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Girish Karnad's play Tughlaq explores the life and character of one of the most controversial kings to occupy the throne in Delhi-Mohammed-bin-Tughlaq. Often called a mixture of opposites he ruled for 26 years, a period which bought great misery and sorry for his subjects.

His life is source of great fascination because even though he was one of the most learned and well-meaning monarchs of Delhi, who had great ideas and a grand vision of country, his reign was a complete disaster. The play depicts how he started his rule with great ideals of a unified country where Hindus and Muslims were equal in the eyes of the state and the Sultan was the first among equals. He abolished the unpopular tax Jaziya on the Hindus. He understood the value of money as not deriving from its intrinsic worth but from the promise behind it: and introduced copper coins. But it soon led to counterfeit coins and was a financial disaster. He moves his capital from Delhi to Daulatabad with promise of a better life for his subjects. But it soon leads to his disillusionment and he decides to shift capital back to Delhi.

A reign which started with murder of his father and brother has a bloody struggle through out to keep the throne safe. There is also a ruthless and evil side of his nature which he exhibits when confronted with treachery and double talk. Girish Karnad's play explores why a reign that started with lofty ideals soon degraded into chaos and misery. Tughlaq deals with great sensitivity the downfall of this idealist who in later part of his reign seems to have lost his mental peace and starts taking pleasure in sufferings of others.