Veteran theatre personality from Kodagu likely to take charge next week

Mysuru: Veteran theatre personality from Kodagu, Addanda C. Cariappa, who has put in more than four decades of service in the field theatre, art and culture, has been appointed by the State Government as the Director of Rangayana, Mysuru. An order in this regard was issued last evening and he will succeed Bhagirathi Bai Kadam.

Speaking to Star of Mysore this morning, Cariappa said that he was elated to occupy the post that has come to him after years of dedicated service. He said that he is likely to take charge early next week after completing certain formalities. 

Profile of the Artiste

Cariappa, born in 1961 at Ponnampet, is a resident of Kunda Road in Ponnampet, Virajpet taluk of the district and has several works in Kannada and Kodava languages to his credit. He is active in film and television as well. He has been the Chairman of Karnataka Kodava Sahitya Academy and member of Karnataka Nataka Academy earlier.

 New dimension to Kodava theatre 

A versatile theatre personality, Cariappa is the current Member of Kendra Sahitya Academy and also won the Rajyotsava Award. He is also a playwright and director. Addanda Cariappa is a big name in Kodava language theatre and has carved a niche for himself in the State Theatre. 

A multi-faceted talent, he is credited with giving a new dimension to Kodava theatre after Haradasa Appaneravanda Appacha Kavi. 

Cariappa has been credited for transforming Kodava theatre into a vital link between Kodava and Kannada languages and he is also known for having made significant contributions to Kodava language, theatre, films, etc. He has directed more than 75 dramas in Kodava and Kannada, directed two Kodava films and also worked as a freelance journalist. 

Effectively communicates social message

He is known as a playwright who does not compromise on quality and does his best to convey the intended social message through his plays. Some of the plays he has scripted, performed and directed are, “Kodagina Koneya Arasa”, “Purusha”, “Swathanthra Yodha Chengappa”, “Vyavasthe”, “Marukalisida Hejje”, “Dewan Bopanna”, “Amarakavi Appacha”, “Badk”, “Jamma”, “Kall”, “Militarikaara” etc. 

Cariappa has also directed and performed in many plays based on William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”, “Hamlet”, T.P. Kailasam’s “Poli Kitti” and “Tollu-Gatti” and Poornachandra Tejaswi’s “Thabarana Kathe”. He is the recipient of “Bhasha Samman” Award given away by the Kendra Sahitya Academy. 

Over 6,000 plays till now

He studied in Junior College, Ponnampet and graduated from Cauvery College Gonikoppa governed by Mangalore University. Having keen interest in drama since his younger days, Cariappa obtained formal training in theatre from Ninasam School of Drama, Heggodu. 

Cariappa’s wife Anitha Cariappa is also a theatre personality and the couple has the credit of staging over 6,000 plays in local, State and National level. She too had her drama training in Ninasam Drama School. 

“Rangayana is the dream project of B.V. Karanth, the powerhouse who brought South Indian theatre to the forefront, and the institution has grown over the years rendering its yeoman service to the cause of theatre. I am proud to occupy the post of Rangayana Director, the position which was occupied earlier by Prasanna, Chidambararao Jambe, Basavalingiah, B. Jayashree and H. Janardhan (Janni). By naming me as the Director, the Government has increased my responsibility,”                                         Cariappa added. 

It may be recalled, the city’s theatre repertory Rangayana was ‘headless’ after the State Government led by B.S. Yediyurappa of BJP, in an unprecedented move, had removed the Directors of all the four Rangayanas in Karnataka — Mysuru, Shivamogga, Dharwad and Kalaburagi — even before the completion of their tenure and also dissolved the Ranga Samaja in September this year.