Girish Karnad – End of an era in the Indian literature, theatre and film spheres!

Anindita Basu Roy
(Film Study scholar from AUD and a freelance journalist/ writer)

Well umm…I don’t know from where to start! My first exposure to this versatile genius was through Shankar Nag’s Malgudi Days where he played Swami’s father amongst many other roles! Which continued till I was about 11 and was shown Manthan! I was in awe for his clear diction and throw of words and then I watched Vamsha Vriksha. If you watch the movie, you’d realise why the film deserves to be a National Award winner and amongst those rare Kannada movies which falls under my must watch films. I was loving the way he played his roles so much at ease and so much positively. And bam!!! With 2005 came Iqbal and it made me realise that he can be an amazing anti hero too. The nasty coach that I’d never ever want in my life was played by Karnad. Within 4 years came Aashayein and him playing a patient with throat cancer was so amazing that it left me speechless! Even after all this, I even was disappointed with him in Ek Tha Tiger and Shivaay! By the time I was in AUD, I learnt about his brilliance in theatre: Tughlaq, Yayati, Hayavadana, Benda Kaalu on Toast… Wow! RIP the only actor in the Hindi Film industry to have been a Jnanpith Awardee, a Rhodes Scholar and the President of the Oxford University Union: "Girish Karnad"!

E
nd of an era in the Indian literature, theatre and film spheres!

May your soul RIP sir!