Theatre legend B V Karanth dead

BANGALORE: Theatre legend B.V. Karanth (74), who was suffering from prostate cancer, died at a private nursing home here on Sunday evening.
Karanth had been admitted to the hospital in a highly dehydrated state about 10 days back after he complained of severe stiffness in his legs. He had nearly recovered on Tuesday when he suffered a relapse.
Karnath was in a semi-comatose condition till Sunday.His doctor G. Mohan said he had been taken off the ventilator after his family had decided not to prolong his agony any further. ``He just stopped breathing on Sunday evening at 7.25 pm,'''' he added.
Recepient of several honours including Padmashri, Kalidas Samman, Central Sangeet-Natak Academy award, Gubbi Veeranna award and so on, Karanth''s contribution to theatre is enormous. He worked in almost every Indian language, while his famous theatre productions include Hayavadana, Sattavara Neralu, Oedipus, Jokumaraswamy and Gokula Nirgamana in Kannada, Ander Nagari Chaupat Raja, King Lear and Skanda Gupta in Hindi.
Karanth directed the film ``Chomana Dudi'''' which won the national best film award in 1975. He co-directed ``Vamshavruksha" and ``Thabaliyu Neenade Magane" with Girish Karnad and composed music for 22 films.
Karanth''s mortal remains will be kept at the Samsa theatre behind Ravindra Kalakshetra from 11 am to 1 pm on Monday, after which he would be cremated, family sources said.
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