Indian theatre has lost considered one of its most influential figures with the passing of celebrated actor, director and theatre visionary Vijaya Mehta, who died in Mumbai on June 30 on the age of 91. In accordance with her family, she had been battling a chronic illness. She is survived by her daughter, actor-director Anahita Uberoi, and her two sons.<\/p>\n
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Veteran theatre icon Vijaya Mehta passes away at 91<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Born as Vijaya Jaywant, her remarkable journey in theatre began while she was still a student at Wilson College in Mumbai. During a 1953 college production of William Shakespeare’s Othello<\/em>, she portrayed Desdemona, a performance that caught the eye of legendary theatre director Ebrahim Alkazi, who was within the audience.<\/p>\n Deeply impressed by her talent, Alkazi invited the young actor to hitch his renowned Theatre Group, considered one of Mumbai’s leading theatre ensembles of the time. Under the mentorship of Alkazi and Parsi theatre stalwart Adi Pherozeshah Marzban, Vijaya refined her craft and launched into a profession that may reshape Marathi theatre for generations.<\/p>\n Theatre also introduced her to Farrokh Mehta, considered one of the important thing figures behind Mumbai’s English theatre movement, whom she later married. Following their marriage, she became widely generally known as Vijaya Mehta.<\/p>\n Known for her discipline and artistic precision, Mehta went on to carry several prestigious leadership positions. She served as Chairperson of the National School of Drama (NSD) in Recent Delhi, headed the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune, and spent nearly fifteen years as Executive Director of the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA).<\/p>\n Her skilled Marathi theatre profession began in 1955 when she stepped into the lead role in Junjarrao<\/em>. Nevertheless, it was in the course of the Nineteen Sixties that she made her most vital contribution by co-founding Rangayan, an experimental theatre collective established alongside playwright Vijay Tendulkar and actor-director Arvind Deshpande.<\/p>\n Rangayan became a turning point for Marathi theatre, encouraging fresh storytelling and daring experimentation. It introduced audiences to the works of celebrated playwrights like Vijay Tendulkar and Mahesh Elkunchwar, staging productions reminiscent of Mi Jinkalo Mi Haralo<\/em> and Holi<\/em>. The group also brought acclaimed international plays to Marathi audiences, including Romanian-French playwright Eug\u00e8ne Ionesco’s The Chairs<\/em>, adapted as Khurchya<\/em> in 1962.<\/p>\n Although Rangayan ceased operations in 1972, its influence permanently transformed Marathi theatre by nurturing latest voices and progressive performance styles.<\/p>\n Throughout her profession, Mehta collaborated with a few of India’s most respected theatre personalities, including Sai Paranjpye. Amongst her most acclaimed productions was Ajab Nyaya Vartulacha<\/em>, a Marathi adaptation of Bertolt Brecht’s The Caucasian Chalk Circle<\/em>, created in collaboration with noted East German director Fritz Bennewitz. The production earned widespread appreciation on the Brecht Festival in Berlin in 1973.<\/p>\n Her work also gained recognition in Germany through acclaimed productions reminiscent of Mudra Rakshasa<\/em>, Shakuntala<\/em>, and Nagamandala<\/em>, introducing international audiences to Indian theatre.<\/p>\n In 1985, Mehta directed what’s widely thought to be the definitive staging of Mahesh Elkunchwar’s landmark play Wada Chirebandi<\/em>. She also portrayed the memorable character of Aai, the quiet yet resilient matriarch of the Deshpande family, within the production.<\/p>\n Beyond the stage, Vijaya Mehta made a long-lasting impact in cinema and tv. She directed the award-winning Smriti Chitre<\/em> and helmed the critically acclaimed film Pestonjee<\/em>, celebrated for its sensitive portrayal of friendship.<\/p>\n With a profession spanning several a long time, Vijaya Mehta leaves behind a monumental legacy that shaped modern Indian theatre and inspired generations of actors, playwrights and directors. Her pioneering work continues to influence Marathi theatre and the broader performing arts landscape in India.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Catch us for up to date Bollywood News, Recent Bollywood Movies update, Box office collection, Recent Movies Release , Bollywood News Hindi, Entertainment News, Bollywood Live News Today & Upcoming Movies 2026 and stay updated with latest hindi movies only on Bollywood Hungama.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Indian theatre has lost considered one of its most influential figures with the passing of celebrated actor, director and theatre visionary Vijaya Mehta, who died in Mumbai on June 30 on the age of 91. In accordance with her family, she had been battling a chronic illness. She is survived by her daughter, actor-director Anahita […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":359603,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20659],"tags":[7785,8564,6245,395,5284,15831,6864,53418],"class_list":["post-359602","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bollywood","tag-bollywood","tag-icon","tag-mehta","tag-news","tag-passes","tag-theatre","tag-veteran","tag-vijaya"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t<\/h4>\n
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