‘Tughlaq’ thy name is Simha

C.R. Simha was almost synonymous with Tughlaq, the character he played in the eponymous Girish Karnad play.

It is one of the most critically acclaimed plays ever staged in the country. It is about Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq and an allegory on the Nehruvian era, which started with ambitious idealism and ended in disillusionment.

It was

Tughlaq that brought name and fame to Simha, who played the role for nearly 30 years. The last time he staged the play was in 2000. He was of the opinion that

Tughlaq , a classic, would stand the test of time and the character would remain relevant for many years.

He used to show off an autographed copy of the second edition of

Tughlaq , presented to him by Mr. Karnad in 1972 as a gift for playing the epic role.