Tughlaq is a 1964 Indian Kannada language play written by Girish Karnad.
[1][2][3][4][5] The thirteen-scene play is set during the reign of Muhammad bin Tughlaq.
[7] Tughlaq, a 13-scene play by Girish Karnad, focuses on the 14th century Turko-Indian ruler.
The Times of India comments: "In the play, the protagonist, Tughlaq, is portrayed as having great ideas and a grand vision, but his reign was an abject failure.
He started his rule with great ideals of a unified India, but his degenerated into anarchy and his kingdom.
"[8] As the play opens, the reader is introduced to the court of Mohammad Bin Tughlaq, a Muslim Sultan (Emperor).
First, it will help him to rule over southern part of India effectively and increase fraternity and unity among Hindus and Muslims as Daultabad is a Hindu-majority city.
He has filed a case against sultan Tughlaq for acquiring his land unfairly.
Aziz, with his friend Aazam, plans to cheat people and get money on the way to Daultabad.
The scene shifts, as now Tughlaq is playing chess in his private chamber.
His stepmother asks Ziauddin Barani, a historian of that time, to keep Tughlaq away from the company of foolish advisors and councilors.
Ratan Singh, Amirs and Sayyids are planning to murder the Sultan as there is no other way left for them to stop his foolish acts.
He takes another ridiculous decision to have currency minted on copper and brass metal.
Aziz appears with his friend Aazam and tells him how to deceive others and extract money.
His stepmother comes and scolds him that the economy of the state is collapsing as the people have minted so much fake currency on copper and brass.
Prof. Asha Kuthari Chaudhuri then of the Gauhati University at Guwahati, has said of the play: "Tughlaq is based on the life and story of Mohammad-bin-Tughlaq -- the most controversial ruler of the Delhi sultanate.
Tughlaq can also be considered as a political play as it represents the reign of a king and his various moves to unify the Hindus and Muslims, and establish a just kingdom in Delhi.
"[9] Writing in 2012, the research scholar M. Jagadeswari, argues: "Girish Karnad is the foremost playwright of modern India.
His use of various symbols in the play such as Chess, Aziz and Aazam, Prayer, Python, Daulatabad, Rose and birds like Vulture add greater emotional and associative significance.