious fundamentalism and Hindutva, who supported multi-culturalism and freedom of expression. He was also known for opposing Narendra Modi, BJP, RSS and related Hindu wings.

10. He was featured in Doordarshan show of 1980s, Indradhanush, where he portrayed Krishnamurthy Appuswamy, Appu’s father. Malgudi Days and Turning Point are other major works on Doordarshan.

11. As an actor he predominantly worked in Kannada cinema portraying character roles, apart from doing Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam and other language films.

12. He has also done lead roles in a few Hindi films of 1970s like Swami (opposite Shabana Azmi), Ratnadeep (opposite Hema Malini) etc.

13. A multifaceted personality, he has also acted in many plays, apart from writing.

14. He won a Rhodes scholarship to Oxford University and also became president of the Oxford University Union at a very young age. Yet he wrote all his plays in Kannada.

15. After his death, his family refused state funeral as per his wish. He wanted a non-ritual and private funeral. Family also declined to keep his body for public viewing.

16. His son Raghu Karnad is a young journalist and writer.