Editing Prema Karanth

{{other uses|Karanth (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2018}}
{{infobox person
|name =Prema Karanth
|image = PremaKaranthImg.jpg
|birth_date =15 August 1936
|birth_place =[[Bhadravati, Karnataka|Bhadravati]], [[Kingdom of Mysore]], [[British India]]
|death_date ={{death date and age|2007|10|29|1936|8|15|df=yes}}
|death_place=[[Bangalore]], India
|spouse = [[B. V. Karanth]] (1958–2002)
|occupation =Playwright, film director
}}
'''Prema Karanth''' (15 August 1936 – 29 October 2007) was an Indian theatre personality and the first-ever woman film-maker of [[Kannada cinema]].<ref name="obit">{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/Theatre-personality-Prema-Karanth-dead/article14866412.ece|work=The Hindu|title= Theatre personality Prema Karanth dead|accessdate=2007-11-01|location=Chennai, India|date=2007-10-30}}</ref> She was the wife of [[B. V. Karanth]] and was known for the children's plays that she staged. She became the first ever woman director in [[Kannada cinema]] when she directed the film ''[[Phaniyamma]]'' (1983), which was based on a novel by [[M. K. Indira]].<ref name="obit"/>

==Early life==
Prema Karanth was born in 1936 in [[Bhadravathi, Karnataka|Bhadravathi]] to a poor family. She lost her father Devoji Rao early.<ref name="obit"/> Her mother Kamalamma was diagnosed of tuberculosis and was not even allowed to touch her.<ref name="prema">{{cite web|url=http://www.hindujobs.com/thehindu/mp/2002/12/02/stories/2002120200730200.htm|work=Online Edition of The Hindu, dated 2002-12-02|title= Committed to theatre|accessdate=2001-11-01}}</ref> Prema spent her early life at [[Sidlaghatta]] in the [[Kolar district]] and after her mother's death, she was brought up by her grandparents. After completing her schooling, she came to Bangalore to join the St. Teresa's convent as a teacher.<ref name="obit"/> She learnt typing and began to teach in primary schools. Prema also started conducting small-time stage plays in the schools she worked in.<ref name="prema"/> She was determined not to get married but she changed her mind when she met [[B. V. Karanth]] at a friend's place. In 1958, they got married under [[Arya Samaj]] rites and moved to [[Varanasi]], where 
Prema joined the [[Banaras Hindu University]] to continue her education.<ref name="obit"/> B. V. Karanth later moved to [[Delhi]] to join the [[National School of Drama]]. Prema accompanied him and joined the [[Aurobindo Ashram]] as a teacher.<ref name="obit"/> She started experimenting drama in education, and started to teach even subjects like History and mathematics using plays. On her husband's persuasion, she too joined the National School of Drama where she studied [[dramatics]] and completed her graduation. After graduation, she worked with the NSD repertory for two years.<ref name="prema"/>

==Career==

===In drama===
Prema Karanth started her career as a dramatist and directed plays like ''Heddayana'', ''Daithya'', ''Banda Banda Gunavantha'' and ''Giant Mama'' which were mainly oriented towards children. Her plays were mainly those that were written in [[Kannada]] or of other Indian languages which were translated to [[Kannada]].<ref name="prema"/> She started a children's repertory called as ''Benaka Makkala Kendra'' which apart from staging plays like ''Alilu Ramayana'', was also involved in teaching children the art of [[mime]], costume designing and usage of props. This repertory staged its first play titled ''Alibaba'' in 1979. She was also a well-known costume designer and has designed costumes for more than 120 plays including ''Hayavadana'', ''Oedipus'', ''Othello'' and ''King Lear''.

===In cinema===
Prema's association with the cinema world started when she was chosen as the costume designer for [[G. V. Iyer]]'s movie ''Hamsageethe''.<ref name="wim">Wimal Dissanayake (2004), p83</ref> She was also chosen as the art director for a film ''Kudre Motte'' in 1977. Initially associated only with art direction, Prema also tried her hand at film-making. Her first directorial venture was ''[[Phaniyamma]]'' which was based on a Kannada novel and this film earned her critical acclaim. The film is about the story of a girl who is widowed at a young age and her struggles and courage to overcome the stigma attached to it in a male-dominated society.<ref name="gwen">Gwendolyn Audrey Foster (1995), p206</ref>

==References==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last= Dissanayake|first= Wimal|title= Indian Popular Cinema: A Narrative of Cultural Change|year=2004|publisher=Trentham Books|isbn= 1-85856-329-1}}
* {{cite book |last= Audrey Foster|first=Gwendolyn|title= Women Film Directors: An International Bio-Critical Dictionary|url= https://archive.org/details/womenfilmdirecto0000fost|url-access= registration|year=1995|publisher=Greenwood Press|isbn= 0-313-28972-7}}
{{refend}}

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Karanth, Prema}}
[[Category:Kannada film directors]]
[[Category:Indian women film directors]]
[[Category:2007 deaths]]
[[Category:1936 births]]
[[Category:People from Shimoga district]]
[[Category:Kannada dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:Indian women dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:Women writers from Karnataka]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian film directors]]
[[Category:Screenwriters from Karnataka]]
[[Category:Writers from Bangalore]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian women writers]]
[[Category:Film directors from Bangalore]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian women artists]]
[[Category:Dramatists and playwrights from Karnataka]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Rajyotsava Award 2003]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian screenwriters]]