GIRISH KARNAD : controversial obituaries

 

Karnad was born on 19 May 1938 in Matheran, Maharashtra. He was also known  as a writer, actor, film director and playwright.

.Karnad's extensive list of honours include 10 National Film Awards, Filmfare trophies, Padma Shri 1974and Padma Bhushan 1992 by the Government of India, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and Sahitya Akademi Award.He also served as the director of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) and the chairman of the Sangeet Natak Akademi.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samskara_(film)

Karnad received India's top literary prize, the Jnanpith Award, for his body of work. His plays, written in the Kannada language, were translated into English and several Indian languages.

Karnad was one of 200 writers who appealed to people to "vote out hate politics" in April-May national elections.

"A MAN WHO ALWAYS FAUGHT FOR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION"

A man of his talents and multiple creative pursuits had to guard his privacy. Time was his jealous mistress. But he did not live in an ivory tower, like many creative writers do. He didn’t feel privileged. He spoke his mind fearlessly, without raising his voice or haranguing others, free of any self-righteous pomposity, on issues that impinged on our civil liberties and the public good

As "Ramachandra Guha" said, 

“There is no one alive in India who so well understood and embodied the richness and the diversity of Indian culture in his life and in his work and in his writings than Karnad.” And in Karnad’s own famous words, in his inimitable Kannada, “You must be rooted deeply in land to be able to spread your wings in the sky.”

"GIRISH KARNAD AND POLITICS"

Karnad occupied the space of political news when he began campaigning for Bangalore (now Bengaluru). He had famously said that the right wing did not have the intellectual calibre of the left.

"NEOCAPITALISM AND KARNAD"

The historically unprecedented upsurge of neocapitalist market is hounded by its dark and sinister antagonist — religious fundamentalism — across the world. In the past, at such moments of churning, the indomitable force of artistic imagination used to point the way forward. But today, art too has become captive of the market economy. This is the historical context in which the widely celebrated and highly exported Indian playwright Karnad passed away. Amid the deluge of condolences and commiserations, many recounted how in the past decade, the award-winning Kannada writer had been actively campaigning against the re-upsurge of religious chauvinism. He actively protested human rights violations. Sure, Karnad deserves appreciation for speaking out boldly against forces of religious fundamentalism. It must have taken a lot of courage for him to speak and stand up against the impending chaos in explicit postures and statements. However, the artist speaks more through his works than through words and actions.

"URBAN NEXAL"

A voice that championed the freedom of expression, Girish Karnad wore a sign around his neck that read 'Me Too Urban Naxal' at an event to mark the first death anniversary of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh

"What is horrifying now is not what the Naxals or terrorists are doing but what the police are saying. The accusations against rationalists are a complete hogwash. It is not rational talk. It's scary because they believe they can do what they want. Someone in Pune is investigating the case and someone in Delhi is directing them. This is grim. If speaking up means being a Naxal then I am an Urban Naxal. I am proud to be a part of the hit list," Girish Karnad had said.

"Committed to secularism"

Girish Karnad believed that it was wrong to view medieval Indian history as a clash between Hinduism and Islam and that often made him the target of the Right.

December 2003 participating in protest against the detention of members of the progressive forum who where demonstrating against DATTA JAYANTI celebrations at Datta peetha at babudangiri near Chikmagalur

"DEATH OF GIRISH KARNAD "

New Delhi: Indian film and theatre veteran Girish Karnad died on Monday at 81 years of age. The actor had been ill for a while. Karnad was last seen by Hindi film viewers in Salman Khan’s film Ek Tha Tiger and its sequel Tiger Zinda Hai.

He was a known critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and was among the 600 theatre personalities who had signed a letter ahead of the Lok Sabha polls asking people to "vote BJP and its allies" out of power, arguing that the idea of India and its constitution were under threat.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Karnad will be remembered for his versatile acting across all mediums.

Why do we begin a tribute to Girish Karnad with these lines? When Dey wrote this poem, there was still hope that at least a hundred lamps of civilisation would be reignited in post-Independence India. But we are now living through the painful twilight of modernity and postmodernity governed by market-driven neocolonialism, which is far more unsettling and devastating than the previous avatars of colonialism.

Girish karnad's character is very radical.  There have been many evaluations on his personality.

References

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samskara_(film)

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