Muljibhai Khushalbhai Nayak (1892–1971) was a Gujarati theatre director and actor from Gujarat, India. He was well known for his heroic and Bhavai roles.
Biography Muljibhai Nayak was born in 1892 in Umta village (now in Mehsana district, Gujarat) in a family of Bhavai performers.
He started his stage career at the age of six or seven for a salary of one rupee in Arya Natak Mandali. He acted in many roles including Ranuka in Bedhari Talwar, Mokalkunwar in Chandravijay, Nanda in Veervijay (1901) produced by Phoenix Gujarati Natak Mandali. He worked with Framji Ratanji Appu's Parsi Natak Mandali.
He was trained in theatre by Amrit Keshav Nayak and in Urdu by Narayanprasad 'Betab'. He played a role of Kumud in Kumudsundari produced by Subodh Natak Mandali. He joined Deshi Natak Samaj in 1904 and later became a partner in it. In 1914, he joined Saraswati Natak Samaj for a salary of 75 rupees.
His roots in folk theatre, as well as experience in conventional theatre, helped him with his Bhavai roles and direction of Bhavai performances which brought him fame. He had also directed several social and historical plays which were influenced by the Urdu theatre. His early roles of Badar in Sati Toral (1915) and Jankinath in Sati Manjari (1921) were much appreciated.
His popular roles include Shahji in Dheersinh in Sanyasi (1912), Hanuman in Sati Sulochna (1914), Ebhalvalo in Ra' Mandlik (1918), Shivaji in Raja Shambhaji (1922), Shudrak in Shalivahan (1927) and Raja Shahji (1938). His role of Shivaji in Raja Shambhaji attracted Marathi people. He was hailed for acting, makeup and an entry on the stage on a horseback in the role of Shahji in Raja Shahji. His roles of heroic men were well appreciated for his heavy voice and acting.
He died in 1971.
Recognition Muljibhai Nayak was felicitated in Ahmedabad on 13 September 1963 by the Government of Gujarat. He was awarded Sangeet Natak Akademi award for Acting in Gujarati in 1965. He was felicitated by Udaybhansinhji, prince of erstwhile Porbandar State, in Mumbai on 9 February 1966 under the aegis of Deshi Natak Samaj.
Stage + Acting career Date Title Role Writer Theatre companyBedhari TalwarRenukaChandravijayMokalkunwar1901VeervijayNandaPhoenix Gujarati Natak Mandali1904Vijay KamlaRoshan AaraDahyabhai Dholshaji Zaveri, Chhotalal Rukhdev SharmaDeshi Natak Samaj26 October 1905Sati SitaShantaChhotalal Rukhdev SharmaDeshi Natak Samaj1908Sati DraupadiNakulChhotalal Rukhdev SharmaDeshi Natak Samaj1910Jalim TuliyaTuliyaManishankar Ratanji Bhatt 'Kant'Deshi Natak Samaj6 June 1912SanyasiDheersinhChhotalal Rukhdev SharmaDeshi Natak Samaj12 December 1912Kulin NayikaDevsharmaChhotalal Rukhdev SharmaDeshi Natak Samaj12 April 1913AjitsinhVirsinhChhotalal Rukhdev SharmaDeshi Natak Samaj1914Sati SulochnaHanumanChhotalal Rukhdev SharmaDeshi Natak Samaj1914KusumavatiKhumansinhManilal 'Pagal'Saraswati Natak Samaj1915Sati ToralBadar7 December 1918Ra' MandlikEbhalvaloManilal 'Pagal'Aryanaitik Natak Samaj26 June 1920ChhatravijaySambhakaranCollaborative workAryanaitik Natak Samaj1921Sati ManjariJankinathDecember 1922Raja ShambhajiShivajiManilal 'Pagal'Aryanaitik Natak Samaj1924Mahadji ShindeSadashivraoManilal 'Pagal'Arya Natak Mandali1924Saurashtra VeerAkherajManilal 'Pagal'Arya Natak Mandali1 August 1927ShalivahanShudrakPrabhulal DwivediLakshmikant Natak Samaj15 March 1927Mayana RangDevdootPrabhulal DwivediLakshmikant Natak Samaj1928Mera ImanMuradMunshi AbbasaliLakshmikant Natak Samaj2 January 1929Veerna VerJaisinhManilal 'Pagal'Lakshmikant Natak Samaj4 February 1932SamudraguptaMahendraPrabhulal DwivediLakshmikant Natak SamajMay 1933KanyadanSwami VidyanandKavi 'Manasvi' PrantijwalaKant Natak Samaj12 October 1933RajkumariKrishnaDevdutt TarkasKant Natak Samaj17 January 1934Sattano LobhPratapadityaJivanlal BhattBhaktivijay Natak Samaj1938Raja ShahjiShahjiManilal 'Pagal'Aryanaitik Natak Samaj1938VilaspantheHemchandraManilal 'Pagal'Aryanaitik Natak Samaj1938SarjanharShyamsundarManilal 'Pagal'Aryanaitik Natak Samaj1942Garib KanyaSitaramManilal 'Pagal'Aryanaitik Natak Samaj1947SagavahalaIshwarlalManilal 'Pagal'Aryanaitik Natak Samaj
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