Remembering Girish Karnad: Quasar Thakore-Padamsee, Abhishek Majumdar on how the playwright influenced their craft

Girish Karnad, veteran playwright, writer, director, actor and Rhodes Scholar, passed away on 10 June, 2019, aged 81, at his Bengaluru residence after a prolonged illness. The incredible act of wearing the placard that said ‘Me too urban naxal’ at a conference showed he literally wore what he felt on his sleeve.” Thakore-Padamsee also recalls the many times his father Alyque collaborated with Karnad, detailing the process and mutual respect the two theatre giants shared for each other: “They had a great sense of mutual admiration. He said that when he finished the play he was very disappointed, because he realised he was a playwright first, not a poet.” * Bengaluru-based playwright and director Abhishek Majumdar had many wordless interactions with Karnad; Karnad’s morning walk route was close to Majumdar’s residence. He also presented me with the Shankar Nag Award.” About the influence Karnad has had on him as a playwright, Majumdar fondly recalls: “His writings influenced everybody who came after him. Specifically for me, in terms of play structure, the outer structure of my play Muktidham is a very Karnad structure.” Majumdar speaks about the universal quality of Karnad’s writing, highlighting his immense personality and the reason he is such a key figure in Indian theatre: “His work has influenced everybody, no matter what kind of theatre one did.