Markand Bhatt, Indian theatre director and actor, Died at 87

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Markand Jashbhai Bhatt was born in 1929 in Vadodara and died on February 2016, at Vadodara.

He was a Gujarati theatre actor and director.

He studied in Vadodara, he taught theatre for more than thirty years at M. S. University.

Markand Bhatt acted and directed several Gujarati plays.

Mr.Markand began acting at the age of ten in local stage troops.

He received his master’s degree in Drama in 1958 from Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda.

Markand served as the Head of the Department of Drama at Saurashtra Sangeet Natak Akademi, Rajkot for two years.

He served as the Head of Department of Theatre Art from 1969 to 1989 and the dean of the Faculty of Performing Arts from 1984 to 1989 at Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda.

Markand was a chairman of the Gujarat Sangeet Natak Akademi from 1992 to 1995.

Markand had acted in more than 1500 shows of Gujarati plays.

Bhatt considered as a pioneer of modern Gujarati theatre who revived the theatre in 1960’s.

Bhatt acted in a variety of plays including Chandravadan Mehta’s Atrulupta Saraswati and Param Maheshwar; Rabindranath Tagore’s Nandini, Muktadhara and Arup Ratan; Bhasa’s Karnabhar, Shankar Shesh’s Raktabeej, Raghuveer Chaudhari’s Sikandar Saani and Girish Karnad’s Agni Ane Vaarsad.

Other players are Vasundhara na Vahala Davala, Gagane Megh Chhavayo, Venice no Vepari, Janani Janmabhoomi, Nava Klevar Dharo Hansala, Sumanlal T Dave.

Bhatt acted in two Gujarati films including Reti na Ratan.

He has directed several plays including some acclaimed one; Dhara Gurjari, Paritran, Shetal Ne Kanthe, Finger Print and Hoholika.

Markand worked as an actor and directed plays till 2000.

He was associated with an organisation, Triveni, to work in the field of theatre.

His wife was Urmila Bhatt, a Hindi film and Gujarati theatre actress whom he met during studies.

Markand had two sons and a daughter.

Markand Jashbhai Bhatt passed away at 87 yrs old.