Gujarati Natak Mandali (1878–89) and its successor Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali (1889–1948) was a theatre company in Bombay, British India. It gave immense contributions to the Gujarati theatre, with productions of more than hundred plays, as well as the training and introducing of many major actors and directors. History Gujarati Natak Mandali (1878–89) Gujarati theatre was established on the foundation of the Gujarati Natak Mandali. It was founded in response to discontent with the Parsi theatre company owner Framji Gustadji Dalal. The playwright Ranchhodbhai Dave, who had previously worked with Natak Uttejak Mandali (1875–94), helped in the starting and management of the new troupe, which initially started as an amateur group of Gujarati teachers. On 5 June 1878, three partners, Jayshankar Sarveshvar, Narottam Bhaichand, and Shivshankar Karasanji, co-founded the company, which later became known as Mehtajis' theatre company. Later they were joined by Manekram Dhirajram, Damodar Ratansi Somani, and Lalji Karsanji as new partners. The partners were responsible for various departments of the company. Sarveshvar was the manager and director of the company. The company pioneered the pure Gujarati culture-influenced theatre, free from any Parsi influences. The company first produced Lalita Dukhdarshak (Lalita's Manifold Sufferings), a reformist play written and directed by Dave. It premiered on 6 January 1878 at the Victoria Theatre in front of an audience of 1200 people. It was the first social tragedy in the Gujarati language, with five acts and thirty-four scenes. It had twenty characters, including the character of Nandan, whose name became synonymous with a fool. Dave wrote and directed the second play, Nal Damayanti (Nala and Damayanti), which also became successful. Other plays, Harishchandra, Madalsa ane Ritudhvaj (Madalsa and Ritudhvaj), and Banasur Madmardan (Taming of Banasur's Arrogance) were also produced by the company. Chhotalal Mulchand Kapadia of Khambhat bought the Gujarati Natak Mandali with two other partners. Dayashankar Visanji Bhatt, aka Dayashankar Girnara, a theatre actor-director, renamed it the Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali and guided its further progress. Rise and acclaim (1889–1922) The new company was inaugurated on 29 June 1889 by Jhaverilal Umiyashankar Yajnik, the Sheriff of Bombay and native of Nadiad, with opening of the performance of Kulin Kanta or Vanrajvijay based on Manilal Nabhubhai Dwivedi's Kanta. It was directed by Girnara. Dwivedi saw the advertisement of performance and told Govardhanram Tripathi in Bombay to send him a legal notice for performing the play without his permission. Dayashankar went to