Mysuru: Bangalore Theatre Collective will be staging the play ‘Ondu Preetiya Kathe..!’ at Kiru Rangamandira in Kalamandira campus on July 29 (Sunday) at 7 pm.

Based on Vijay Tendulkar’s ‘Mitrachi Goshta,’ the play is translated and directed by Venkatesh Prasad. For tickets, contact Mob: 9900182400 or get online tickets at www.bookmyshow.com.

Assistant Director: Ujwala Rao; Sets and Props: H.C. Dwarakanath/ Assistance: Dhanush; Music: Sumeru Rout | Guitar: Slyvester Pradeep; Choreography: Praveen (Genesis); Lighting Designer : Vinay Chandra P. | Assistance : D.T. Arun; Poster Design: Badal Nanjundaswamy; Back stage: Amit Reddy, Sanjay Bharadwaj and Jayashankar; Cast — Preethi Shenoy: Ujwala Rao; Ajay: B.V. Shrunga; Lahari: Vyjayanthi Adiga; Vikram: Vishal Patil; Patil: Sunil Kumar.

Synopsis: The play, which boasts of being the first play in Kannada to discuss the homosexuality of a woman, foregrounds a young girl, her journey to self-discovery and coming-out story of a young girl by name Preethi, and the life-changing moments in Preethi’s struggle to cope with being “different.” The intriguing play is set in a college and is a stark commentary on love.

The play focuses primarily on Preethi’s love affair, but narrated through the eyes of her friend, Ajay, the central character. Their friendship goes through a succession of quick, dramatic growth spurts that reveal the complexity of friendship and show that Ajay ultimately comes to represent: a homophobic society that keeps its blinders on to naturalise straight relationships as the norm.

The gradual unravelling of her sexuality, her confusion regarding her sexual identity, her violent attraction towards her love and the blossoming friendship between her and a male friend, form the central points of the play.

The play is weaved into a complex character with intricate plotlines that break the taboo on lesbian identities.