In the long and vibrant history of Kannada cinema, the late
Girish Karnad stands tall as one of its foremost talents. Over the years, he has conceived many masterpieces, worked alongside some of the best artists, and quite naturally, his passing is still mourned by many. For actor
Samyukta Hornad, who began her career in 2007, the experience of sharing the screen space with Mr.
Karnad shall remain etched permanently on her mind, and in this very spirit, she shared an endearing note earlier today on social media.
On the occasion of Girish Karnad's 83rd birth anniversary, Ms. Samyukta shared a beautiful picture and wrote: "This picture was taken right after my first play at Ranga Shankara. My first film was with him... my first theatre course was with him. The warmest memories remain... Remembering the legendary writer, director... most inspiring #GirishKarnad sir on his 83rd birth anniversary".
Interestingly, Samyukta Hornad's mother and fellow actor,
Sudha Belawadi, shares the feat of foraying into cinema alongside Girish Karnad with her daughter. Responding to Samyukta's tweet, the veteran actor wrote: "So was mine. What a coincidence!". Indeed, Girish Karnad's influence is apparent across generations, proving that the thespian was relevant till his last day. In his five-decade-long career, Karnad managed to secure as many as 10 national awards for his contribution to cinema including 7 Filmfare awards. He was awarded the Jnanapith Award in 1998.