Mysore/Mysuru: Noted Theatre and Film Director B. Suresh has called upon theatre festival organisers to seek public support and not wait for Government funds.

He was speaking after inaugurating the four-day ‘Rashtriya Ranga Utsava’, a National Theatre festival organised by ‘Abhiyenthararu’, a theatre group of Engineers, in association with South Zone Cultural Centre’, Thanjavur, at Kiru Rangamandira in Kalamandira premises here yesterday.

Pointing out that the success of the theatre movement depends on public support, Suresh opined that good plays can be staged even with less money.

Noting that the rules cannot be questioned if plays are staged with Government funds and support, Suresh said that it has become essential to use plays as the biggest form of protest against the ruling dispensation. Accusing TV channels and the social media of spreading lies, he said that we have to keep away from watching TV in order to keep up good health.

Maintaining that theatre promoters have a big responsibility, Suresh alleged that some newspapers have become mouthpieces of the ruling party. Bemoaning the eroding quality of TV serials, he said that the serials today are highly commercialised. 

Stating that the cinemas he made too had the same mistakes, Suresh underlined the role of the theatre in educating the public on what is false and what is true.

Rangayana Director Addanda C. Cariappa in his address, said that it is wrong to say that all newspapers and TV channels are puppets of the ruling class. Asserting that many newspapers and TV channels have been spreading lies against the Government, he said that the people must realise the conspiracy behind the spreading of fake news.

Pointing out that earlier,  people used to file defamation suits for wrongly discrediting personalities, he regretted that social media was engaged in directly calling a leader corrupt, criminal, cunning etc. Stressing on the need for more theatre activities, Cariappa said that the theatre should work towards bringing people together.

Later, Shivamogga based  Hongirana Theatre Group staged a Kannada play ‘Hoovu’, directed by Dr. Sasvehalli Satish.

South Zone Cultural Centre member T. Nanjundaswamy, ‘Abhiyenthararu’ theatre group President H.S. Suresh Babu and others were present.