Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali

It made immense contribution to the Gujarati theatre, with productions of more than hundred plays, as well as the training and introducing of many major actors and directors.

It was founded in response to discontent with the Parsi theatre company owner Framji Gustadji Dalal.

Later they were joined by Manekram Dhirajram, Damodar Ratansi Somani, and Lalji Karsanji as new partners.

Dayashankar went to Nadiad and met Dwivedi where he apologised, took him to Bombay, gave a diamond ring as well as requested him to write another play for rupees 400 to 500.

[2] Under Girnara, the company excelled and brought many gifted actors and visionary directors as well as reputed playwrights, including some from literary circles.

[1][8][9] He played the role of Desdemona as a female impersonator in Saubhagya Sundari, opposite Bapulal Nayak.

[1][10][11] The pair soon rose to fame and acted together in several successful plays including in Jugal Jugari (Jugal the Gambler, 1902), Kamlata (Lovestruck Girl, 1904), Madhu Bansari (Sweet Flute, 1917) and Sneh Sarita (River of Affection, 1915), Vikrama Charitra (Vikrama's Life, 1902), Dage Hasrat (1901).

[3] The company also travelled Karachi in 1905-06 where they was attacked by goons as well as a rumour of abduction of Sundari was circulated.

[13] Music director Vadilal Shivram Nayak composed scores of more than 500 songs in about forty plays.

[1] Nayak wrote Nand-Batrisi (1906), Chandrabhaga (1909), a farce entitled Navalsha Hirji (1909), Anandlahari (1919) and Saubhagya-no Sinh (1925).

His Snehsarita (River of Affection, 1915) had a lead character of a woman participating in the Indian independence movement.

Madhubansari ran successfully for two years due to great direction, fine acting and music.

Gajendrashankar Pandya's play College Kanya (College Girl, 1925) starred popular actors Pransukh Nayak and Chhagan Romeo as comedians and it created controversy due to some of its dialogue about females; Narsinhrao Divetia, Chandravadan Mehta and Hansa Jivraj Mehta led the public protests against the play.

Bapulal highlighted his directorial mistakes so the owners of the company established a separate Mumbai Urdu Natak Mandali which was closed down after a year and Katrak had to leave.

In 1948, Chandrahas Manilal Jhaveri ran it for some time and renamed it to Mumbai Subodh Natak Mandali before it became defunct.