Shankar Shesh


Shankar Shesh was an Indian writer who wrote 22 plays and 10 novels in Hindi.
Shesh has received 2 nominations for the Filmfare Award. He was nominated for "Gharaonda" and won a Filmfare Award for Best Story "Dooriyaan". Shesh's play Ek Aur Dronacharya is said to "bring out the anomalies and agony of life embedded in social and individual predicaments".

Life

Dr. Shesh was associated with education. While working as a Hindi professor in Nagpur, he wrote Ek Aur Dronacharya, which has been performed over 100 times.

Plays

Khajuraho Ka Shilip, Are Mayawi Sarowar, Raktabeej, Rakshas, Kaaljayi, Poster, Chehre, Gharounda, Komal Gandhar, Aadhi Raat Ke Baad have been written by Dr. Shesh. His plays were being performed by the likes of Dubeyji, Dinesh Thakur, Aravind Deshpande, MS Sathyu, Jaidev Hattangdi. Bhimsen picked up Gharounda to make his first feature film, and they when to do one more film Dooriyan together. Association with Theater Unit, Awishkar, Ank, IPTA enriched him and he kept writing.
PlaysOne-act playsFilms
Murtikar Dard ka Ilaj Gharonda
Ratnagarbha Sugandh Doooriyan
Nayi Sabhyata : Naye Namune Afsarnama
Bin Baati ka Deep Pratiksha
Til ka Taad Doooriyan
Baadh ka Paani Panchtantra
Bandhan Apne Apne Puliya
Khajuraho ka Shilpi Chal Mere Kaddu Dummak Dummak
Ek aur Dronacharya
Chetna
Fandi
Dharma Kurukshtra
Ek Saath ki Gatha
Kaljayi
Are Mayavi Sarovar
Raktabeej
Poster
Rakshas
Chehare
Komal Gandhar
Aadhi Raat ke Baad

Other Work

In addition to writing plays, and stories, He also wrote scripts for movies. He wrote Gharaonda in 1977, Dooriyan in 1979 and dialogues for Sridevi's first movie — Solva Sawan which also featured Amol Palekar in 1979.
Many of Shesh's works have been adapted for stage as well as screen over the last four decades, with accomplished directors like Satyadev Dubey, Arvind Deshpande, BV Karanth, MS Sathyu, Dinesh Thakur, Jaidev Hattangadi helming them.

Dr. Shankar Shesh Foundation

In order to honour his contribution to the arts and to the country and in an attempt to maintain and grow interest in original Hindi plays and writing, The Dr. Shankar Shesh Foundation was established in 2015 by his sons.
The foundation has been identifying and mentoring original play writers. It has also been provide writing, and directing opportunities for the industry and the fraternity and supports smaller theatre groups in India.
The Foundation wishes to boost Hindi theatre across the world by promoting original Hindi writers. The foundation organizes competitions and workshops to bring newer context and experimentation in theatre performance. It also organizes a monthly reading sessions titles ‘Kathan
The foundation, a not-for-profit organization, works to foster original creative play writing in Hindi as a tribute to one of the most prominent Hindi playwrights, Dr. Shankar Shesh. The trust organises monthly play readings at the Shesh residence in Chembur, and works towards finding new talent in Hindi theatre.

Dr. Shankar Shesh Natyosava

Dr. Shankar Shesh Natyosava is an annual festival organised in October by the foundation. The festival has had 2 editions of Hindi play performances in Mumbai where various theatre groups in India perform Shesh's plays. The inaugural edition took place in 2016 at NCPA in Mumbai and was followed by 2017 edition being held at Sathye College in Mumbai. During its first and inaugural year, the foundation collaborated with Ank on the occasion of the theatre group's 40th anniversary. The plays performed were KomalGandhar and Raktabeej.