Punjabi playwright and theatre personality Gursharan Singh dead

The legendary Punjabi playwright and street play director had created the character of `Bhai Manna Singh` through his plays.

Chandigarh: Leading Punjabi playwright and theatre personality Gursharan Singh died here Wednesday after prolonged illness. He was 82.

His cremation took place in the afternoon. A large number of people, including leading theatre personalities of the region, were present on the occasion. The legendary Punjabi playwright and street play director, called ‘Gursharan Bhaji’ fondly by people, had created the character of `Bhai Manna Singh` through his plays. Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal described the death of Gursharan Singh as an irreparable loss to Punjab and Punjabi theatre movement. He said that the genre of theatre developed by Gursharan Singh had come to be called as the rural theatre with modern sensibilities. Badal described the playwright as "revolutionary, missionary and a socialist", who had worked hard to bring Punjabi folk and rural theatre to the forefront. IANS