Mysuru: Bahuroopi-2018 National Theatre Festival was a bigger success when compared to the previous festivals. Added to this, the ticket sales also were better than the earlier years. This year, Rangayana has earned an income of Rs. 2.50 lakh. In 2017, Rangayana had earned Rs. 2.25 lakh and in 2016 the ticket collection was Rs. 1.70 lakh.

Bhakta Prahalada creates record

Telugu play Bhakta Prahalada staged on the last day at Kalamandira created a record by selling of 700 tickets at Rs.50 each thus collecting Rs.35,000.

Some of the plays staged at Bhoomigeethe like ‘Three Sisters,’ ‘Chirebande Vade,’ ‘Kola’ and ‘Samajaswastya’ saw houseful shows. In all, at least 300 tickets have been sold for each show and Rs.15,000 collected. Even in other dramas, all the tickets had been sold. In the 24 plays staged at Bahruoopi, nearly 5,000 tickets were sold.

Rangayana looking bare: After the hectic eight-days, where there was fun, frolic, foodies delights, intellectual gathering and great dramas, the Rangayana premises was looking bare after the festival with the shopkeepers packing their wares the following day of the closure of the festival.

The pourakarmikas were seen cleaning up the premises strewn with plastic bottles, papers, plastic plates and glasses and the dirt all around. The sound of two-wheelers and cars used to fill the premises and there were mile-long vehicles on either side of the link road between Kukkarahalli Lake Road and Hunsur Road. Now, everything has returned to normal as Rangayana and the people await the new edition of Bahuroopi next year.

Demand for Tejaswi Books: The books penned by prominent Kannada writer, novelist, photographer, publisher, painter, naturalist and environmentalist Poornachandra Tejaswi was in great demand at all the bookshops in the festival. His Karavalo, Chidambara Rahasya, Jugari Cross, Abachoorina Post Office, Kiragoorina Gayyaligalu, Annana Nenapu sold well.

The theme this time for Bahuroopi was ‘Migration.’ The response was terrific and beyond our expectations. Nearly 5,000 theatre lovers thronged the venues where the plays were staged. More than 15,000 people have watched Janapadotsava and films. We have collected Rs.2.50 lakh by selling tickets for dramas.

— V.N. Mallikarjunaswamy Joint Director, Rangayana