Six-day National Theatre Festival to focus on ‘Liberation: Social Justice – Movements and Theatre’

Mysuru: The much awaited Bahuroopi National Theatre Festival will be held from Jan. 14 to 19 at Rangayana in city. This year, festival is being organised with the theme ‘Liberation: Social Justice – Movements and Theatre.’ Apart from multilingual theatre plays, the festival will feature national symposium, film festival, folk festival, book exhibition, handicraft exhibition and demonstration, desi food festival, painting exhibition, street plays and special programmes for children.

This year’s Bahuroopi will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Jan. 14 at Vanaranga in Rangayana premises at 5 pm. Renowned Theatre and cine actor Atul Kulkarni will inaugurate the National Theatre Festival. Social Welfare and District Minister Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa will inaugurate handicraft and book exhibition. Kannada and Culture Minister Shivaraj S. Tangadagi will release the souvenir. Mysuru-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar will inaugurate the painting exhibition. Chamaraja MLA K. Harishgowda will preside. Kannada & Culture Secretary Dr. N. Manjula will inaugurate posters exhibition.

Deputy Commissioner G. Lakshmikanth Reddy, Department of Kannada and Culture Director Dr. K. Dharanidevi Malagatti, City Police Commissioner Seema Latkar, Mysuru ZP CEO K.M. Gayathri, Department of Kannada and Culture Joint Director V.N. Mallikarjunaswamy and Ranga Samaja Member H.S. Suresh Babu will be the special invites.

Folk artiste Savitha Cheerukunnaiah will open the week-long Janapada Ustava (Folk Festival) on Jan. 13 at 6 pm at Kindarijogi premises. Ranga Samaja Member Mahantesh Gajendragada will be the chief guest. Karnataka Yakshagana Academy Chairman Dr. Talluru Shivarama Shetty will preside. Inauguration will be followed by Yakshagana ‘Narakasura Vadhe’ by Yakshagana Mitra Balaga, Mangaluru.

The Visual Art Exhibition, including Painting Exhibition by Kumari Abhirami of Kerala, Sculpture Exhibition by E. Smrudul of Kerala, Photography Exhibition by Naveenkumar of Puttur and Posters Exhibition of Rangayana Plays will be held from Jan. 14 to 19 at Kiru Rangamandira (Mini Theatre).

On Jan. 14, District Minister Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa will inaugurate the Bahuroopi Film Festival at 11 am at Bhoomigeeta. Film Festival Convenor K. Manu will deliver the keynote address. Actress Bhavana Ramanna, Ranga Samaja Members Lakshmi Chandrashekar and M.S. Jahangeer will be the chief guests. Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy Chairman Sadhu Kokila and Kannada and Culture Joint Director V.N. Mallikarjunaswamy will be present. The event will be presided by Rangayana Director Satish Tiputur.

Actor Prakash Raj will inaugurate Children’s Bahuroopi on Jan. 15 at Kalamandira at 6 pm. Ranga Samaja Members Shashidhar Bharighat and Dingri Naresh will the chief guests. Rangayana Director Satish Tiptur will preside. Kannada and Culture Joint Director V. N. Mallikarjunaswamy and Rangayana Deputy Director Dr. M.D. Sudarshan will be present.

A two-day National Symposium will be held at B.V. Karanth Ranga Chavadi on Jan. 18 and 19 from 10 am to 5.30 pm. It will be inaugurated by writer A. Revathi at 10 am on Jan. 18. Renowned writer Banu Mushtaq will be the chief guest. Poet and playwright Prof. H.S. Shivaprakash will deliver the valedictory address on Jan. 19 at 5.30 pm.