Showing free play is like Siddharamaiah distributing free rice to people: Rangayana Mysuru Director

Mysore/Mysuru: Nothing should be given free and drama should never be screened without entry fee, opined Addanda C. Cariappa, Director, Rangayana, Mysuru.

He was speaking after inaugurating a three-day ‘Kadamba Ranga Habba’ organised by Kadamba Ranga Vedike at RamaGovinda Rangamandira in Nrupathunga Kannada Shale premises in Ramakrishnanagar here on Friday.

Cariappa said that the previous Government headed by Chief Minister Siddharamaiah distributed free rice to lakhs of people under the ambitious ‘Anna Bhagya’ scheme. But the people who did not understand the head and tail of this scheme sold the free rice being given to them and                        made money.

“For drama festival, entry fee should be minimal. This was the thought of first director of Rangayana, B.V. Karanth. None understood the efforts of artistes, directors and others when the plays were screened free during COVID-19 pandemic.”

He said Mysuru did not get the name ‘Culture City’ just like that. The Maharajas of Mysuru laid the foundation stone for the promotion of culture and conducted such activities daily to promote art as well as to help artistes.

Ranga Kadamba Vedike President Rajashekar Kadamba said, he would have been a full-time businessman but he had actively involved in theatre for more than four decades.

Bhyrappa’s ‘Parva’ from March: Cariappa opined that there should be theatre on four directions of city on the lines of RamaGovinda Rangamandira and that should be extended to all districts to reach younger generation. 

The famous novel of Dr. S.L. Bhyrappa ‘Parva’ has been brought into the drama form and it would be screened at Rangayana from 2nd week of March. Besides, a workshop on the topic ‘Virata Parva’ has been organised in the current month, he added.

Senior theatre personality Prof. H.S. Umesh, who too spoke on the occasion, said: “Addanda C. Cariappa has done a wonderful job as Rangayana Director in the last one year. He actively involved in theatre activities even during COVID-19. He faced a lot of problems both internally and externally during initial days of assuming the office. Now, he has built a beautiful atmosphere in Rangayana. The repertory is working to cultural atmosphere of Mysuru.”

Theatre artiste H.A. Parshwanath was present. On the occasion, play ‘Corporator Kotregowda’ was staged by Aatamaata, Dharwad. 

The three-day theatre fest will conclude today (Feb. 14) with the staging of play staging of play ‘Divya Dhanu’ by Kadamba Ranga Vedike, Mysuru [Originally written by Sophocles, Kannada Translation by Dr. CPK; Direction: H.S. Umesh].