Vijaya Mehta

Vijaya Mehta (born 4 November 1934[1]) is a noted Indian Marathi film and theatre director and also an actor in many films from the Parallel Cinema. She is a founder member of Mumbai-based theatre group, Rangayan with playwright Vijay Tendulkar, and actors Arvind Deshpande and Shriram Lagoo. She is most known for her acclaimed role in film Party (1984) and for her directorial ventures, Rao Saheb (1986) and Pestonjee (1988). As the founder member of theatre group, Rangayan, she became a leading figure in the experimental Marathi theatre of the 1960s.[2]

Vijaya Mehta
Mehta in 2012
Born
Vijaya Jaywant

(1934-11-04) 4 November 1934
Baroda, Baroda State, British India (present-day Vadodara, Gujarat, India)
Spouse(s)Harin Khote (died)
Farrokh Mehta
ChildrenAnahita Uberoi
Awards1975 Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
1985 Asia Pacific Film Festival, Best Actress: Party
1986 National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress: Rao Saheb

Early life and education

Vijaya Mehta was born Vijaya Jaywant in Baroda, Gujarat in 1934.[3] She graduated from Mumbai University. She studied theatre with Ebrahim Alkazi in Delhi and with Adi Marzban.

Career

She became a major figure in 60s Marathi experimental theatre. She is a founder member of theatre group, Rangayan with playwright Vijay Tendulkar, Arvind Deshpande and Shriram Lagoo.[4]

Her stage production of C. T. Khanolkar's Ek Shoonya Bajirao is considered as a landmark in contemporary Indian theatre. She introduced Bertold Brecht into Marathi theatre with adaptation of The Caucasian Chalk Circle (Ajab Nyay Vartulacha), and Ionesco with Chairs.

She collaborated on Indo-German theatre projects with German director Fritz Bennewitz including a traditional performance of Bhasa's Mudrarakshasa with German actors. Except Pestonjee, most of her work consists of film and television adaptations of her stage plays.

She was awarded the 1975 Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for excellence in Direction, in 1986 she won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Rao Saheb (1986).

Personal life

She first married Harin Khote, son of actress Durga Khote, however he died at an early age, leaving behind two young sons. Thereafter, she married Farrokh Mehta.[5]

Filmography
  • Kalyug (1981) - Actor
  • Smriti Chitre (1982, TV film) - Director, Actor a
  • Shakuntalam (1986, TV film) - Director
  • Party (1984) - Actor
  • Rao Saheb (1985) - Director, Screenwriter, Actor
  • Haveli Bulund Thi (1987, TV film) - Director
  • Hamidabai Ki Kothi (1987, TV film) - Director
  • Pestonjee (1988) - Director, Screenwriter
  • Lifeline (1991, TV Series) - Director
  • Riding the bus with my sister (2005) - Actor
  • Quest (2006) - Actor

Awards

See also

Further reading
  • Abode of Colour, an autobiographical account by Vijaya Mehta[9]
  • Vijaya Mehta on theatre and Guru Mani Madhava Cakyar

References
  1. Abhijit Varde: Daughters of Maharashtra: Portraits of Women who are Building Maharastra : Interviews and Photographs, 1997, p. 87
  2. "The return of Desdemona". Mumbai Mirror. 25 January 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  3. Gulati, Leela (editor); Bagchi, Jasodhara (Editor); Mehta, Vijaya (Author) (2005). A space of her own : personal narratives of twelve women. London: SAGE. p. 181. ISBN 9780761933151.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  4. "Shantata! Awishkar Chalu Aahe". Mumbai Theatre Guide. August 2008.
  5. Shanta Gokhale (26 November 2012). "Life at play". Pune Mirror. Archived from the original on 17 February 2013.
  6. Awards imdb.
  7. "33rd National Film Awards". International Film Festival of India. pp. 28, 36. Archived from the original on 5 May 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  9. Gulati, Leela (editor); Bagchi, Jasodhara (Editor); Mehta, Vijaya (Author) (2005). A space of her own : personal narratives of twelve women. London: SAGE. p. 181. ISBN 9780761933151.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
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