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{{Short description|Gujarati-American playwright and writer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2018}}

{{Infobox writer
| name = Madhu Rye
| image = Madhu Rye.jpg
| img_capt =
| caption = Madhu Rye in 2009
| birth_name = Madhusudan Vallabhdas Thaker
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1942}} 
| birth_place = [[Jamkhambhaliya]], [[Gujarat]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
| education = [[Bachelor of Arts]]
| alma_mater = {{plainlist|
*[[Scottish Church College]] (1958―1960)
*[[University of Calcutta]] (1963)
*[[University of Evansville]] (1976)
}}
| occupation = {{flatlist|
*Playwright
*novelist
*story writer
}}
| period =
| language = [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]]
| nationality = American
| relatives = Vallabhdas (father) Vijayaben (mother)
| spouse = {{marriage|Suvarna Bhatt|1974|1989|end=div}}
| notableworks = ''[[Koi Pan Ek Phool Nu Naam Bolo To]]'' (1967)
| signature = Madhu Rye autograph.svg
| awards = [[Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak]] (1999)
}}
[[File:Madhu Ray.JPG|thumb|At Gujarat Literature Festival, 2015]]
'''Madhu Rye''' is a Gujarati playwright, novelist and story writer. Born in [[Gujarat]] and educated at [[Calcutta]], he started writing in the 1960s and became known for his stories and plays. His experience at the [[University of Hawaii]] introduced him to experimental writing and improvisations as writing aid, which later led to a movement against absurd theatre. He moved to the US in 1974 and has lived there since. He chiefly wrote novels, short stories and plays. His plays were successful and have been adapted into several languages and media. He has adapted his novels into plays and some plays into novels. The most notable is ''Kimball Ravenswood'', which was loosely adapted into a Hindi TV series ''[[Mr. Yogi (TV series)|Mr. Yogi]]'' (1989), and a Hindi film, ''[[What's Your Rashee?]]'' (2009).{{TOC limit|2}}

==Early life and education==
Madhusudan Vallabhdas Thaker<ref name="GeorgeAkademi1992">{{cite book|author1=K. M. George|author2=Sahitya Akademi|title=Modern Indian Literature, an Anthology: Fiction|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rvpjAAAAMAAJ|year=1992|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|isbn=978-81-7201-506-0|page=304}}</ref> was born in  1942 in [[Jamkhambhaliya]], [[Gujarat]] to Vallabhdas and Vijayaben.<ref name="oxf">{{Cite book|url=http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780195644463.001.0001/acref-9780195644463-e-0571|title=The Oxford Companion to Indian Theatre|last=Baradi|first=Hasmukh|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=2004|isbn=0195644468|editor-last=Lal|editor-first=Ananda|location=New Delhi|oclc=56986659|via=Oxford Reference}}</ref> He completed his primary and secondary education in [[Calcutta]]. He studied Intermediate Science at [[Scottish Church College]] in Calcutta from 1958 to 1960. He did his [[Bachelor of Arts]] from [[University of Calcutta]] in 1963. He started out by translating the short stories of Gujarati writer [[Shivkumar Joshi]], in Hindi, under the pen name Madhu Rye.<ref name=AGSI>{{cite book|title=અર્વાચીન ગુજરાતી સાહિત્યનો ઈતિહાસ - આધુનિક અને અનુઆધુનિક યુગ (History of Modern Gujarati Literature – Modern and Postmodern Era)|first=Prasad|last=Brahmabhatt|publisher=Parshwa Publication|location=Ahmedabad|year=2010|pages=170–176|language=gu|isbn=978-93-5108-247-7}}</ref><ref name="oxf" />

==Career==
Rye was encouraged by [[Shivkumar Joshi]] and [[Chandrakant Bakshi]] to write his own short stories. He taught for a brief period and worked in a machinery concern for few years. He wrote his first short story for a contest under the pen name "Madhu Rye" and won second prize.<ref name="HighBeam Research 2015">{{cite web|title='To Pay off Debt, I Ventured into Writing. and Continued': Says Gujarati Playwright Madhu Rye While Addressing Fans in City|website=DNA |date=7 December 2015 |url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-3886861581.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160505155352/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-3886861581.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 May 2016|access-date=17 November 2017}}</ref> He moved to [[Ahmedabad]] in 1967 and joined Navneetlal and Co. as a marketing writer.<ref name=AGSI/><ref name="oxf" />

His play ''[[Koi Pan Ek Phool Nu Naam Bolo To]]'' (Tell Me the Name of a Flower) premiered in 1969, directed by [[Mrinalini Sarabhai]] and produced by [[Darpana Academy of Performing Arts|Darpana Academy]].<ref name=thl>{{cite news|url=http://www.tehelka.com/the-bride-in-the-firmament/?singlepage=1|title=The Bride In The Firmament|publisher=Tehelka|volume=6|issue=39|first=Nisha|last=Susan}}</ref> He went to [[Honolulu]], US in 1970 and studied stagecraft, especially playwriting and direction at the [[University of Hawaii]] for two semesters.<ref name=AGSI/>

After returning in 1971, he founded ''Aakanth Sabarmati'', a playwrights' workshop to preach minimalist style and the importance of improvisation in plays, against the prevalent absurd theatre.<ref name=mtg>{{cite web|url=http://www.mumbaitheatreguide.com/dramas/interviews/madhu_rye.asp|title=Madhu Rye interview|publisher=Mumbai Theatre Guide |access-date=11 November 2014}}</ref><ref name="oxf" />

In 1974, he married Suvarna Bhatt. In 1974, he, along with his wife, moved to the US to study for a [[Master of Arts|MA]] in continuing education with special emphasis on creative writing at the [[University of Evansville]], [[Evansville]], [[Indiana]].<ref name=AGSI/> He later separated from her.<ref name= sharma>{{cite book |last=Sharma |first=Radheshyam |author-link=Radheshyam Sharma |date=1999 |title= Saksharno Sakshatkar (Question-based Interviews with biographical literary sketches) |volume=4 |location=Ahmedabad |publisher=Rannade Prakashan |pages=208|oclc=43853110}}</ref>

Rye settled in the US and started the ''Gujarati'' weekly in 1978.<ref name=AGSI/> He also edited ''Gujarat Times'', published from [[New York City]]. He now lives in [[New Jersey]], and has edited the Gujarati short story magazine ''Mamata'' since 2011.<ref name="toi2010">{{cite web|title=Madhu Rye|website=epaper.timesofindia.com|date=26 June 2010|url=http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/getFiles.asp?Style=OliveXLib:LowLevelEntityToPrint_TOI&Type=text/html&Locale=english-skin-custom&Path=TOIA/2010/06/26&ID=Pc00408|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141111233014/http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/getFiles.asp?Style=OliveXLib:LowLevelEntityToPrint_TOI&Type=text/html&Locale=english-skin-custom&Path=TOIA/2010/06/26&ID=Pc00408|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 November 2014|access-date=17 November 2017}}</ref><ref name=gsp>{{cite web|url=http://gujaratisahityaparishad.com/prakashan/sarjako/savishesh/Savishesh-Madhusudan-Thakar.html|title=Madhusudan Thakar 'Madhu Rye'|language=gu|publisher=[[Gujarati Sahitya Parishad]]|access-date =11 November 2014}}</ref><ref name=ebc>{{cite AV media|people=Madhu Rye, Sudipta Bhawmik and Kulraaj Anand|title=EBC DRAMA - MADHU RYE|medium=Radio|publisher=Sudipta Bhawmik–EBC Drama Club|date=6 October 2013|url=https://archive.org/details/EBCDRAMAOCT6TH2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Contemporary Indian Theatre: Interviews with Playwrights and Directors|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Pf9kAAAAMAAJ|year=1989|publisher=Sangeet Natak Akademi|pages=153–155|isbn = 9788178710976}}</ref>

==Works==
Rye is an experimental and modernist writer.<ref name="Malhotra2005">{{cite book|author=R. P. Malhotra|title=Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Asian Novels and Novelists: A-I|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z0v8xZwx2OIC&pg=PA615|year=2005|publisher=Global Vision Publishing House|isbn=978-81-8220-067-8|pages=615–616}}</ref> He created the style of formless prose writing called "harmonica" for some of his short stories.<ref name=mtg/> He chiefly wrote fiction and plays. He adapted his novels into plays and vice versa. His plays were adapted into several languages including Hindi, Marathi and English.<ref name=gsp/><ref name=mgh>{{cite book|author=Stanley Hochman|title=McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of World Drama: An International Reference Work in 5 Volumes|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zo5os6d0rvMC&pg=PA37|volume=1|year=1984|publisher=VNR AG|isbn=978-0-07-079169-5|page=37}}</ref><ref name=AGSI/> His short stories and plays became very popular in 1960s.<ref name="oxf" />

===Short stories===
''Banshi Naamni Ek Chhokri'' (1964) was his first short story collection with experimental modern styles. ''Roopkatha'' (1972) is a collection of twenty-eight stories in traditional as well as "harmonica" style. His other work ''Kaalsarp'' (1972) has humour and imagination. ''Kautuk'' (2005) is his short story collection.<ref name=gsp/><ref>{{cite book|author=Mansukhlal Maganlal Jhaveri|author-link=Mansukhlal Maganlal Jhaveri|title=History of Gujarati Literature|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DA0RAAAAMAAJ|year=1978|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|location=New Delhi|pages=229–230}}</ref><ref name=AGSI/>. Roop Roop Amber (2025) is his latest collection fo short stories.

===Novels===
''Chehra'' (1966) is his experimental novel.<ref name="George1992">{{cite book|author=K. M. George|title=Modern Indian Literature, an Anthology: Surveys and poems|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=m1R2Pa3f7r0C&pg=PA141|year=1992|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|isbn=978-81-7201-324-0|page=141}}</ref> ''Kimball Ravenswood'' (1973) is a story of a non-resident Indian searching for a bride in India, intertwined with mock astrology. ''Kalpataru'' (1987) is a futuristic mystery science fiction novel. He also adapted three novels from his own plays; ''Kamini'' (1970) from ''Koi Pan Ek Phool Nu Naam Bolo To'' (1968), ''Sabha'' (1972) from ''Kumarni Agashi'' (1975), ''Saapbaji'' from ''Aapne Club ma Malya Hata''. They all are psychological thrillers. ''Mukhsukh'' (2001) and ''Sura, Sura, Sura'' are his other novels.<ref name=gsp/><ref name=AGSI/>

His novel ''Kimball Ravenswood'' was adapted into plays in several languages including ''The Suitable Bride'' in English and ''Yogesh Patelnu Vevishal'' in Gujarati. It was also adapted into a TV series entitled ''[[Mr. Yogi (TV series)|Mr. Yogi]]'' (1989), and as the film ''[[What's Your Rashee?]]'' (2009).<ref name=thl/><ref name="toi2010"/><ref>{{cite web|title='Rashee' based on Gujarat novel by Rye|work=The Times of India|date=26 September 2009|author=Ashish Vashi|agency=TNN|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Rashee-based-on-Gujarat-novel-by-Rye/articleshow/5058498.cms|access-date=17 November 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=October 2009 |title=A new Zodiac sign? |newspaper=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/A-new-Zodiac-sign/article11641753.ece/}}</ref>

===Plays===
''Koi Pan Ek Phool Nu Naam Bolo To'' (Tell Me the Name of a Flower, 1968), ''Kumar ni Agashi'' (The Terrace, 1975) and ''Aapne Club ma Malya Hata'', ''Pankor Nake Jaake'', ''Sura Ane Shatrujeet'' are his plays. ''Koi pan Ek Phoolnu Naam Bolo To'' was translated into fourteen languages, and broadcast by the [[All India Radio]]<ref name=ebc/> and adapted as a telefilm by [[Ketan Mehta]] for [[Doordarshan]]. It was a [[Metatheatre|meta-theatrical]] murder mystery.<ref name="oxf" /> ''Yogesh Patelnu Vevishal'' is an adaptation of his novel ''Kimball Ravenswood''.<ref name=mtg/><ref name="toi2010"/><ref name=gsp/><ref name=mgh/> His later plays were performed by the [[Indian National Theatre]], directed by [[Pravin Joshi]]. His play ''Kumar Ni Agashi'' created a sensation in the field of [[Gujarati theatre]]. It was about repressed sexuality in upper middle class society.<ref name="oxf" />

''Ashwatthama'' (1973), ''Aapnu Evun'' (2005) and ''Kanta Kahe'' are collections of [[one-act play]]s including some [[absurd theatre|absurd plays]]. ''Aakanth'' (1974) is a collection of selected twenty-three plays with novel ideas from more than fifty plays by various writers which were written during the activities of ''Aakanth Sabarmati''.<ref name=mtg/> ''Mrs Moorthy'' was his first English language play.<ref name="tt2005">{{cite news|title=Split wide open: Screen On and Off|work=[[The Telegraph (Calcutta)|The Telegraph]]|date=2 December 2005|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1051203/asp/calcutta/story_5554755.asp|access-date=10 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141128190338/https://www.telegraphindia.com/1051203/asp/calcutta/story_5554755.asp|archive-date=28 November 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> His one act play ''Ashwatthama'' was once a popular entry in college competitions along with his other one act plays. His play ''Sura ane Shatrujeet'' is sporadically performed by amateur groups in Gujarat and Mumbai.

He has also adapted various plays into Gujarati including: [[George Bernard Shaw]]'s ''[[Pygmalion (play)|Pygmalion]]'' and its [[musical theatre|musical]] adaptation ''[[My Fair Lady]]'' as a musical ''Santu Rangilee'' (1976), [[Friedrich Dürrenmatt]]'s ''[[The Visit (play)|The Visit]]'' as ''Sharat'' and [[Anthony Shaffer (writer)|Anthony Shaffer]]'s ''[[Sleuth (play)|Sleuth]]'' as ''Khelando''.<ref name=gsp/> These all adaptations earned him wide acclaim.<ref name="oxf" /> His Gujarati adaptation of [[Dale Wasserman]]'s play ''[[One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (play)|One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest]]'' (based on [[Ken Kesey]]'s 1962 [[One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (novel)|novel of the same name]]) was mildly successful.<ref name="gsp" />

His plays have been adapted and performed in several Indian languages and have been hugely successful. "Koi Pan Phool..." has been translated, adapted and performed in English by Dr. Vijay Padaki (Tell me the Name of a Flower)<ref>{{Cite news |last=Shekhar |first=Divya |date=2016-10-15 |title=Bangalore Little Theatre stages Madhu Rye's 'Tell Me The Name of a Flower' |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/bangalore-little-theatre-stages-madhu-ryes-tell-me-the-name-of-a-flower/articleshow/54863622.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2026-04-03 |work=The Economic Times |issn=0013-0389}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Times |first=The Theatre |date=2016-11-01 |title=Bangalore Little Theatre Presents Madhu Rye's “Tell Me The Name of a Flower” |url=https://thetheatretimes.com/bangalore-little-theatre-presents-madhu-ryes-tell-name-flower/ |access-date=2026-04-03 |website=The Theatre Times |language=en-US}}</ref>. It was also made in Marathi as 'Hi Shekhar Khosla kon Hoto?'<ref>{{Cite web |title=HA SHEKHAR KHOSLA KON AAHE? Marathi Play/Drama - www.MumbaiTheatreGuide.com |url=https://www.mumbaitheatreguide.com/dramas/marathi/ha-shekhar-khosla-kon-aahe-marathi-play-preview.asp# |access-date=2026-04-03 |website=www.mumbaitheatreguide.com}}</ref>. Dr. Padaki also adapted Kumar ni Agashi and performed in Bangalore in English (The Terrace). The Hindi translation was done by [[Ismat Chugtai]] as 'Neela Kamra' and the play was directed by late [[Shafi Inamdar]]<ref>Life and career - {{Citation |title=Shafi Inamdar |date=2026-03-01 |work=Wikipedia |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Shafi_Inamdar&oldid=1341112491 |access-date=2026-04-03 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Instagram - A tribute to Director Shafi Inamdar |url=https://www.instagram.com/reels/DV2xQUdDP2D/ |access-date=2026-04-03 |website=www.instagram.com}}</ref> . Both these plays continue to be performed regularly at amateur theatre fest/competitions.

===Essays===
Rye has been an avid writer of essays, published as weekly columns in several publications, such as ''Navroz'', ''Janmabhoomi'', ''Samkaleen'', and ''Abhiyaan''. He writes a weekly column ''Neele Gagan Ke Tale'' (Under the Big Blue Sky) in Gujarati daily ''[[Divya Bhaskar]]'' since 2008.

His essay collections are ''Neele Gagan Ke Tale'', ''Mann Ki Been'', ''Sepia'', ''Dil Ki Gali'', ''Kefiyat''.<ref name=gsp/><nowiki>. Yaar ane Dildar {{[[collection of character sketches of people from the cultural work (2024)</nowiki>

===Translation ===
He translated three works into Gujarati; ''[[The Scarlet Letter]]'', ''[[Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison]]'' and ''[[The Light in the Forest]]''.<ref name=gsp/> ''Kahan'' is his translation of a work by [[Mrinalini Sarabhai]].<ref name=AGSI/>

==Awards==
He was awarded [[Narmad Suvarna Chandrak]] in 1972. He received the [[Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak]] for 1999.<ref name="toi2010"/><ref name=AGSI/> He received the Bhupen Khakhar Award in 2004 for his play, ''Sura Ane Shatrujeet''. He also received the [[Sahitya Gaurav Puraskar|Sahitya Gaurav puraskar]] award in 2020<ref name=mtg/>

==See also==
*[[List of Gujarati-language writers]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Gbooks-author|Madhu Rāya}}
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TD1zvkP1r6A&t=7s Biography and Interview with Madhu Rye - Gujarat Sahitya Academy, Jul 2019]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTW3e8PJDh8 EP - 36 / મારી કેફિયત / Madhu Rye / નવજીવન Talks / Navajivan Trust Jan 2023]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKuyCN_4mfY Madhu Rye in conversation with Vijay Kenkre (Mumbai Local - Junoon, 2020)]
*[//archive.org/details/EBCDRAMAOCT6TH2013 An interview with Madhu Rye at the EBC Drama Club with Sudipta Bhawmik and Kulraaj Anand (6 October 2013) on archive.org]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rye, Madhu}}
[[Category:1942 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Novelists from Gujarat]]
[[Category:Gujarati-language writers]]
[[Category:Indian male novelists]]
[[Category:Indian male dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:Scottish Church College alumni]]
[[Category:University of Calcutta alumni]]
[[Category:People from Devbhoomi Dwarka district]]
[[Category:University of Evansville alumni]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian novelists]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian translators]]
[[Category:American people of Gujarati descent]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian essayists]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak]]
[[Category:Dramatists and playwrights from Gujarat]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male writers]]
[[Category:Writers from New Jersey]]
[[Category:Modernist writers]]

Madhu Rye - Revision history

Igortxa at 19:26, 1 May 2026