In 1961, he graduated with a dual degree in comparative literature and French from the University of Zagreb. He studied directing at the Academy of Dramatic Art, University of Zagreb, as one of the last students of the famed Croatian director Branko Gavella.
Born and raised in Split, Mrkonjić moved to Zagreb after finishing high school. Mrkonjić also gained an interest in theatre and poetry while he was a university student. He would later spend several years as a playwright and director at the Gavella Drama Theatre.
Mrkonjić was an editor for Telegram (a cultural journal) and Prolog (a theatre periodical).
Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts]
Mrkonjić is a member of the Croatian Writers Society.
