Veteran Indian theatre icon Vijaya Mehta dies at 91

Vijaya Mehta, a celebrated actor, director, and pioneering force in Indian theatre, died on Tuesday, June 30, at her residence in Mumbai. She was 91. Her family confirmed she had been battling a prolonged illness.

Mehta’s remarkable career spanned over six decades, fundamentally reshaping Marathi theatre and influencing generations of artists. Born Vijaya Jaywant on November 4, 1934, in Baroda, her talent was first recognized as a student during a 1953 college production of Othello, which led to an invitation from legendary director Ebrahim Alkazi to join his Theatre Group in Mumbai. She further refined her craft under the guidance of Adi Marzban.

Her most significant contribution came in the 1960s when she co-founded the experimental theatre collective Rangayan alongside playwright Vijay Tendulkar and actors Arvind Deshpande and Shriram Lagoo. The group became a cornerstone of the parallel theatre movement, introducing bold storytelling and staging works by celebrated playwrights like Tendulkar and Mahesh Elkunchwar. Rangayan also brought international plays to Marathi audiences, including an adaptation of Eugène Ionesco's The Chairs in 1962.

Mehta directed several landmark...