Tughlaq (2025) · South Asians in Silicon Valley · SJSU Digital Exhibits on Omeka S

Title: Tughlaq (2025)
Description: Tughlaq revisited Girish Karnad’s landmark historical drama, presented in Marathi through Vijay Tendulkar’s adaptation. The play examines the reign of Muhammad bin Tughlaq, the fourteenth-century Sultan of Delhi, whose ambitious reforms and radical political experiments earned him a reputation as both visionary and tyrant. Often remembered as a “mad king,” Tughlaq’s decision to shift the capital from Delhi to Daulatabad, introduce currency reforms, and restructure governance exposed the fragile balance between idealism and political pragmatism. Karnad’s text portrays a ruler deeply invested in philosophy, poetry, and intellectual debate, yet increasingly isolated by mistrust and unintended consequences.
Date: 2025
Director: Anand Ghanekar
Playwright: Girish Karnad; Marathi adaptation by Vijay Tendulkar
Location: Cubberley Community Center Theater, Palo Alto
Production Location: CalAA
Subject: CalAA
Identifier: C23