CRIMINALS AND KILLERS: A PERSONAL VIEW

Vijay Tendulkar (b.1928) is one of the pioneers of modern Indian drama. Author of more than 50 publications, mostly plays, Sri Tendulkar has received Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay Award, Maharashtra State award (9 times), Fellowship of the Sangeet Natak Akademi, Saraswati Samman and Padmabhushan. His play like Shantata! Court Chalu Ahe, Sakharam Binder, Ghashiram Kotwal, Gidhadeand Kanyadan have been recognized masterpieces of modern Indian drama. He has treated the problem of violence, cruelty, exploitation and hypocrisy with rare sensitivity. He has also been a major screenplay writer having won several awards for the screenplays of filsm like Nishat, Manthan, Samna, Akrosh and Ardhasatya. His social awareness is reflected also in his 5 volumes of short stories, several one-act plays and his journalistic writings. He has also been a great translator of drama and fiction.

About the Book:

Criminals and Killers, presented as Samvatsar lecture at the Sahitya Akademi's Festival of Letters in 2002, is a profound and well-researched human document about crime, especially murder. An exciting narrative full of interesting anecdotes, the talk is informed by deep creative insight into the sociological and psychological aspect of crime. The speaker distinguishes between the real criminals and the innocent ones driven to crime and considers hanging almost a collective murder.