Vijaya Mehta,a major force in Indian theatre, died June 30 at 91 . Her work left a lasting impact on Marathi drama. It all started in 1953 when she wowed audiences as Desdemona in a college play of Othello in Mumbai, which led to an invite from noted director Ebrahim Alkazi to join his theatre group. That moment set her on a lifelong path in theatre.
Born November 4, 1934,in Vadodara,Vijaya Jaywant grew up surrounded by the arts. Her aunts Nalini Jaywant and Shobhna Samarth were film stars, and her cousins Nutan and Tanuja were too. But she chose harder road of theatre,less glamorous than cinema .
In the early 1960s,Mehta co-founded Rangayan in Mumbai with playwright Vijay Tendulkar and actors Shriram Lagoo and Arvind Deshpande. They aimed to move away from mythological and spectacle-heavy storytelling,bringing a fresh,contemporary edge to the stage . Her direction of plays like Sakharam Binder, Hayavadana, Ghashiram Kotwal,Wada Chirebandi, and Purush won critical acclaim. Wada Chirebandi alone was performed over 1,500 times.
Her reach went beyond directing. Mehta was known for bridging experimental and commercial theatre . Mohit Takalkar,a director today,noted her feedback felt like conversation among equals,not a lecture. "She had amazing vantage point between the experimental and commercial and she just kept pushing it," he said.
In 1973, her collaboration with East German director Fritz Bennewitz on Ajab Nyay Vartulacha, a Marathi take on Brecht’s The Caucasian Chalk Circle,showed her dedication to broadening Indian theatre's scope. It was featured at the Brecht Festival in Berlin, a big moment for her. She also brought works of absurdist playwright Eugene Ionesco to Indian audiences,proving great theatre knows no borders.
As chairperson of the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in Mumbai,Mehta cemented her role as a cultural leader . The NCPA became a hub for key theatre figures of the 20th century,like Peter Brook,Eugenio Barba,and Richard Schechner. She not only helped facilitate their work but joined in workshops, deepening her own theatre understanding.
Mehta also ventured into cinema later in her career. Her first film, Rao Saheb,came out in 1985 and won her the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress. She acted in films by directors like Shyam Benegal and Govind Nihalani,bringing the same emotional intensity to the screen as on stage .
Throughout her career,Mehta earned many accolades,including the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Direction in 1975 and the Padma Shri in 1986. Her writings, such as her autobiography Jhimma (translated as Abode of Colour), offer insight into evolution of modern Indian theatre.
Her true legacy lies in the actors she mentored, like Nana Patekar, Ashok Saraf,Neena Kulkarni, Vikram Gokhale,Reema Lagoo, and Bharati Achrekar. These artists emerged from her guidance,carrying on her vision and dedication. As the theatre world mourns her loss, her influence continues to inspire future generations to tackle the stage with the same honesty and seriousness she did .
