The famous Sanskrit play 'Svapnavasavadattam' was written by:

"Svapnavasavadattam" ("The Dream of Vasavadatta") is a Sanskrit play by Bhasa, one of the earliest known Sanskrit dramatists, who probably lived before Kalidasa (around the 2nd-3rd century CE or earlier).

About the play:

• It is based on the story of King Udayana of Vatsa (capital Kaushambi) and his queen Vasavadatta, princess of Avanti.
• To regain his lost kingdom, Udayana's minister Yaugandharayana spreads the false news that Vasavadatta has died in a fire, so that Udayana can marry Padmavati, the sister of the king of Magadha, and gain an ally.

Vasavadatta lives in disguise near Padmavati. In a famous scene, Udayana, half-asleep, sees Vasavadatta and thinks he is dreaming, which gives the play its name.

In the end, the couple is reunited, and the kingdom is recovered.

It is admired for its emotional depth and dramatic skill.

Discovery of Bhasa's plays:

For centuries, Bhasa was known only through references by later writers, including Kalidasa, who praised him.

In 1912, the scholar T. Ganapati Sastri discovered 13 plays attributed to Bhasa in manuscripts in Kerala, and published them as the "Trivandrum plays".

They were traditionally performed in the Koodiyattam form of Sanskrit theatre in Kerala.

Other plays of Bhasa:

• "Pratijnayaugandharayana" (the earlier part of the Udayana story).
• "Urubhanga" ("The Broken Thigh"), about Duryodhana's death; it is one of the few Sanskrit tragedies.
• "Madhyamavyayoga", "Dutavakya", "Karnabhara", "Charudatta", "Balacharita" and "Abhisheka Nataka".

Other Sanskrit dramatists:

• Kalidasa: "Abhijnanashakuntalam", "Vikramorvashiyam", "Malavikagnimitram".
• Shudraka: "Mrichchhakatika" (The Little Clay Cart).
• Bhavabhuti: "Uttararamacharita", "Malatimadhava", "Mahaviracharita".
• Harsha: "Ratnavali", "Priyadarshika", "Nagananda".
• Vishakhadatta: "Mudrarakshasa" and "Devichandraguptam".

Why not the other options?

• ✗Kalidasa wrote "Abhijnanashakuntalam".
• ✗Bhavabhuti wrote "Uttararamacharita".
• ✗Shudraka wrote "Mrichchhakatika".