Question

Who wrote Mrichhakatikam?
A) Vishakhadatta
B) Vishnu Sharma
C) Kalidasa
D) Shudrak

Answer 1

Hint:
1) The plot is believed to be drawn from an earlier novel called Cārudatta in Poverty by the playwright Bhāsa, but the tale only survives in fragments.
2) Of all the Sanskrit dramas, Mrichhakatikam remains one of the most highly celebrated and mostly performed in the West.

Complete step by step solution:
What, When & Where?
It is a ten-act Sanskrit drama credited to Sūdraka or Shudrak, an ancient playwright, probably dated from the 5th century BC, and identified by the prologue as the King of Kshatriya, as well as the devotee of Siva who lived for 100 years.
The play is performed in the ancient city of Ujjain during the reign of King Pālaka, at the end of the Pradyota dynasty, which was the first quarter of the fifth century.

Story:
The central story is that of the noble but poor young Brahmin, Cārudatta, who falls in love with the affluent courtesan or naga sadhu, Vasantasenā.
However, despite their shared attraction, the couple's life and love are threatened when a vulgar courtier, Samsthānaka, also known as Shakara, starts to approach Vasantasenā violently.

Rifted with romance, satire, suspense, and a political subplot depicting the downfall of the despotic ruler of the city by a shepherd, the play is remarkable among the contemporary Sanskrit drama for its emphasis on a fictional scenario rather than a classic tale or legend.

It also departs from the traditions mentioned in the Natya Shastra which specify that dramas should concentrate on the life of the nobles and instead incorporate many peasant characters who speak a wide range of Prakrit dialects.

Note:
The work played a significant role in creating interest in Indian theatre among European audiences following many popular nineteenth-century translations and stage productions, especially Gérard de Nerval and Joseph Méry 's widely romanticized French version, Le Chariot d'enfant, premiered in Paris in 1850, as well as Victo's critically acclaimed "anarchist" interpretation.