Vishnudas Bhave

Vishnudas Bhave (d. 9 August 1901) and was the leading dramatist of Maharashtra, India and considered as pioneer of Marathi theatre. He was born in Sangli and he staged the first Marathi-language play Sita Swayamvar in Sangli in 1843. In this venture, Bhave was supported by the then king of the princely state of Sangli. After the success of the play Sita Swayamvar, Bhave staged plays on various other episodes of the Ramayana. He traveled with his troupes for the plays. He also ventured into puppet shows. Bhave died on 9 August 1901. In Maharashtra, the commercial theatrical activity began in 1843 with Bhave's company Sanglikar Natak Mandali. The drama company was initially influenced by English plays. Bhave acted as playwright, director and organiser of the plays. He also set up a drama school in Sangli. In 1853, Bhave came to Mumbai and in the beginning he staged his "Khel-Akhyan" (play-narrations in verse) and plays in the wada of Vishvanath Shimpi in the Girgaum locality of the city. The stories of his plays were rooted in Hindu mythological and religious literature. Songs and music were the strengths of Bhave's dramas. His play Sita Swayamvar became very popular and received much encomium. For the most part, Bhave's plays were one-man shows, with other cast playing strictly supporting and secondary roles only when their presence was needed. The tradition of full-fledged drama was revived much later in 1880s by Annasaheb Kirloskar, who is credited more often than Bhave as the pioneer of Marathi theatre. The King of the princely state of Sangli, Chintamanrao 'Appa Saheb' Patwardhan gave his patronage and encouragement to Bhave, who had extended his drama activity to Mumbai and Pune.