Indian drama in English
Drama is a composite art in which the written word of the playwright is concretized when it becomes the spoken word of the actor on the stage. It involves the playwright, the actor, the audience, plot construction, characterization, dialogues, music, dance, posture, stage setting etc. The genesis of Indian drama is traced to Sanskrit literature. Bharatmuni's 'Natvasastra', Ramchandra Gunchandra's 'Abhinaya Darpanat and Abinav Gupta's 'Abhinaya Bharti' are the ancient treatises which describe the essentials of stage craft like plot construction, characterization, dialogues, music, dance, postures, stage-setting. The golden age of Sanskrit drama could give equal impetus to social comedies like the Mricchakatika and melodramas like the Malathimadhava, romantic tragi-comedies like Shakuntala and the heroic plays like Venisamhara, historical plays like Mudrarakshasa and romantic comedies like Ratnavali, allegorical plays like Prabodhachandrodaya and satirical farces like Mattavilasaprahasana. Bhasa is the oldest known dramatist. His masterpieces - Urubhanga and Dutavakya and Karna — are known for their tragic intensity and dramatic style. The supreme achievement of Indian drama is undoubtedly Kalidasa, who is often called Shakespeare of India. He has given the world profound spiritual vision of life. His magnum opus, Abhiianana Shakuntala, is said to be the richest and most completely satisfying romantic drama. After the Sanskrit drama ceased to be acted and was read only as literature, the theatre of the people flourished for many centuries and catered to the Indian masses. The old splendour and fullness of drama was gone, but people still needed relaxation and entertainment. Thus arose folkforms like Jatra and Navtanki in Bengal, Bhand Jashn in Kashmir, Rasadhari plays in Mathura, Ramlila in Northern India, Bhavai in Gujarat; Lalita, Khele, Dashavtar and Tamasha in Maharashtra; Yakshagana, Bayalata, Attadata, Doddata and Sonnata in...