Mysuru:  Maintaining that the primary aim of drama should be to fight caste discrimination and gender bias, noted theatre director and playwright Prasanna said that the duty of drama was to safeguard every member of the society.

He was speaking after inaugurating the week-long ‘Bahuroopi’ National Theatre Fest at Rangayana here last evening. “Theatre, which was the only medium of entertainment decades ago, has today touched various fields in society and has achieved success,” Prasanna said.

Pointing out that Rangayana has its own social responsibility, he said that several theatres are run with the help of Government and social organisations.

Rangayana, the experiment which was started in Mysuru in the 1980s, has today reached five places in Karnataka, he said and added that the theatre should act as a medium to find solutions to emerging issues in the present day society.

Explaining on how theatre should work, Prasanna advised the repertories to deliver simple plays. Through simple plays, complex issues in the society can be addressed, he said and added that theatre should stage plays without fear and hesitation.

The noted playwright also opined that issues in the society today are worse than what existed during the time of Kuvempu or Kailasam and the theatre of the present day should create new solutions to face issues in the society.

Keerti Jain, former Director of National School of Drama (NSD), said that every language should have at least one repertory to promote it. The Government of Karnataka is doing a great job by organising such Theatre Festivals, she added.

Earlier, the inauguration of Bahuroopi was done in a unique way with the unveiling of an act by a group of students from Rangayana. Depicting the theme of gender equality through ‘Ardhanareeshwara’ concept, the students performed advance drama explaining about the evolution of humans and how they are categorised into men and women through their appearance.

Transgenders from Ashodaya Samiti performed the inaugural prayer song of Bahuroopi, keeping the spirit of this year’s theme — Gender Equality.

Mayor Pushpalatha Jagannath released a souvenir on the occasion.

Rangayana Director Bhagirathi Bai Kadam, Ramsons Kala Prastishtana Hon. Secretary R.G. Singh, MCC Commissioner K.H. Jagadeesha, Rangayana Joint Director V.N. Mallikarjunaswamy, Kannada and Culture Assistant Director H. Channappa, writer Dr. C. Naganna, the Festival Conveners Mahadevu, Nandini and others were present.