The first Indian epic-play

I am not sure that there is a work in any regional language in India other than Tamil that has so much in common with Sanskrit in regard to the theory and practice of musical and theatrical forms, dating from the early centuries of the common era.

Such a singular, unique work is Silappadhikaram written by Ilango Adigal, a Jaina monk. Story-wise, it is strikingly original, not outsourced from Sanskrit, but the classical dance and theatrical forms it portrays have close affinity with the codified regulations as stipulated in the theatre manual written in Sanskrit presumably by Bharata Muni.

We know very little about our ancient authors, though there are myths aplenty about them; as such, for all we know, it may not be a farfetched speculation to think of Ilango and Bharata as one and the same person – who could have besides writing a manual in the Natya Sastra also composed the story of Silappadhikaram, by way of illustrating it through fictionalisation.