Girish Karnad

Actor, Playwright, Film Director, Screenwriter, Professor

Indian Bombay Presidency, British India

Quick Info

ProfessionActor, Playwright, Film Director, Screenwriter, Professor
NationalityIndian
Date of Birth19/05/1938
Age81 years (died on 10, Jun, 2019)
BirthplaceBombay Presidency, British India
Date of Death10/06/2019

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Bio/Wiki

Full NameGirish Raghunath Karnad

Physical Stats & More

Height175 cm
Weight80 kg
Eye ColorDark Brown
Hair ColorBlack & White

Educational Qualification(s)

Bachelor'sScience in Mathematics and Statistics
Master'sArts in Philosophy, Political Science, and Economics
Ph.D.Doctor of Philosophy

Personal Life

ReligionHinduism
HometownBengaluru, India
AddressBangalore, India
Hobbies
  • Reading
  • Writing
  • Listening to soft music
  • Yoga

Relationships & More

Marital StatusMarried
Wife/SpouseDr. Saraswathy Ganapathy
Children
SonRaghu Karnad
DaughterShalmali Karnad

Family

FatherLate Rao Saheb Dr Karnad
MotherLate Krishna Bai Mankeekara
Siblings2 sisters
SpouseDr. Saraswathy Ganapathy
Children
SonRaghu Karnad
DaughterShalmali Karnad

Career

Debut
Play ScreenwritingMaa Nishaadha (1960)
Kannada Film & ScreenwritingSamskara (1970)
DirectionVamsha Vriksha (1971)
TVMalgudi Days (1987)
Awards
Literature
  • Sangeet Natak Akademi award and Varthur navya Award (1972)
  • Padma Shri (1974)
  • Padma Bhushan (1992)
  • Kannada Sahitya Parishat Award (1992)
  • Sahitya Academy Award (1994)
  • Jnanpith Award (1998)
  • Kalidas Samman (1998)
  • University of Southern California, Los Angeles (2011)
National Film Awards
  • Best Direction: Vamsha Vriksha (with B. V. Karanth) - 1971
  • Best Feature Film in Kannada: Vamsha Vriksha - 1971
  • Best Feature Film in Kannada: Tabbaliyu Neenade Magane - 1977
  • Best Screenplay: Bhumika (with Shyam Benegal and Satyadev Dubey)- 1978
  • Best Feature Film in Kannada: Ondanondu Kaladalli - 1978
  • Best Non-Feature Film: Kanaka Purandara - 1989
  • Best Non-feature Film on Social Issues: The Lamp in the Niche - 1990
  • Best Film on Environment Conservation: Cheluvi - 1992
  • Best Feature Film in Kannada: Kaanuru Heggadathi - 1999
Filmfare Awards South
  • Best Director for the Kannada film: Vamsha Vriksha - 1972
  • Best Director for the Kannada film: Ondanondu Kaladalli - 1978
  • Best Actor for the Kannada film: Ananda Bhairavi - 1983
Filmfare Awards Hindi
  • Best Screenplay Award: Godhuli (with B. V. Karanth) - 1980
Other Awards/Honours
  • Honorary Doctorate from University of Southern California, Los Angeles (2011)
Controversies
  • Criticism of Babri Masjid demolition
  • Controversial statements about Rabindranath Tagore
  • Comments on renaming Bangalore Airport

Favourites

Food
  • Kanda Batata Poha
  • Misal Pav
  • Vada-Pav
  • Aloo Methi
  • Lacha Prantha
  • Sabutdana Khichdi
Actors
  • Amitabh Bachchan
  • Rajesh Khanna
  • Govinda
  • Puneet Raj Kumar
  • Diganth
Actresses
  • Rekha
  • Hema Malini
  • Arundathi Nag
  • Bharathi Vishnuvardhan
  • Jayanthi
Singers
  • Mohammed Rafi
  • Kishore Kumar
Colours
  • Grey
  • Black
  • Brown
  • Blue
SportCricket
BookWhy Survive? Being Old in America (Robert Neil Butler)
Poets
  • Amoghavarsha
  • Kappe Arabhatta

Some Lesser Known Facts

1. He was born in Matheran, Maharashtra, and grew up in Karnataka.
2. He belonged to a Saraswat Brahmin Konkani family.
3. He was renowned for his work in South Indian movies and Bollywood.
4. His portrayal as Swami's father in Malgudi Days was widely praised.
5. He met his wife at a party and married at the age of 42.
6. He had a passion for writing plays, literature, stories, and poems.
7. He served as a professor at Oxford University Press and the University of Chicago.
8. He held positions as the director of the Film and Television Institute of India and Chairman of Sangeet Natak Akademi.
9. In 2014, he opposed Narendra Modi's candidacy for Prime Minister.
10. He was a vocal critic of religious fundamentalism and Hindutva in India.
11. He lent his voice to A. P. J. Abdul Kalam's audiobook 'Wings of Fire'.
Information on this page is collected from public sources and may not be 100% accurate. Report an error
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