Subhash K Jha lists the best performances by Girish Karnad in this special feature.
He was a man of many talents: scholar, academician, activist, political commentator, theatre and film actor. But Bollywood knows him for his understated performances in unforgettable films in the 1970s and 80s, which changed the way we look at mainstream acting. Here’s a list of his best Bollywood films.
1. Nishant (1975): Playing the docile, helpless school teacher whose wife (Shabana Azmi) is abducted by the village zamindar, Karnad brought dignity and restraint into a situation which screamed for dramatic eruptions. Karnad never overacted. He was measured at a time when drama flourished.
2. Swami (1977): This was the second film where Girish Karnad starred as the silent, undemanding, doting spouse to Shabana Azmi, and this time he was even more of a brilliant projectile, hitting the right emotions. In this superb adaptation of Saratchandra Chatterjee’s novel, Girish is the neglected son of an illustrious family who gives his wife the freedom to elope with her lover if she wants. Watch him in the railway station finale when he comes to take his wife home.
3. Ratnadeep (1979): Hema Malini’s home production starred Girish Karnad as an imposter posing as her husband. The dilemma of a man at the wrong place at the right time was impeccably mapped by Karnad. The interesting thing about all the three films listed above far is that they were plotted to favour the female protagonist. And yet Karnad made a very strong impact.
4. Sur Sangam (1985): A film based on classical singing and dancing, Girish Karnad excelled as a musician in love with a classical dancer (Jaya Prada). He carried off the classical singing (played back by renowned vocalists Rajan and Sajan Mishra) as though he was doing his own vocals. Sadly, this commendable remake of the 1980 Telugu classic Shankarbharman bombed at the box office.
5. Manthan (1976): And finally, the film that Girish Karnad would be most remembered by. In Shyam Benegal’s Manthan, the actor played the real-life role of Verghese Kurien, who revolutionized the way milk was marketed and distributed in India through his National Dairy Development Board. A masterly study in dedication, passion, and rural development, this is the film that you should see if you haven’t seen Karnad at work as an actor.
