how modern norms don’t
find acceptance in rigid
agricultural society. The
resistance towards cow
slaughter, depicted in the
film, was way ahead of
its time. In Ondanondu
Kaladalli (1978), he
deviated from social
critique and made a high-
action drama inspired by
Akira Kurosawa’s films.
Utsav (1984), a Hindi film,
was based on the Sanskrit
play Mricchakatika. It was
an erotic drama and his
most ambitious film as a
director. Cheluvi (1992),
his last film as a director,
touched upon folklore
once more and revolved
around a girl, who could
transform into a tree. He
also made documentaries
like Kanaka-Purandara
(1988), based on two
Bhakti poets, Kanaka Dasa
and Purandara Dasa, and
The Lamp In The Niche
(1989) on Sufism and the
Bhakti movement.
Besides direction,
he acted in avant garde
films like Nishant (1975),
Manthan (1976), Swami
(1977), Umbartha (1982),
Anveshane (1983), Sur
Sangam (1985) and
Anatarnaad (1991). Ek Tha
Tiger (2012) and its sequel
Tiger Zinda Hai (2017)
were his last Hindi outings.
The veteran also served as
director of the Film and
Television Institute of India
(1974-1975) at Pune and
was the Chairman of the
Sangeet Natak Akademi
and the National Academy
of the Performing Arts
(1988-93). He passed
away on June 10, 2019 at
Bengaluru at the age of 81
following a long illness.
He’s survived by his widow
Saraswathy Ganapathy, son
Raghu Amay and daughter
Shalmali Radha. Purana Quila in Delhi.
Hayavadana (1971), which
utilised the narrative
patterns of Yakshagana,
dealt with the complexities
of human desire and was
a critique on the nation in
transition.
Naga-Mandala (1988)
was based on a folk tale
and talked about the
suppression of female
sexuality in a male-
dominated world. He
wrote the play when he
was at the University
of Chicago as visiting
professor and Fulbright
playwright-in-residence.
Taledanda (1990) talked
about the Lingayatism
movement spearheaded
by the 12th century
philosopher Basavanna. It
was also about caste-based
politics and the changes
brought through the
Mandal Commission.
He deviated from
references to history and
mythology in his 2005 play
Odakalu Bimba. It talked
about our relationship
with languages and
the encroachment of
technology. For his
contribution to theatre, he
was awarded the Sangeet
Natak Akademi Award
in 1972 and the Padma
Shri in 1974. He was
later awarded the Padma
Bhushan in 1992 and the
Jnanpith Award in 1998.K
arnad’s foray
into films began
with the Kannada
film Samskara
(1970), for which
he wrote the screenplay
and also acted in as
the protagonist. It was
based on a story of the
same name by U.R.
Ananthamurthy. Samskara
won the National Film
Award for Best Feature
Film for 1970. It was
a critique of ritualistic
beliefs in society. It was
banned initially as it was
feared that its strong anti-GIRISH KARNAD USED MYTHOLOGY AND
HISTORY TO ASK SOCIALLY RELEVANT
QUESTIONS... NAGA-MANDALA TALKED
ABOUT THE SUPPRESSION OF FEMALE
SEXUALITY IN A MALE-DOMINATED WORLDcaste message could spark
social tensions. He made
his directorial debut with
Vamsha Vriksha (1971),
based on a Kannada novel
by S. L. Bhyrappa. It won
him the National Film
Award for Best Direction
along with co-director B.V.
Karanth. The film was an
emotional drama revolving
around the skeletons in
a family’s history. Kaadu
(1973) was his first solo
directorial. It reflected
on the loss of innocence
and the effect of violence
on children.
Tabbaliyu Neenade
Magane/ Godhuli, which
he co-directed again with
Karanth, was a 1977
Kannada-Hindi bilingual
starring Naseeruddin Shah,
Kulbhushan Kharbanda,
Om Puri, Manu and Paula
Lindsay in pivotal roles.
The film talked aboutn o
p q
n With wife
Saraswathy
Ganapathy
o With Smita
Patil in Subah
p Manthan
q With Vinod
Mehra, Bindiya
Goswami, Nafisa
Ali and wife
Saraswathy