Interviewed by Sarah Dadswell on 19 August 2006.

Interview edited by Giselle Garcia.

Listen to interview:

Girish Karnad was a leading Indian actor, film director, writer and playwright. He was a prominent figure in South Indian theatre, as well as cinema, and was a recipient of the 1998 Jnanpith Award, the highest literary honour conferred in India. He passed away in 2019.

Timeline

0:00-2:14: On his work in the 60s, the currency of language and translations and the development of writing in English over time

2:15- 12.21: On the relationship of Asian artists to Britain and British institutions. On Alkazi and the development of the National School for Drama and Bhulabai. The Privthi Theatre, Marathi Theatre, Hindi Theatre, Theatre Unit

12:22-19:03: On seeing his own work in the U.S. and intricacies of intercultural theatre

Here’s a link to a video where you can watch Girish Karnad giving a talk about how he writes and structures plays, recorded on 22 Feburary 2015 at Sahitya Rangabhoomi Pratishthan, Pune.