Amrit Keshav Nayak

Amrit Keshav Nayak (14 April 1877 – 18 July 1907) was a Parsi theatre actor-director, lyricist and Gujarati author. He joined theatre at early age and later directed several plays including adaptations of plays of Shakespeare. He wrote plays and novels also.

Biography

Early life Nayak was born in Ahmedabad on 14 April 1877 (Vaishakh Shukla 1 Vikram Samvat 1933) to Nayak family. He lived in Kalupur area of the city. He studied only four grades and two grades in Urdu. Nayak moved to Bombay with his father. After his successful roles of Baheram Irani and Pumba in Bamanji Kabraji's Gamde ni Gori (Village Nymph, 1890) and Bimar-e-Bulbul respectively, He had a brief relationship with singer and dancer Gauhar Jaan whom he met around 1904–05 in Bombay and together they wrote and composed several hit songs like Pardesi Saiyyan Nena Lagake Dukh De Gaye, Sar Par Gagar Dhar Kar, Dilenadaan Ko Hum Samjhate Jayenge, Aan Baan Jiya Mein Laagi. He was working on his new production Narayan Prasad Betab's Zahari Saanp before he died on 18 July 1907 (Ashadh Sukla 8 Vikram Samvat 1963) in Bombay following heart attack.

Literary career

Nayak's pen-name was Shivsambhu Sharmano Chiko .

Legacy The Amrit Keshav Nayak Road behind Khadi Bhandar in Fort area of Mumbai is named after Nayak.