Girish Karnad's Plays as a Critique of Power and Authority

Indian English drama has played a significant role in interrogating socio-political realities, and Girish Karnad emerges as one of its most influential voices. His plays consistently critique structures of power and authority by reworking myths, history, and folklore. Rather than presenting power as heroic or divinely sanctioned, Karnad exposes its moral ambiguity, violence, and psychological consequences. This research paper examines how Karnad’s major plays—Tughlaq, Hayavadana, Nagamandala, Yayati, and The Dreams of Tipu Sultan—function as critiques of political, patriarchal, and ideological authority. Using historical revisionism, mythological symbolism, and Brechtian theatrical techniques, Karnad transforms drama into a medium of political interrogation. The study argues that Karnad’s theatre challenges centralized authority, exposes the fragility of power, and foregrounds marginalized voices, making his drama a vital instrument of political critique in postcolonial India