Kumara Varma

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Kumara Varma was born in April, 1945 at Mavelikkara, Kerala. After having done his B.Sc., he joined the National School of Drama in 1964 and passed out in 1967 with the prestigious Bharat Puraskar and Girish Ghosh Puraskar. During 1967-68, he worked in the Repertory Company of the NSD and directed Hori (a dramatized version of Premchand’s Godan) for which the set was designed by E Alkazi.

Between 1968 and 1973 he was actively involved in the Natakakalari Movement (New-theatre Movement) in Kerala, organizing workshops and directing plays in collaboration with playwrights like C.N. Srikanthan Nair, G. Sankara Pillai and Kavalam Narayana Panikkar. Some of his productions of this period include C.N.’s Saketam, Sankara Pillai’s Bandi and Kavalam’s Sakshi.

Kumara Varma was awarded the Italian Government Scholarship in 1979 and studied the History of Theatre and Drama at the University of Rome. Besides having represented the country in the World Theatre Conference (organized by UNESCO) at Paris in 1980, he has been to many foreign countries to study theatre.

He has directed more than thirty five Indian and Western plays during the past 4 decades which include Raja Oedipus, Urubhangam, Mattavilasam, Abhijnana Shakuntalam, Aashadh Ka Ek Din, Baaki Itihas, Uddhwast Dharmashala, Six Characters in Search of an Author, Death Watch, Agg De Kaleere (Blood Wedding) and Leedli Nagari ki Neeti Katha (The Visit).

He joined the faculty of the Department of Indian Theatre, Panjab University in 1973 as Lecturer and later became Professor. He has also chaired the Department and has been the Dean of the Faculty of Design and Fine Arts, Panjab University.

Kumara Varma, is a former Secretary of the Punjab University Teachers Association (PUTA).

[edit] Chronological List of productions

EK DALIT YUVATI KI DUKH BHARI DASTAN, a Hindi adaptation of M.Mukundan’s ORU DALIT YUVATIYUDE KADANA KATHA, for the Repertory Company of the National School of Drama, New Delhi.2005.

TEEN BHAUTIK SHASTRI, a Hindi translation of THE PHYSICISTS by Friedrich Durrenmatt, for the Department of Indian Theatre, P.U., Chandigarh.2004.

AGG DE KALEERE, a Punjabi adaptation of Garcia Lorca's BLOOD WEDDING by Surjeet Pattar, for the Department of Theatre & Television, Punjabi University, Patiala. 2003-04.

AHIJNANA SHAKUNTALAM by Kalidasa, for the National School of Drama, New Delhi. 2001.

LEEDLI NAGARI KI NEETI KATHA, a Hindi adaptation of Friedrich Durrenmatt's THE VISIT, by Kumara Varma, for the Department of Indian Theatre, P.U., Chandigarh. 2001.

JANA SHATRU , a Hindi adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE by J.N. Kaushal, for the Department of Indian Theatre, P.U., Chandigarh. 1999.

BURY THE DEAD, by Irwin Shaw, for the Department of Indian Theatre, P.U., Chandigarh. 1996.

RISHTE HI RISHTE, a Hindi adaptation of Thornton Wilder’s THE MATCHMAKER, for the Department of Indian Theatre, P.U., Chandigarh. 1994.

USPAR, a Punjabi adaptation of Arthur Miller's A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE , for Sahridaya Sangam, Chandigarh.1993

DEATH WATCH by Jean Genet, for Sahridaya Sangam, Chandigarh.1991.

SHEHAR HAMARA, a Hindi adaptation of Thornton Wilder's OUR TOWN, for Department of Indian Theatre, P.U., Chandigarh. 1991.

AGG DE KALEERE, a Punjabi adaptation of Garcia Lorca’s BLOOD WEDDING by Surjit Pattar, for the Department of Indian Theatre, P.U., Chandigarh.1986.

MEN WITHOUT SHADOWS by Jean Paul Sartre,for the Department of Indian Theatre, P.U., Chandigarh.1985.

URUBHANG by Bhasa, for the Department of Indian Theatre, P.U., Chandigarh.1984.

MATTAVILASAM by Mahendra Vikrama Varman, for the Department of Indian Theatre, P.U., Chandigarh.1982-'83.

16.SIX CHARACTERS IN SEARCH OF AN AUTHOR by Luigi Pirandello for the Department of Indian Theatre, P.U., Chandigarh, 1980.

17.UDDHVAST DHARMASHALA by Govind Deshpandey for Natika, Chandigarh, 1979.

18.RAJA OEDIPUS by Sophocles for the Department of Indian Theatre, P.U., Chandigarh, 1978.

19.OTTAYAN by Kavalam Narayana Panikkar for Thiruvarang, Trivandrum, 1977.

20.DURMATI BHANDA PHOOTA (TARTUFFE) by Moliere for the Department of Indian Theatre, P.U., Chandigarh, 1977.

21.THE HOUSE OF BERNARDA ALBA by Lorca for Sutradhar, Chandigarh, 1976.

22.ASHADH KA EK DIN by Mohan Rakesh, Janvadi Rang Manch, Chandigarh, 1976.

23.BAAQUI ITIHAS by Badal Sircar, for Indian Arts Revival Group, Chandigarh, 1975.

24.A DOLL’S HOUSE by Henrik Ibsen for the Department of Indian Theatre, P.U., Chandigarh, 1973.

25.DAIVATHAR by Kavalam Narayana Panikkar for Thiruvarang, Alleppey, 1973.

26.ENIKKUSESHAM by Kavalam Narayana Panikkar for Thiruvarang, Alleppey, 1972.

27.BHAGAVADAJJUKAM by Bhodhayana for Kerala Sangeet Natak Akademi, 1971.

28.KAKKARISSANATAKAM, a folk play of Kerala for the Department of Tourism, Kerala State, 1970.

29.JABALA SATYAKAMAN by Kavalam Narayana Panikkar for Koothamplam, Alleppey, 1970.

30.THIRUVAZHITHAN by Kavalam Narayana Panikkar for Koothamplam, Alleppey, 1969.

31.SAKETAM by C.N. Srikantan Nair for Suvarnarekha, Trivandrum, 1969.

32.KAZHUKANMAR by G. Sankara Pillai for The Dramatic Club, Cashew Board, Quilon, 1968.

33.SAKSHI by Kavalam Narayana Panikkar for Koothapalam, Alleppey, 1968.

34.BANDI by G. Sankara Pillai for Suvarnarekha, Trivandrum, 1968.

35.HORI (Godan) by Premchand for the Repertory Company of the National School of Drama,New Delhi 1967.

36.CHAKRA by Vidyadhar Pundalik for the National School of Drama, 1967.