B. V. Karanth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
B. V. Karanth
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| Born |
Babukodi Venkataramana Karanth
19 September 1929 Manchi, Kingdom of Mysore, British India
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| Died | 1 September 2002 (aged 72) |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupation | Composer, film director, screenwriter, actor |
| Spouse(s) | Prema Rao (1958−2002; his death) |
B. V. Karanth (born Babukodi Venkataramana Karanth) was a very important Indian artist. He was born on September 19, 1929, and passed away on September 1, 2002. People knew him as a talented film director, writer for plays, actor, and composer.
Karanth was famous for his work in Kannada and Hindi theatre and movies. He was one of the first people to create "Parallel Cinema," which was a new style of filmmaking in India. He studied at the National School of Drama and later became its director. He won many awards, including the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and the Padma Shri, which is a high honor from the Indian government.
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Life Story of B. V. Karanth
B. V. Karanth was born in a village called Manchi in 1929. From a young age, he loved theatre. His first time acting was in third grade, in a play called Nanna Gopala.
He later left home and joined the famous Gubbi Veeranna drama company. There, he worked with Dr. Rajkumar, who also became a big star.
Gubbi Veeranna helped Karanth go to Banaras to study. He earned a Master of Arts degree and also learned Hindustani music. Later, with his wife, Prema Karanth, he started a theatre group called "Benaka" in Bangalore. Benaka stands for Bengalooru Nagara Kalavidaru.
Prema Karanth supported him while he studied at the National School of Drama (NSD) in Delhi. He graduated from NSD in 1962. After that, he taught drama for a few years.
In 1977, Karanth became the Director of the NSD. He helped bring theatre to many parts of India by holding workshops. After his time at NSD, he was invited to lead the Rangamandal theatre group in Madhya Pradesh. He worked there from 1981 to 1986.
In 1989, he returned to Karnataka. The government asked him to start a new theatre group in Mysore. He named it Rangayana and led it until 1995. B. V. Karanth passed away in Bangalore in 2002.
Karanth as a Translator
B. V. Karanth was also a great translator. He translated many plays from Sanskrit into Hindi. Some of these include Swapna Vasavadatta and Mrichchakatika.
He also translated plays between Kannada and Hindi. His Hindi/Urdu translation of Girish Karnad's play Tughlaq became very popular.
Important Theatre Roles
Karanth held several key positions in theatre:
- 1962: He graduated from the National School of Drama (NSD). He won an award for being the best all-around student.
- 1977 - 1981: He served as the Director of the NSD.
- 1981 - 1988: He was the founding director of Rangamandal at Bharat Bhavan in Bhopal.
- 1989 - 1995: He was the founding director of Rangayana in Mysore.
His Impact on Theatre
B. V. Karanth changed Kannada theatre a lot in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Before him, theatre was often very formal. His plays, like Jokumara Swamy and Huchu Kudure, were new and exciting. They changed how plays used language, music, and style.
One of Karanth's biggest gifts to theatre was his creative use of music. He could mix classical, traditional, and folk music styles into his plays. His plays were known for their amazing musical parts, which became a key part of the show.
In 2010, a special exhibition honored B. V. Karanth and Habib Tanvir at the Bharat Rang Mahotsav. This is a big theatre festival in Delhi. A famous writer, Nirmal Verma, once called Karanth "the true genius of Indian theatre."
Plays Directed by B. V. Karanth
Karanth directed over 100 plays. More than half of these were in Kannada, and many were in Hindi. He also directed plays in English, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil, Punjabi, Urdu, Sanskrit, and Gujarati.
Some of his most popular plays in Kannada include Hayavadana, Huchu Kudure, and Jokumara Swami. For Hindi plays, some well-known ones are Macbeth (which used the traditional Yakshagana dance style), King Lear, and Ghasiram Kotwal.
Karanth also loved directing plays for children. He directed several children's plays like Panjara Shale, Neeli Kudure, and Alilu Ramayana.
Benaka Theatre Group
In 1974, Karanth started a theatre group in Bangalore called BeNaKa. As mentioned before, Benaka stands for Bengalooru Nagara Kalavidaru. Benaka performed many popular plays, like Hayavadana, all over Karnataka and even in other countries.
At Benaka, Karanth had a special interest in children's theatre. He directed many plays with children as actors. After his passing, his wife, Prema Karanth, who was also a well-known theatre artist, took care of the group.
Helping Theatre in Madhya Pradesh
Karanth played a big part in starting a new theatre movement in Madhya Pradesh. In 1973, he organized a training camp there. Later, in the 1980s, he returned to set up the Rangmandal theatre group in Bharat Bhavan. This was the first theatre group of its kind in the state.
At Rangmandal, folk artists helped train modern actors. The group also included folk performers. They produced plays in Hindi and local languages like Bundelkhandi, which helped many people enjoy theatre.
Helping Theatre in Andhra Pradesh
Karanth also helped theatre in Andhra Pradesh. He worked with the Surabhi theatre group. He led three workshops for them in the 1990s, producing plays like Bhishma and Chandipriya. He spent time in small villages to help create these dramas.
Filmmaking Work
Besides theatre, Karanth also directed four feature films and four documentaries. He also composed music for 26 films. He worked with Girish Karnad to direct films like Vamsha Vriksha and Tabbaliyu Neenade Magane.
Awards and Honors
B. V. Karanth received many awards for his contributions to art:
- Civilian Honors
- Padma Shri - Government of India (1981)
- Kalidas Samman - Government of Madhya Pradesh (1976)
- Gubbi Veeranna Award - Government of Karnataka (1976)
- National Honors
- Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1976)
- 1971 – National Film Award for Best Direction – Vamsha Vriksha
- 1971 – National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Kannada – Vamsha Vriksha
- 1975 – National Film Award for Best Feature Film – Chomana Dudi
- 1976 – National Film Award for Best Music Direction: Rishya Shrunga
- 1977 – National Film Award for Best Music Direction: Ghatashraddha
- 1977 – National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Kannada– Tabbaliyu Neenade Magane
- Karnataka State Film Awards
- 1971-72 - First Best Film – Vamsha Vruksha
- 1971-72 - Best Dialogue Writer – Vamsha Vruksha
- 1975-76 - First Best Film – Chomana Dudi
- 1975-76 - Best Music Director – Hamsageethe
- Filmfare Awards South
- 1972 - Best Director Kannada – Vamsha Vriksha
- 1975 - Best Director Kannada – Chomana Dudi
Documentary Film on B. V. Karanth
In 2012, Films Division made a 93-minute film about B. V. Karanth called BV Karanth:Baba. The film is based on his autobiography in Kannada, Illiralaare, Allige Hogalaare (meaning "I can't stay here, I won't go there"). This book was put together by the well-known Kannada writer Vaidehi.
Works
- Tughlaq (Hindi), by Girish Karnad. Translated by B. V. Karanth. Rajkamal Prakashan Pvt Ltd, 2005. ISBN: 81-7119-790-6.
