Colourful start to Bahuroopi National Theatre Festival
News, Top Stories

Colourful start to Bahuroopi National Theatre Festival

January 15, 2025

Actors Atul Kulkarni, Prakash Raj add star touch to inaugural event

Mysuru: The six-day Bahuroopi National Theatre Festival was off to a colourful start with renowned actor Atul Kulkarni inaugurating the event by unveiling the board which had the words of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar ‘Manasika Bidugadeye Nijavada Swathantra’ (Freedom of mind is real freedom) at Vanaranga in Rangayana premises yesterday.

During his inaugural speech, Atul Kulkarni remembered the contributions of Karnataka to Indian theatre and added institutions such as NINASAM and Rangayana were responsible for popularising theatre culture in the country.

Picture shows dignitaries releasing the balloons during the inauguration.

“During my days at the National School of Drama, I was fortunate to learn from Ranga Bheeshma B.V. Karanth, who is the Founder-Director of Rangayana. This year’s theatre festival being organised with the theme ‘Liberation’ is of great relevance and word itself has a significance of its own,” he said.

Atul Kulkarni also expressed his displeasure over the word ‘Liberation’ being projected as a wrong expression. “There is need for theatre to create awareness among the public. Theatre has also the responsibility of guiding the society towards the right path since cinema is an expensive medium with only 20 percent talent and the remaining 80 percent filled with money,” he added.

Speaking on the occasion, actor Prakash Raj, said, “One of the media organisations had written that Mahatma Gandhi had died two days later after taking part in the communal harmony event in 1948. But, I informed the media organisation that Mahatma Gandhi had not died but was killed by terrorists.”

Stating that such misleading information was being publicised in the society, Prakash Raj said, there was a conspiracy to twist the history for our future generations. “While writing the history, the future generation might forget those who had committed mistakes, but will not forget or forgive those who resorted to silence. There is need to raise our voices against injustice and one should cultivate the habit of questioning,” he added.

Deputy Commissioner G. Lakshmikanth Reddy, City Police Commissioner Seema Latkar,

READ ALSO  Reality of life, its struggles presented through plays

actor Bhavana Ramanna, Kannada and Culture Joint Director V.N. Mallikarjunaswamy, Rangayana Deputy Director Dr. M.D. Sudarshan, Ranga Samaja Members H.S. Suresh Babu, Rajappa Dalvoy and Yaksha Rangayana Director Venkataramana Aithala were present.

‘There is a need to save Rangayana’

As it is important to save forest, it is also important to save theatre in the country. Mysuru is a cultural hub and it is because of theatre buffs that festival like ‘Bahuroopi’ is being organised. However, unfortunately, we are in a situation where we need to save Rangayana. And it is also the responsibility of amateur theatre group to save the theatre repertory,” said actor Prakash Raj. “Today, we are in a situation where we are unable to construct a building in the name of Rangayana. Instead, the buildings have to be constructed either in the name of Deputy Commissioner or Department of Kannada and Culture. The State Government has not been releasing sufficient funds for the theatre repertory,” he said and added a delegation would meet Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to discuss on saving Rangayana.

Rangayana Director takes dig at Addanda Cariappa

Speaking on the occasion, Rangayana Director Satish Tiptur took a direct dig at former Rangayana Director Addanda Cariappa and said, at times when there is conspiracy to mislead the society by spreading misinformation, there was a need to bring out the real truth. “Bringing out the real truth has become important as people have been trying to mislead the society claiming ‘Satyavanne Heluththene’ (I will only speak the truth),” he added.

ABOUT

Mysuru’s favorite and largest circulated English evening daily has kept the citizens of Mysuru informed and entertained since 1978. Over the past 45 years, Star of Mysore has been the newspaper that Mysureans reach for every evening to know about the happenings in Mysuru city. The newspaper has feature rich articles and dedicated pages targeted at readers across the demographic spectrum of Mysuru city. With a readership of over 2,50,000 Star of Mysore has been the best connection between it’s readers and their leaders; between advertisers and customers; between Mysuru and Mysureans.

CONTACT

Academy News Papers Private Limited, Publishers, Star of Mysore & Mysuru Mithra, 15-C, Industrial ‘A’ Layout, Bannimantap, Mysuru-570015. Phone no. – 0821 249 6520

To advertise on Star of Mysore, email us at

Print Editon: ad@starofmysore.com
For News/Press Release: voice@starofmysore.com