By S.N. Venkatnag Sobers
Following the ideology of 12th Century reformer and visionary, Mysuru’s theatre repertory Rangayana will be hosting its 20th edition of Bahuroopi National Theatre Festival based on the topic ‘Iva Nammava Iva Nammava’ from March 6 to 11. The Theatre Festival has been treating theatre buffs from all over the country since 2001 when it began as ‘AKKA’ Festival when noted theatre director Prasanna held the reins of Rangayana. Later, it was renamed as ‘BAHUROOPI.’
Though the Festival was not organised in 2002, Bahuroopi was successfully held every year since 2003 before it was given a break for two years in 2020 and 2021 owing the COVID-19 outbreak. However, the National Theatre Festival returned with its past glory during March, 2022 with the theme ‘Taayi’ (Mother) followed by another edition in the month of December, 2022 under the theme ‘Bharateeyate’ (Indianness) with an aim to strengthen nationalism and create awareness to the new generation about the history, culture and patriotic fervour of India.
Previously, Rangayana has organised various editions of the National Theatre Festival with different themes focusing on Women Issues, Agriculture, Folk Culture, Tribal Culture, Desi Culture, Rabindranath Tagore, Jnanpith Awardees from Karnataka, Shakespeare, Sufi Culture, Water, Abhiyakthi among others. The Festival has also witnessed theatre groups from Sri Lanka, England, Bangladesh and Poland performing on the main stage when it was organised as a Multi-lingual International Theatre Festival during 2018.
This year, the Bahuroopi Theatre Festival is being organised with theme ‘Iva Nammava Iva Nammava’ with vision to promote the idea of egalitarian society. The Theatre Fest will be inaugurated by renowned lyricist Jayanth Kaikini at Vanaranga on Mar. 7 at 4.30 pm. District in-Charge Minister Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa will inaugurate the Books and Handicrafts Exhibition. Minister for Kannada and Culture Shivaraj S. Tangadagi will release the souvenir. Painting Exhibition will be inaugurated by MP Prathap Simha. Department of Kannada and Culture Secretary Dr. N. Manjula will unveil ‘Vachanantaranga,’ a special painting exhibits of artiste Shivalingappa based on the Basavanna’s vachanas. The display of historical documents will be inaugurated by Deputy Commissioner Dr. K.V. Rajendra. Department of Kannada and Culture Commissioner Dr. K. Dharanidevi Malagatti will be the chief guest. Chamaraja MLA K. Harishgowda will preside over the event. Department of Kannada and Culture Joint Director V.N. Mallikarjunaswamy, Rangayana Deputy Director Nirmala Mathapati and Bahuroopi-2024 Co-ordinator Prof. H.S. Umesh will be present.
Renowned folk artiste Dr. Malavalli Mahadevaswamy will inaugurate Janapada Sambhrama on Mar. 6 at Kindarijogi premises at 5.30 pm. Folklorist Dr. Jayalakshmi Seethapura will be the chief guest.
Bahuroopi Film Festival will be inaugurated by International Wildlife Photographer Dr. Lokesh Mosale at Sriranga auditorium on Mar. 7 at 10.30 am followed by a keynote address by Film Festival Convenor K. Manu.
Two-day National Symposium on ‘Vachana Sahitya and Theatre’ is also organised on Mar. 9 and 10 at B.V. Karantha Ranga Chavadi. The Symposium will be inaugurated by poet and thinker H.S. Shivaprakash on Mar. 9 at 10 am. Writer O.L. Nagabhushana Swamy will chair. Senior Poet Prof. S.G. Siddaramaiah will deliver the valedictory address on Mar. 10 at 4 pm.
The two-day event will feature deliberations on topics such as ‘Contemporary Interpretation of Vachana Movement’, ‘Vachana Movement and Gender Equality’, Vachana Movement and Kannada Theatre’, ‘Philosophy, Technology and its Cultural Impact’, ‘Theatre and Technology’ and ‘Contemporary Theatre towards Community.’
This year’s National Theatre Festival features a total of 17 plays including 10 Kannada and one Tulu play and six of other languages like Hindi, Malayalam, Marathi, Manipuri, Bengali from other States namely Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Manipur. Rangayana received a total of 119 applications out of which the screening committee selected 17 plays.
Bahuroopi National Theatre Festival has been an event not only for theatre buffs to enjoy some of the best selected plays but also to others to get introduced to our rich theatre culture which has travelled across many decades spreading the essence of various traditions followed across the world. Apart from plays, visitors will also get to taste some delicacies, purchase books from various publications and to buy traditional and local attires belonging to various places.
Kindarijogi 5.30 PM
March 6 (Wednesday)
Jogati Nruthya : Jeevana Belaku Kala Tanda, Rona, Gadag
Geegee Pada : Jaibheem Gegee Kala Tanda, Neelagunda, Gadag
March 7 (Thursday)
Dhangari Gaja : Syappa Bandgar & Troupe, Maharashtra
Gudum Baja : Mayaram Dhurwey & Troupe, Madhya Pradesh
Chande Vadana : Guru and Troupe, Mysuru
Kamsale : Nagaraju & Troupe, Mangala village, Chamarajanagar
Nadaswara : Radhamma and Troupe, Vagarahalli, Channarayapatna
Gaarudi Gombe : Jayaram & Troupe, Boranakoppalu, Arasikere
March 8 (Friday)
Veeragase : Basavajyothi Mahila Veeragaase Kala Tanda, Chikkamagaluru
Mahila Puja Kunita : Keerthana, Kyataghatta Post, Maddur
March 9 (Saturday)
Dollu Kunita : K.M. Annappa & Troupe, Hadagalu, Kadur
Pata Kunita : Ravi and Troupe, Kadalagere village, Pandavapura
March 10 (Sunday)
Koragara Dolu : Babu Koraga and Troupe, Pambur, Udupi
Goravara Kunita : Rajashekhara and Troupe, Ramasamudra, Chamarajanagar
March 11 (Monday)
Karaga Kolata : Punith and Troupe, Udyavara, Udupi
Kangilu : Sugipu Janapada Kala Tanda, Bangle Gudde, Sullia
VANARANGA 7 PM
March 6 (Wednesday)
Special Programme : Vachana Gayana by Ramachandra Hadapada and Troupe, Mysuru
B.V. Karantha Ranga cahavadi 4 PM to 5 pm
March 8 (FRIDAY)
Vachana Concert : Veerabhadraiah and Troupe, Mysuru
March 11 (Monday)
Elekoralu Ulidave Kela : Students of Bharatiya Rangashikshana Kendra, Rangayana, Mysuru
Plays at National Theatre Festival
KIRURANGAMANDIRA 6 pm
March 7 (Thursday)
Lokada Olahorage (Kannada)
Troupe : Rangasampada, Bengaluru
Original : Rabindranath Tagore
Design, Adaptation and Direction : B. Suresh
March 8 (Friday)
Dropati Heltavle (Kannada)
Troupe : Rangasthe, Bengaluru
Original : Kumaravyasa Bharata & Janapada Mahabharata
Direction : Ganesh Mandarthi
March 9 (Saturday)
Glani (Kannada)
Troupe : Udaya Kalavidaru, Sagara
Playwright : G.S. Bhat
Direction : Chidambara Rao Jambe
March 10 (Sunday)
Black Out (Kannada)
Troupe : Rangasiri Production, Bengaluru
Playwright : G.V. Shivananda
Direction : S. Sandeep Pai
March 11 (Monday)
Paarshwa Sangeetha (Kannada)
Troupe : Rangavalli, Mysuru
Original : Srinivasa Vaidya
Adaptation : B.P. Arun Music, Concept and Direction : Prashant Hiremath
Bhoomigeeta 6.30 pm
March 7 (Thursday)
Muttisikondavanu (Kannada)
Troupe : Rangayana Repertory, Mysuru
Story : P. Lankesh
Adaptation and Direction : K.R. Nandini
March 8 (Friday)
Dukhwa Mein Beetal Ratiya (Hindi)
Troupe : Kamla Shankar Dhanwanti Devi Foundation, UP
Story : Rameshwar Upadyay
Adaptation : Lalit Simha Pokhariya
Direction : Prasoon Narain Srivastava
March 9 (Saturday)
Jump (Multilingual)
Troupe : Collective Madness Studios, Mumbai
Playwright and Direction : Maneesh Sharma
March 10 (Sunday)
Kittankhola (Bengali)
Troupe : Thakurpukur Ichheymoto, Kolkata.
Playwright : Selim Al Deen
Direction : Saurav Palodhi
March 11 (Monday)
Aboriginal Cry (Non Verbal)
Troupe : Akhoka Theater, Imphal, Manipur.
Concept, Design and Direction : Thoudam Victor Singh
VANARANGA 7 pm
March 8 (Friday)
Seetheya Vyathe (Kannada)
Yakshagana Prasanga
Troupe : Theatre Yaksha, Udupi.
Direction : Pruthviraj Kavattaru
March 9 (Saturday)
Khatara (Marathi)
Troupe : Aapla Ghar, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra
Playwright and Direction : Amol Devidas Salve
March 10 (Sunday)
Kariya Devara Huduki (Kannada)
Troupe : Samudaya, Bengaluru
Original : Prof. G. Shankar Pillai
Translation : Na. Damodara Shetty
Direction : Niranjana Khalikoda
March 11 (Monday)
Beralge Koral (Kannada)
Troupe : Nalwadi Social, Cultural & Educational Trust, Mysuru
Playwright : Kuvempu
Direction : Dinesh Chammalige
KALAMANDIRA 7.30 pm
March 7 (Thursday)
Shishunala Shareefa (Kannada)
Troupe : Padma Shri Chindodi Leela’s K.B.R. Drama Company, Davanagere
Direction : Chindodi L. Chandradhara
March 8 (Friday)
Kalyanada Bagilu (Kannada)
Troupe : Sri Shivakumara Kala Sangha, Sanehalli
Playwright : Dr. S. Nataraja Budalu
Direction : C. Basavalingaiah
March 9 (Saturday)
Chavundaraya (Kannada)
Troupe : Sri Gajanana Yuvaka Mandali, Sheshagiri
Playwright : Jayaram Rayapura
Direction : H.K. Shwetharani
March 10 (Sunday)
Chillara Samaram (Malayalam)
Troupe : Little Earth School of Theatre, Kerala
Playwright : M.P. Rajesh
Direction : Arun Lal
March 11 (Monday)
Kathe Eddendu (Tulu)
Troupe : Sharada Arts Kalavidaru, Manjeshwara, Kasaragod
Playwright and Direction : J.P. Tuminadu
This post was published on March 4, 2024 7:05 pm