Abstract: This paper examines how GirishKarnad integrates mythic narratives with modern thematic concerns across his major plays. Instead of reverting to uncritical retellings of traditional lore, Karnad reinterprets myths to highlight contemporary tensions involving identity, cultural conflict, political idealism, and gender relations. Focusing on Hayavadana, Tughlaq, and Nagamandala, this study argues that Karnad revives myth not as residual tradition but as a dynamic resource that interrogates modernity. By blending indigenous narrative forms with modern theatrical strategies, Karnad crafts a dramaturgy that challenges static cultural meanings and invites critical reflection on the conditions of postcolonial existence. This paper uses close reading and comparative analysis to explore how myth becomes a mode of resistance and renewal in Karnad’s theatre.

Keywords:Girish Karnad, Myth, Modernity, Indian Drama, Identity, Postcolonial Theatre.