Muljibhai Nayak

Muljibhai Khushalbhai Nayak (1892–1971) was a Gujarati theatre director and actor from Gujarat, India. He was well known for his heroic and Bhavai roles.

Muljibhai Nayak
Born1892
Umta, Mehsana, Baroda State, British India
Died1971
Occupation(s)Stage actor, director
Years activec. 1899–1947
Parent
  • Khushalbhai (father)

Biography

Muljibhai Nayak was born in 1892 in Umta village (now in Mehsana district, Gujarat) in a family of Bhavai performers.[1][2][3][4]

He started his stage career at the age of six[1] or seven[3] for a salary of one rupee in Arya Natak Mandali.[4] He acted in many roles including Ranuka in Bedhari Talwar, Mokalkunwar in Chandravijay, Nanda in Veervijay (1901) produced by Phoenix Gujarati Natak Mandali. He worked with Framji Ratanji Appu's Parsi Natak Mandali.[4]

He was trained in theatre by Amrit Keshav Nayak and in Urdu by Narayanprasad 'Betab'. He played a role of Kumud in Kumudsundari produced by Subodh Natak Mandali.[4] He joined Deshi Natak Samaj in 1904 and later became a partner in it. In 1914, he joined Saraswati Natak Samaj for a salary of 75 rupees.[4]

His roots in folk theatre, as well as experience in conventional theatre, helped him with his Bhavai roles and direction of Bhavai performances which brought him fame. He had also directed several social and historical plays which were influenced by the Urdu theatre.[1] His early roles of Badar in Sati Toral (1915) and Jankinath in Sati Manjari (1921) were much appreciated.[1]

His popular roles include Shahji in Dheersinh in Sanyasi (1912), Hanuman in Sati Sulochna (1914), Ebhalvalo in Ra' Mandlik (1918), Shivaji in Raja Shambhaji (1922), Shudrak in Shalivahan (1927) and Raja Shahji (1938). His role of Shivaji in Raja Shambhaji attracted Marathi people. He was hailed for acting, makeup and an entry on the stage on a horseback in the role of Shahji in Raja Shahji.[1][4] His roles of heroic men were well appreciated for his heavy voice and acting.[4]

He died in 1971.[1]

Recognition

Muljibhai Nayak was felicitated in Ahmedabad on 13 September 1963 by the Government of Gujarat.[4] He was awarded Sangeet Natak Akademi award for Acting in Gujarati in 1965.[2][5] He was felicitated by Udaybhansinhji, prince of erstwhile Porbandar State, in Mumbai on 9 February 1966 under the aegis of Deshi Natak Samaj.[4]

Stage
Acting career[1][4]
Date Title Role Writer Theatre company
Bedhari Talwar Renuka
Chandravijay Mokalkunwar
1901 Veervijay Nanda Phoenix Gujarati Natak Mandali
1904 Vijay Kamla Roshan Aara Dahyabhai Dholshaji Zaveri,

Chhotalal Rukhdev Sharma

 Deshi Natak Samaj
26 October 1905 Sati Sita Shanta Chhotalal Rukhdev Sharma Deshi Natak Samaj
1908 Sati Draupadi Nakul Chhotalal Rukhdev Sharma Deshi Natak Samaj
1910 Jalim Tuliya Tuliya Manishankar Ratanji Bhatt 'Kant' Deshi Natak Samaj
6 June 1912 Sanyasi Dheersinh Chhotalal Rukhdev Sharma Deshi Natak Samaj
12 December 1912 Kulin Nayika Devsharma Chhotalal Rukhdev Sharma Deshi Natak Samaj
12 April 1913 Ajitsinh Virsinh Chhotalal Rukhdev Sharma Deshi Natak Samaj
1914 Sati Sulochna Hanuman Chhotalal Rukhdev Sharma Deshi Natak Samaj
1914 Kusumavati Khumansinh Manilal 'Pagal' Saraswati Natak Samaj
1915 Sati Toral Badar
7 December 1918 Ra' Mandlik Ebhalvalo Manilal 'Pagal' Aryanaitik Natak Samaj
26 June 1920 Chhatravijay Sambhakaran Collaborative work Aryanaitik Natak Samaj
1921 Sati Manjari Jankinath
December 1922 Raja Shambhaji Shivaji Manilal 'Pagal' Aryanaitik Natak Samaj
1924 Mahadji Shinde Sadashivrao Manilal 'Pagal' Arya Natak Mandali
1924 Saurashtra Veer Akheraj Manilal 'Pagal' Arya Natak Mandali
1 August 1927 Shalivahan Shudrak Prabhulal Dwivedi Lakshmikant Natak Samaj
15 March 1927 Mayana Rang Devdoot Prabhulal Dwivedi Lakshmikant Natak Samaj
1928 Mera Iman Murad Munshi Abbasali Lakshmikant Natak Samaj
2 January 1929 Veerna Ver Jaisinh Manilal 'Pagal' Lakshmikant Natak Samaj
4 February 1932 Samudragupta Mahendra Prabhulal Dwivedi Lakshmikant Natak Samaj
May 1933 Kanyadan Swami Vidyanand Kavi 'Manasvi' Prantijwala Kant Natak Samaj
12 October 1933 Rajkumari Krishna Devdutt Tarkas Kant Natak Samaj
17 January 1934 Sattano Lobh Pratapaditya Jivanlal Bhatt Bhaktivijay Natak Samaj
1938 Raja Shahji Shahji Manilal 'Pagal' Aryanaitik Natak Samaj
1938 Vilaspanthe Hemchandra Manilal 'Pagal' Aryanaitik Natak Samaj
1938 Sarjanhar Shyamsundar Manilal 'Pagal' Aryanaitik Natak Samaj
1942 Garib Kanya Sitaram Manilal 'Pagal' Aryanaitik Natak Samaj
1947 Sagavahala Ishwarlal Manilal 'Pagal' Aryanaitik Natak Samaj

References
  1. Bhojak, Dinkar J. (2004). Lal, Ananda (ed.). The Oxford Companion to Indian Theatre. New Delhi: Oxford University Press. p. 314. ISBN 0195644468. OCLC 56986659 – via Oxford Reference. (subscription required)
  2. "Muljibhai Khushalbhai Nayak". sangeetnatak.gov.in. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  3. Institute of Traditional Cultures (1966). Bulletin of the Institute of Traditional Cultures. University of Madras. p. 124.
  4. Choksi, Mahesh; Somani, Dhirendra, eds. (2004). ગુજરાતી રંગભૂમિ: રિદ્ધિ અને રોનક (Gujarati Rangbhoomi: Riddhi Ane Ronak) [Compilation of Information regarding professional theatre of Gujarat]. Ahmedabad: Gujarat Vishwakosh Trust. pp. 226–228.
  5. Fellows and Award-winners of Sangeet Natak Akademi 1952-2010: Citations and Composite Data. Sangeet Natak Akademi. 2011. p. 68.
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