Bandbaajabarat: Adding some data w/ infobox - done

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Adding some data w/ infobox - done

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{{Short description|Indian theatre actor, director, manager and playwright (1910–1989)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Pransukh Nayak
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1910|04|23|df=y}}
| birth_place = Jagudan, British India
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1989|03|12|1910|04|23|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Ahmedabad]], Gujarat, India
| occupation = Stage actor, director, manager, playwright
| years_active = 
| known_for =
| notable_works =
| father = Manilal
| mother =
}}

'''Pransukh Manilal Nayak''' (23 April 1910 – 12 March 1989) was an Indian [[Gujarati theatre]] actor, director, manager, and playwright from [[Gujarat]], India. Born into a family of traditional theatre actors, he joined theatre troupes at a young age and rose to fame for his comic roles and female impersonations. His performances as a woman from [[Varanasi|Banaras]] in ''Kumali Kali'' and as Jivram Bhatt in ''[[Mithyabhiman]]'' were acclaimed. During his long career, he worked with many theatre companies and gave 22,455 performances, earning a listing in the 1989 ''[[Guinness World Records|Guinness Book of Records]]''.

== Early life ==
Pransukh Nayak was born on 23 April 1910 in a village called Jagudan,<ref name=":3">{{Cite book|title=ગુજરાતી વિશ્વકોશ|last=Nayak|first=Chinubhai|publisher=Gujarat Vishwakosh Trust|year=1998|editor-last=Thaker|editor-first=Dhirubhai|editor-link=Dhirubhai Thaker|edition=1st|volume=X|location=Ahmedabad|pages=94–95|language=gu|trans-title=Gujarati Encyclopedia}}</ref><ref name=":x" /> which is now in [[Mehsana district]], Gujarat, to a family of traditional [[Bhavai]] actors.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url=http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780195644463.001.0001/acref-9780195644463-e-0433#|title=The Oxford companion to Indian theatre|last=Jani|first=Dinkar B.|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=2004|isbn=9780199861248|editor-last=Lal|editor-first=Ananda|location=New Delhi|oclc=607157336|via=Oxford Reference}}</ref><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=http://sangeetnatak.gov.in/sna/citation_popup.php?id=909&at=1|title=Pransukh Manilal Nayak|website=sangeetnatak.gov.in|publisher=[[Sangeet Natak Akademi]]|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180623064652/http://sangeetnatak.gov.in/sna/citation_popup.php?id=909&at=1|archive-date=23 June 2018|access-date=12 June 2018}}</ref> His father Manilal Mulchand was a popular Bhavai actor and the people of nearby villages flocked to see his performances in ''vesha''s (acts) of ''[[Ramapir]]'' and ''[[Chhelbatau]]''. Pransukh had participated in one performance when he was around seven or eight years old. He studied two levels in a Gujarati school.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":x">{{Cite book|title=ગુજરાતી રંગભૂમિ: રિદ્ધિ અને રોનક (Gujarati Rangbhoomi: Riddhi Ane Ronak)|publisher=Gujarat Vishwakosh Trust|year=2004|editor-last=Choksi|editor-first=Mahesh|location=Ahmedabad|pages=214–216|trans-title=Compilation of Information regarding professional theatre of Gujarat|editor-last2=Somani|editor-first2=Dhirendra}}</ref>

== Career ==
Nayak was inspired by a performance by female impersonator [[Jaishankar Sundari]] to join a Bhavai troupe at the age of nine.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.gujaratsamachar.com/gujaratsamachar.com/20110724/purti/ravipurti/lokjivan.html|title=રંગભૂમિના ઈતિહાસનું એક ઝળહળતું સુવર્ણપૃષ્ઠ સ્વ. પ્રાણસુખ નાયક|last=Jadav|first=Joravarsinh|date=24 July 2011|publisher=[[Gujarat Samachar]]|language=gu|trans-title=The Golden Page of the History of Gujarati Theatre: Late Pransukh Nayak|access-date=12 June 2018}}</ref> He joined Deshi Natak Samaj{{efn|''Natak Samaj'' and ''Natak Mandali'' can be translated as 'drama society' and 'theatre group' (lit. 'circle').}} in [[Surat]], where he played female impersonator roles. He later worked with Aryaniti Natak Samaj—owned by [[Motilal Nandwana|Motiram Nandwana]]—and Vidyavinod Natak Samaj owned by Pyarelal Viththalrao Mehta.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":x" /> He later joined [[Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali]], where he was trained under Surajram Nayak, Jaishankar Sundari and [[Bapulal Nayak]].<ref name=":0" /> In Mumbai, he appeared in a supporting female role as Kashi—a woman from [[Varanasi|Banaras]]—in ''Kumali Kali'' (Delicate Bud, 1926), and later in ''College Kanya'' (College Girl, 1925), which brought him fame in the Bombay theatre circuit (now Mumbai) at the age of fifteen.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> He received his nickname ''Lucknowri Tetar'' due to his role in ''Kumali Kali''.<ref name=":3" /> He later diversified his performances, mostly in comic roles.<ref name=":0" /> He also acted in ''Jugal Jugari'' (Jugal the Gambler, 1902), ''Vijya Kalyani'', ''Pavitra Leelavati'', ''Sattano Mad'', ''Uma Devdi'', ''Ramviyog'', ''Veenaveli'', ''Santanona Vanke'', ''Rukshamani Haran'', ''Sati Damayanti'' and ''Vijayavijay''.<ref name=":1" /> He played several comedic duos with Chhagan Romeo.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":x" />

When Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali became defunct, Nayak joined Palitana Bhaktipradarshak Mandali and Prabhat Kalamandal. When these troupes also became defunct, he went to [[Ahmedabad]] and joined Natmandal, which was operated by [[Gujarat Vidhya Sabha]].<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":0" /> Here he was guided by [[Rasiklal Parikh]], Jaishankar Sundari and [[Dina Pathak]].<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":1" /> He received acclaim for his performance as a [[Brahmin]] in Rasiklal Parikh's ''Mena Gurjari'' (Mena of Gujarat, 1953) and as a comic role of Jivram Bhatt in [[Dalpatram]]'s ''Mithyabhiman'' (False Vanity, 1955).<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":x" /> He also briefly worked with [[Darpana Academy of Performing Arts]].<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":x" /><ref name=":0" /> He taught theatre at Shreyas Foundation in Ahmedabad for some time.<ref name=":x" /> During the last years of his life, Nayak started a theatre troupe called Pran Theatre, which performed educational plays for schoolchildren.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":x" />

Nayak acted as a royal astrologer in the [[Gujarati cinema|Gujarati film]] ''[[Bhavni Bhavai]]''.<ref name=":1" /> Apart from acting and direction, Nayak wrote eight plays including ''Balotiyana Balela'', ''Bandh Chheepna Moti'', ''Birbalni Chhatri'' and ''Balbhakta Prahalad''. His notes on commercial theatre and its history, documentation on Bhavai acts and notes of his experiences are archived in the Theatre Media Centre. His few images are also archived in the Gujarat Lokkala Foundation.<ref name=":1" />

In ''Pransukh Nayak: Flashback'', Jitendra Thakkar notes that Pransukh Nayak made 1,050 performances with Deshi Natak Samaj, 400 with Vidhyavinod Natak Samaj, 205 with Aryaniti Natak Samaj, 325 in Hindi and 7,978 in Gujarati with Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali, 1,248 with Prabhat Kalamandal, 30 with Rangmandal, 531 with Natmandal, 412 with Darpana, 338 with Pran Theatre and 9,938 with other theatre companies—totalling 22,455 performances. The record was recorded in the 1989 ''[[Guinness Book of Records]]''.<ref name=":1" /><ref name="Ahuja2012">{{cite book|last=Ahuja|first=Chaman|title=Contemporary Theatre of India: An Overview|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YDSHSkYp6M0C&q=Nayak|year=2012|publisher=[[National Book Trust]], India|isbn=978-81-237-6491-7|pages=146, 152}}</ref>

Pransukh Nayak died from cancer on 12 March 1989 in [[Ahmedabad]].<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":0" />

== Recognition ==
He was awarded [[Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]] in 1974.<ref name=":2" /> On 13 September 1963, he was felicitated in Ahmedabad by Gujarat State Sangeet Natak Akademi. His 60th year was celebrated under Vadilal Kamdar, [[Mayor of Ahmedabad]]. He was felicitated by [[Vadodara Municipal Corporation]] as well.<ref name=":x" />

== Acting career ==
{{expand list|date=August 2018}}
He acted in following plays:
{| class="wikitable"
|+Acting career<ref name=":x" />
!Title
!Role
!Date
!Writer
!Theatre company
|-
|''Jugal Jugari''
|Uko Marwadi
|26 August 1902
|[[Mulshankar Mulani]]
|[[Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali]]
|-
|''Saubhagyano Sinh''
|Parvati
|25 April 1925
|[[Bapulal Nayak]]
|Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
|-
|''Madandh Mahila Yane Noorjahan''
|Diwali
|1926
|Jayashankar Vaghjibhai Vyas
|Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
|-
|''Kumali Kali''
|Kashi
|1926
|[[Harji Lavji Damani|Shayda]]
|Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
|-
|''Jamanano Rang''
|Indu
|1927
|Gajendra Lalshankar Pandya
|Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
|-
|''Tarunina Tarang''
|Kishori
|1928
|Gajendra Lalshankar Pandya
|Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
|-
|''Kashmirnu Prabhat''
|Lalita
|1928
|Gajendra Lalshankar Pandya
|Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
|-
|''Kudaratno Nyay''
|Kusum
|21 February 1929
|Gajendra Lalshankar Pandya
|Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
|-
|''Up-to-date Mawali''
|Shahera
|29 March 1929
|Joseph David
|Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
|-
|''Swamibhakti Yane Baji Deshpande'' ([[Hindi]])
|Tulsi
|1929
|Munshi Mohiyuddin Nazan
|Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
|-
|''Kuldeepak''
|Mena
|9 January 1930
|Gajendra Lalshankar Pandya
|Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
|-
|''Bapna Bol''
|Mithi
|October 1930
|Chimanlal Trivedi
|Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
|-
|''Kutil Rajneeti''
|Vijli
|January 1931
|Gajendra Lalshankar Pandya
|Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
|-
|''Karmasanjog''
|Koyal
|21 January 1932
|Mugatlal Pranjeevan Oza
|Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
|-
|''Karyasiddhi'' (Hindi)
|Neelgangu
|1932
|Munshi Abbas Ali
|Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
|-
|''Gentleman Daku''
|Suman
|1932
|Joseph David
|Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
|-
|''Kon Samrat?''
|Chandan
|9 September 1933
|'Manasvi' Prantijwala (adapted)
|Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
|-
|''Koni Mahatta?''
|Sarita
|1934
|Manilal 'Pagal'
|Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
|-
|''Kirtivijay''
|Sona
|1934
|'Manasvi' Prantijwala (adapted)
|Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
|-
|''Janjeerna Zankare''
|Veera
|13 September 1934
|Champshi Udeshi
|Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
|-
|''Sachcha Heera'' ([[Urdu]])
|Mithi
|7 January 1935
|Munshi Mohiyuddin Nazan
|Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
|-
|''Mumbaini Badi''
|Sulochana
|20 March 1935
|Joseph David
|Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
|-
|''Gheli Guniyal''
|Rangili
|1 June 1935
|Champshi Udeshi
|Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
|-
|''Kevo Badmash?''
|Chanchal
|3 August 1935
|Joseph David
|Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
|-
|''Kiritkumar''
|Manba
|January 1936
|Manilal 'Pagal'
|Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
|-
|''Nepolean''
|Lucy
|February 1936
|Manilal 'Pagal'
|Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
|-
|''Jobanna Jadu''
|Mohini
|30 July 1936
|Manilal 'Pagal'
|Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
|-
|''Shetaranjna Dav''
|Madanika
|15 May 1937
|Jaman
|Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
|-
|''Garibna Ansu''
|Prabhavati
|7 August 1937
|Champshi Udeshi
|Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
|-
|''Sinhasanna Shokh''
|Ganga
|December 1937
|Babubhai Kalyanji Oza
|Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
|-
|''Shrimant Ke Shaytan?''
|Lavangika
|5 February 1937
|Babubhai Kalyanji Oza
|Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
|-
|''Samar-Prabha''
|Manjula
|1938
|Gajendra Lalshankar Pandya
|Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
|-
|''Nyayi Naresh''
|Sundari
|23 September 1938
|Manilal 'Pagal'
|Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
|-
|''Cinema ni Sundari''
|Nirmala
|29 October 1938
|Babubhai Kalyanji Oza
|Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
|-
|''Sukhi Sansar''
|Mohini
|19 November 1938
|Manilal 'Pagal'
|Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
|-
|''Rajadhiraj''
|Lalita
|7 December 1938
|Chimanlal Trivedi
|Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
|-
|''Kalankit Kon?''
|Lady Lalna
|19 March 1939
|Chimanlal Trivedi
|Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
|-
|''Kartavyapanthe''
|Kanti
|26 July 1939
|G. A. Vairati
|Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
|-
|''Khavindne Khatar''
|Keti
|5 September 1939
|Firozgar
|Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
|-
|''Suvarnaprabhat''
|Babli
|16 January 1941
|Haribhai M. Bhatt
|Prabhat Kalamandal
|-
|''Narsinh Bhagat Yane Sorathno Sant''
|Zumku
|1941
|Haribhai M. Bhatt
|Prabhat Kalamandal
|-
|''Mena Gurjari''
|Brahmin
|1953
|[[Rasiklal Parikh]]
|
|-
|''[[Mithyabhiman]]''
|Jivram Bhatt
|19 June 1955
|[[Dalpatram]]
|
|-
|Vijaya
|Kalipad (servant)
|7 January 1956
|
|
|}

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nayak, Pransukh}}
[[Category:Indian male stage actors]]
[[Category:Indian theatre directors]]
[[Category:Indian male dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:Indian male musical theatre actors]]
[[Category:Gujarati theatre]]
[[Category:1910 births]]
[[Category:1989 deaths]]
[[Category:Gujarati people]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:Male actors from Gujarat]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male actors]]
[[Category:Dramatists and playwrights from Gujarat]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male writers]]
[[Category:Gujarati-language Indian writers]]
[[Category:Deaths from cancer in India]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male singers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian singers]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]]

Pransukh Nayak - Revision history

Bandbaajabarat: Adding some data w/ infobox - done