Pransukh Nayak

Pransukh Manilal Nayak (23 April 1910 – 12 March 1989) was an Indian Gujarati theatre actor, director, manager, and playwright from Gujarat, India. Born into a family of traditional theatre actors, he joined theatre troupes at a young age and rose to fame for his comic roles and female impersonations. His performances as a woman from Banaras in Kumali Kali and as Jivram Bhatt in Mithyabhiman were acclaimed. During his long career, he worked with many theatre companies and gave 22,455 performances, earning a listing in the 1989 Guinness Book of Records.

Pransukh Nayak
Born(1910-04-23)23 April 1910
Jagudan, British India
Died12 March 1989(1989-03-12) (aged 78)
Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
OccupationStage actor, director, manager, playwright
Parent(s)
  • Manilal (father)

Early life

Pransukh Nayak was born on 23 April 1910 in a village called Jagudan,[1][2] which is now in Mehsana district, Gujarat, to a family of traditional Bhavai actors.[3][4][5] His father Manilal Mulchand was a popular Bhavai actor and the people of nearby villages flocked to see his performances in veshas (acts) of Ramapir and Chhelbatau. Pransukh had participated in one performance when he was around seven or eight years old. He studied two levels in a Gujarati school.[1][3][4][2]

Career

Nayak was inspired by a performance by female impersonator Jaishankar Sundari to join a Bhavai troupe at the age of nine.[3][4] He joined Deshi Natak Samaj[lower-alpha 1] in Surat, where he played female impersonator roles. He later worked with Aryaniti Natak Samaj—owned by Motiram Nandwana—and Vidyavinod Natak Samaj owned by Pyarelal Viththalrao Mehta.[1][2] He later joined Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali, where he was trained under Surajram Nayak, Jaishankar Sundari and Bapulal Nayak.[3] In Mumbai, he appeared in a supporting female role as Kashi—a woman from Banaras—in Kumali Kali (Delicate Bud, 1926), and later in College Kanya (College Girl, 1925), which brought him fame in the Bombay theatre circuit (now Mumbai) at the age of fifteen.[1][3][4] He received his nickname Lucknowri Tetar due to his role in Kumali Kali.[1] He later diversified his performances, mostly in comic roles.[3] He also acted in Jugal Jugari (Jugal the Gambler, 1902), Vijya Kalyani, Pavitra Leelavati, Sattano Mad, Uma Devdi, Ramviyog, Veenaveli, Santanona Vanke, Rukshamani Haran, Sati Damayanti and Vijayavijay.[4] He played several comedic duos with Chhagan Romeo.[1][2]

When Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali became defunct, Nayak joined Palitana Bhaktipradarshak Mandali and Prabhat Kalamandal. When these troupes also became defunct, he went to Ahmedabad and joined Natmandal, which was operated by Gujarat Vidhya Sabha.[1][3] Here he was guided by Rasiklal Parikh, Jaishankar Sundari and Dina Pathak.[1][4] He received acclaim for his performance as a Brahmin in Rasiklal Parikh's Mena Gurjari (Mena of Gujarat, 1953) and as a comic role of Jivram Bhatt in Dalpatram's Mithyabhiman (False Vanity, 1955).[1][3][4][2] He also briefly worked with Darpana Academy of Performing Arts.[1][2][3] He taught theatre at Shreyas Foundation in Ahmedabad for some time.[2] During the last years of his life, Nayak started a theatre troupe called Pran Theatre, which performed educational plays for schoolchildren.[1][3][2]

Nayak acted as a royal astrologer in the Gujarati film Bhavni Bhavai.[4] Apart from acting and direction, Nayak wrote eight plays including Balotiyana Balela, Bandh Chheepna Moti, Birbalni Chhatri and Balbhakta Prahalad. His notes on commercial theatre and its history, documentation on Bhavai acts and notes of his experiences are archived in the Theatre Media Centre. His few images are also archived in the Gujarat Lokkala Foundation.[4]

In Pransukh Nayak: Flashback, Jitendra Thakkar notes that Pransukh Nayak made 1,050 performances with Deshi Natak Samaj, 400 with Vidhyavinod Natak Samaj, 205 with Aryaniti Natak Samaj, 325 in Hindi and 7,978 in Gujarati with Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali, 1,248 with Prabhat Kalamandal, 30 with Rangmandal, 531 with Natmandal, 412 with Darpana, 338 with Pran Theatre and 9,938 with other theatre companies—totalling 22,455 performances. The record was recorded in the 1989 Guinness Book of Records.[4][6]

Pransukh Nayak died from cancer on 12 March 1989 in Ahmedabad.[1][3]

Recognition

He was awarded Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1974.[5] On 13 September 1963, he was felicitated in Ahmedabad by Gujarat State Sangeet Natak Akademi. His 60th year was celebrated under Vadilal Kamdar, Mayor of Ahmedabad. He was felicitated by Vadodara Municipal Corporation as well.[2]

Acting career
This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

He acted in following plays:

Acting career[2]
Title Role Date Writer Theatre company
Jugal Jugari Uko Marwadi 26 August 1902 Mulshankar Mulani Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Saubhagyano Sinh Parvati 25 April 1925 Bapulal Nayak Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Madandh Mahila Yane Noorjahan Diwali 1926 Jayashankar Vaghjibhai Vyas Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Kumali Kali Kashi 1926 Shayda Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Jamanano Rang Indu 1927 Gajendra Lalshankar Pandya Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Tarunina Tarang Kishori 1928 Gajendra Lalshankar Pandya Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Kashmirnu Prabhat Lalita 1928 Gajendra Lalshankar Pandya Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Kudaratno Nyay Kusum 21 February 1929 Gajendra Lalshankar Pandya Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Up-to-date Mawali Shahera 29 March 1929 Joseph David Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Swamibhakti Yane Baji Deshpande (Hindi) Tulsi 1929 Munshi Mohiyuddin Nazan Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Kuldeepak Mena 9 January 1930 Gajendra Lalshankar Pandya Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Bapna Bol Mithi October 1930 Chimanlal Trivedi Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Kutil Rajneeti Vijli January 1931 Gajendra Lalshankar Pandya Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Karmasanjog Koyal 21 January 1932 Mugatlal Pranjeevan Oza Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Karyasiddhi (Hindi) Neelgangu 1932 Munshi Abbas Ali Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Gentleman Daku Suman 1932 Joseph David Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Kon Samrat? Chandan 9 September 1933 'Manasvi' Prantijwala (adapted) Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Koni Mahatta? Sarita 1934 Manilal 'Pagal' Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Kirtivijay Sona 1934 'Manasvi' Prantijwala (adapted) Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Janjeerna Zankare Veera 13 September 1934 Champshi Udeshi Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Sachcha Heera (Urdu) Mithi 7 January 1935 Munshi Mohiyuddin Nazan Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Mumbaini Badi Sulochana 20 March 1935 Joseph David Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Gheli Guniyal Rangili 1 June 1935 Champshi Udeshi Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Kevo Badmash? Chanchal 3 August 1935 Joseph David Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Kiritkumar Manba January 1936 Manilal 'Pagal' Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Nepolean Lucy February 1936 Manilal 'Pagal' Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Jobanna Jadu Mohini 30 July 1936 Manilal 'Pagal' Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Shetaranjna Dav Madanika 15 May 1937 Jaman Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Garibna Ansu Prabhavati 7 August 1937 Champshi Udeshi Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Sinhasanna Shokh Ganga December 1937 Babubhai Kalyanji Oza Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Shrimant Ke Shaytan? Lavangika 5 February 1937 Babubhai Kalyanji Oza Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Samar-Prabha Manjula 1938 Gajendra Lalshankar Pandya Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Nyayi Naresh Sundari 23 September 1938 Manilal 'Pagal' Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Cinema ni Sundari Nirmala 29 October 1938 Babubhai Kalyanji Oza Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Sukhi Sansar Mohini 19 November 1938 Manilal 'Pagal' Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Rajadhiraj Lalita 7 December 1938 Chimanlal Trivedi Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Kalankit Kon? Lady Lalna 19 March 1939 Chimanlal Trivedi Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Kartavyapanthe Kanti 26 July 1939 G. A. Vairati Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Khavindne Khatar Keti 5 September 1939 Firozgar Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Suvarnaprabhat Babli 16 January 1941 Haribhai M. Bhatt Prabhat Kalamandal
Narsinh Bhagat Yane Sorathno Sant Zumku 1941 Haribhai M. Bhatt Prabhat Kalamandal
Mena Gurjari Brahmin 1953 Rasiklal Parikh
Mithyabhiman Jivram Bhatt 19 June 1955 Dalpatram
Vijaya Kalipad (servant) 7 January 1956

Notes
  1. Natak Samaj and Natak Mandali can be translated as 'drama society' and 'theatre group' (lit. 'circle').
gollark: Anyway, the convention here is seemingly to live near university while going there and shove some of the cost onto student loans you're forced to pay back for 30 years, so commuting isn't a huge issue.
gollark: I could just be lying in a convoluted way.
gollark: I may want to do engineering of some form, which does not work well remotely.
gollark: Anyway, I'm *hoping* that by the time I end up going COVID-19 won't be a huge issue and they'll actually be able to have in-person lessons and activities and such.
gollark: Interesting.

References
  1. Nayak, Chinubhai (1998). Thaker, Dhirubhai (ed.). ગુજરાતી વિશ્વકોશ [Gujarati Encyclopedia] (in Gujarati). X (1st ed.). Ahmedabad: Gujarat Vishwakosh Trust. pp. 94–95.
  2. 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. 214–216.
  3. Jani, Dinkar B. (2004). Lal, Ananda (ed.). The Oxford companion to Indian theatre. New Delhi: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199861248. OCLC 607157336 – via Oxford Reference.
  4. Jadav, Joravarsinh (24 July 2011). "રંગભૂમિના ઈતિહાસનું એક ઝળહળતું સુવર્ણપૃષ્ઠ સ્વ. પ્રાણસુખ નાયક" [The Golden Page of the History of Gujarati Theatre: Late Pransukh Nayak] (in Gujarati). Gujarat Samachar. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  5. "Pransukh Manilal Nayak". sangeetnatak.gov.in. Sangeet Natak Akademi. Archived from the original on 23 June 2018. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  6. Ahuja, Chaman (2012). Contemporary Theatre of India: An Overview. National Book Trust, India. pp. 146, 152. ISBN 978-81-237-6491-7.
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