Krishna Shah

Krishna Shah (1938-2013) [1]. Distinguished India-born American/Gujarati film and theatre director, screenwriter, playwright, producer, and production/distribution executive.

Biography

Born on 10 May 1938 in Bombay, India, Shah graduated from the Indian Academy of Dramatic Art and became a leading actor on the professional stage.

He next turned to directing when he staged Kadam Milake Chalo in Bombay, the play winning the first prize in the State Drama Competition in 1958 and Shah was named best director of the year. This catapulted him into another realm at the time, as indicated by a programme note to Sponono (which he had co-authored and directed in 1963): "Two directors are cited for their experimental work in India, Satyajit Ray of Calcutta for his films, and the young director, Krishna Shah of Bombay, for his stage plays."

Sponsored by the Indian National Theatre, Shah now went to the United States to study and survey Western trends in Drama. As the winner of an international scholarship he studied and taught at Iowa University. In this period he directed Rabindranath Tagore's playKing of the Dark Chamber in New York, the production running for a year to rave notices.

In 1961 Union Artists brought him and the play, to South Africa where the play was a success once more and he also went on to do important work with local artists between 1961 and 1963, leading to the founding of the Shah Theatre Academy, a Durban based training academy named after him. (See section on his contribution below)

However, Shah would eventually also move on to TV and film production himself.

In 1969 he married Diane Hillman.

He passed away on 13 October 2013 in Mumbai.

Contribution to South African Theatre

In 1961 the progressive professional theatre organisation Union Artists. brought Shah and his production of Tagore's play to South Africa The production starred Indian stars Surya Kumari and Baskhar and opened in Durban before playing at the Wits University Great Hall. then went on to play at the University of the Witwatersrand's Great Hall. This event would have a great influence on the evolution of theatre among the South African Indian community as well as the theatre industry as a whole. In recognition of this influence, the Shah Theatre Academy was named after the director.

In 1961 Shah brought his New York production of Rabinadrath Tagore's The King of the Dark Chamber () to Durban, South Africa .

In 1963 Shah returned to Durban to conduct workshops, and this led to the founding of the influential Shah Academy in 1965 and the emergence of what was at one time known as Indic Theatre in the country.

Sources

Quoted out of a programme of Sponono staged from February 20th, 1963 and performed by Union Artists production: 'Two directors are cited for their experimental work in India, Satyajit Ray of Calcutta for his films, and the young director, Krishna Shah of Bombay, for his stage plays. Mr. Shah graduated from the Indian Academy of Dramatic Art and became a leading actor on the professional stage. Turning to directing he staged Kadam Milake Chalo in Bombay where it is still running after four years. In 1958 the play won the first prize in the State Drama Competition and he was named best director of the year. Sponsored by the Indian National Theatre, he went to the United States to study and survey Western trends in Drama. As the winner of an international scholarship he studied and taught at Iowa University. He directed King of the Dark Chamber in New York where it received rave notices and ran for a year. In 1961 Union Artists brought him to South Africa where his production of this play enjoyed an enthusiastic reception.'

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

He was brought to South Africa by Union Artists to mount Rabindranath Tagore]’s King of the Dark Chamber in 1961. It starred Indian stars Surya Kumari and Baskhar and opened in Durban before playing at the Wits University Great Hall.

He directed a production of Sponono in 1963.

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krishna_Shah#Stage

Dennis Schauffer. 1990. "In the Shadow of the Shah: The Indic Contribution to Our Developing South African Culture". Asoka Theatre Publications.

Tucker, 1997.

Programme of the play Sponono staged in February 1963. Programme sponsored by The OK Bazaars.

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