Bahuroopi National Theatre Festival concludes with audience chanting ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’

Mysore/Mysuru: The Bahuroopi National Theatre Festival with the theme of Indianness came to a close at Rangayana last evening with the artistes, audience and Rangayana staff chanting “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” and they vowed to uphold the spirit of nationalism in the wake of many adversities including external and internal threats.

The Theatre Festival began on Dec. 8 and was held with much fanfare and the theme of Indianness resonated in all aspects, be it dramas, debates, musical performances, competitions, sale of books, clothes and even food. The last day of the festival exhibited on various stages focussed on human life, its frailty and the ups and downs of life. 

Mayabazar at Kalamandira

The last evening’s highlight was Telugu mythological drama ‘Mayabazar’ staged at Kalamandira by troupe Sri Venkateshwara Surabhi Theatre, Telangana. Malladi Venkatakrishna Sharma is the playwright and it was directed by Surabhi Jayachandra Varma

‘Mayabazar’, also called ‘Sasirekha Parinayam’, is based on the celebrated episode in the Mahabharata where Arjuna’s son Abhimanyu falls in love with Balarama’s daughter Sasirekha. Balarama is against the marriage as Abhimanyu doesn’t have any kingdom to inherit and moreover since his father is in exile.

Krishna advises Abhimanyu to approach Bheema’s son Ghatotkacha for help. Ghatotkacha, with his magical powers, transforms himself into Sasirekha, and starts staying in the kingdom as the original goes romancing Abhimanyu.

Abhimanyu in due course marries Sasirekha with Krishna’s blessings. Unaware of all this, Balarama arranges his daughter’s marriage with Duryodhana’s son. But the bride appears as a ghost to the groom, and he runs away in fear.

Angered by this, Balarama vows to kill Abhimanyu, but Krishna intervenes and pacifies him. The play swayed the audience with its powerful performance.

Avani at Sampath Rangamandira

Kannada play ‘Avani’ was performed at Sampath Rangamandira (Kiru Rangamandira) by Bengaluru-based troupe Samanvitha. K.V. Radhakrishna is the playwright and was directed by Akshata Mayasandra.

The play focussed on Indian lifestyle, its theme and conveyed the message of harmony in day-to-day life. Avani means earth, earth symbolises birth and regeneration. This newness is compared to women and the female characters of Indian mythology like Seetha, Droupadi, Damayanti, Amba, Shakuntala and Madhavi were portrayed on stage.

 The theme, characters, overall messaging were appreciated by the audience and the play was accorded loud applause.

Chaayachitam Maayachitram at Bhoomigeeta

Malayalam play ‘Chaayachitram Maayachitram’ was performed at Bhoomigeeta by Ernakulam-based Lokadharmi. It was directed by Dr. Chandradasan and Dr. Jebin Jesmus is the playwright.

 The play deals with emotional hurdles and unfolds through an intensely emotional conversation between a painter and a stunningly beautiful model who walks into his studio.

The characters of the play uniquely brought before the audience the need to recognise and feel the identity of the woman beyond her external beauty.

Through the stories of Medusa and Lilith, the heroine explains to the painter the eagerness shown by this society to isolate women who take extreme positions against male supremacy and physical superiority. At the end of the play, the heroine breaks all the shackles of male supremacy and loosens her hair like waves according to her will, literally amazes the audience. The overall message of the play is that women are not consumables in front of humanity and the politics of female existence is not destitution and despair. It exposed the political nuances of existence.