Kavasji Palanji Khatau
Kavasji Palanji Khatau | |
---|---|
Born | 1857 British India |
Died | 16 August 1916 (aged 58–59) Lahore, British India |
Occupation(s) | Stage actor, director, manager |
Years active | 1875–1916 |
Spouse | Mary Fenton |
Children | Jahangir Khatau |
Parent |
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Kavasji Palanji Khatau, also spelled Cowasji Palanji Khatao (1857 – 16 August 1916) was a singer, actor, director, and owner of a Parsi theatre company, who started his career with the Empress Victoria Theatrical Company. Despite opposition from his employers, he introduced Mary Fenton, his wife and the first Anglo-Indian actress,[1] to the stage. This led him to start his own company, the Alfred Theatre Company, where he, his wife, and other actors had successful careers.[1]
Life
Khatau was born into a poor
Khatau was rehearsing for his play Inder Sabha when Mary Fenton, a daughter of an Irish soldier in the British Indian Army, had come to book the hall for her magic lantern show. She admired his acting, met him, fell in love and finally married him.[5] Fenton subsequently adopted the Parsi name of Mehrbai.[1][6] Khatau then trained her in singing and acting in the 1870s.[1][5]
Fenton created a sensation in the theatre due to her talent and relationship with Khatau. However, a dispute arose between Khatau and Khambatta regarding her entry into theatre. Khatau therefore left
Fenton acted in Nanabhai Ranina's Nazan Shirin (1881), Bamanji Kabra's Bholi Gul (Innocent Flower, 1882, based on
The Alfred Company had several popular actors like Sohrabji Oghra, Amrit Keshav Nayak, and Vallabh Keshav Nayak who performed adaptations of Shakespeare's plays. Syed Mehdi Hasan Ahsan's Khun-e-Nahaq (Unjustified Murder, 1898, based on Hamlet) brought Khatau recognition and he came to be known as "India's Irving" by viewers.[3]
At one time he managed and significantly influenced Narayan Prasad Betab,[1] a future prominent Parsi playwright.[9] He was also a musician and his songs for Alibaba became popular.[10]
He was honoured for his contribution to Gujarati and Urdu theatre in 1908. He died on 16 August 1916 on a tour in Lahore.[1][3][10]
References
- ^ ISBN 978-1-78308-068-7.
- ^ a b c "78 rpm Records of Indian Music: Sorabji Katrak of the New Alfred Company « Running Gamak: Warren Senders' Blog". www.warrensenders.com. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
- ^ ISBN 9780195644463– via Oxford Reference.
- ^ a b c Bhojak, Dinkar (1993). Thaker, Dhirubhai (ed.). ગુજરાતી વિશ્વકોશ [Gujarati Encyclopedia]. Vol. V. Ahmedabad: Gujarati Vishwakosh Trust, Ahmedabad. p. 678.
- ^ JSTOR 4407133– via Academia.
- ISBN 978-1-351-56590-5.
- ^ S2CID 192100757– via Academia.
- ISBN 978-0-87413-881-8.
- ISBN 978-0-19-564446-3. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
- ^ a b Shastri, Dr. Gopal (1995). પારસી રંગભૂમિ [Parsi Theatre] (in Gujarati). Vadodara: Sadhna Shastri. pp. 69–70.