Karnad portrays Tughlaq not as a "mad king," but as a complex intellectual whose frustration with a stagnant society drives him toward tyranny.
Girish Karnad’s Tughlaq is a landmark of modern Indian drama. Written in 1964, the play uses the historical figure of Muhammad bin Tughlaq to explore the disillusionment of the post-independence Nehruvian era. It remains a staple for literature students and theatre enthusiasts worldwide. tughlaq by girish karnad text
Karnad’s background as a Rhodes scholar in Philosophy is evident. The employs: Karnad portrays Tughlaq not as a "mad king,"
Karnad weaves a world where every character mirrors some aspect of Tughlaq’s fractured psyche. The wily, loyal stepbrother; the cynical poet-scholar; the naïve commoner Aziz, who exploits the Sultan’s own laws to loot the poor—Aziz is Tughlaq’s dark twin, proof that idealism without institutional integrity becomes a license for predation. It remains a staple for literature students and
Karnad uses the historical setting to explore the corrupting nature of power. As Tughla