Annasaheb Kirloskar, also known as Balwant Pandurang Kirloskar, was a Marathi playwright from Maharashtra. Kirloskar was born on March 31, 1843, at Gurlhosur in the Maharashtra-Karnataka border's Belgaum district.
His musical 'Sangeet Saubadhra,' which is still well-liked and frequently performed, is evidence that his legacy endures.
On his birth anniversary, let's know more about the playwright.
Early life
Twenty years old after he finished high school in his hometown, Annasaheb relocated to Pune to continue his education. Even though he had little formal schooling, Kirloskar was knowledgeable about Sanskrit literature. However, his primary passion was theatre, and his parents pressed him to change his mind about formal schooling.
Job in Police
To support himself, Kirloskar then worked for eight years as a school teacher in Belgaum; he subsequently worked for a few years in the police department and as a clerk in the revenue commissioner's office.
Work in theatre
Kirloskar established 'Bharatshastrottejak Mandali' in 1866. Seven years later, he completed the composition of his first prose play, 'Shankar Digvijay,' in 1873. Around 1874, he founded the Kirloskar Natak Mandali.
He also wrote various poems for akhyan nataks. Inspired by the Parsi musical, Indrasabha, he roughly translated Kalidas’ famous play, 'Abhidnyanam Shakuntalam.'
After completing the first four acts, his company, the Kirloskar Natak Mandali, performed this translation. By the next year, he had completed and produced the remaining 3 acts. But before he could finish the play, he passed away in the same village he grew up in, on the 2nd of November, 1887.
