Theatre repertoire Rangayana will conduct the national theatre festival Bahurupi from March 11 to 20 and stage 35 plays to mark the occasion.
The festival was originally slated to be held during December but was postponed due to the outbreak of the third wave of COVID-19.
The plays will explore the broad gamut of motherhood which is the theme of the festival and will highlight issues related to Jaminu (agricultural land), Jala (water), Jangal (forest), Januwaru (animals) and Jana (people), according to Addanda C. Cariappa, Director of Rangayana.
He told media persons here on Saturday that there are no significant changes in the format and the list of plays or speakers. The festival will be inaugurated by environmentalist Tulsi Gowda.
RSS ideologue Chakravarthi Sulibele is among the speakers listed though his inclusion was questioned and had triggered widespread protests spanning weeks during December/January. Mr. Cariappa steered cleared from responding to any queries related to it and focused only on plays.
The State Government has released ₹50 lakh so far for conducting the festival and additional expenditure that could occur will be met by ticket sales, said Mr. Cariappa.
The tickets will be available offline in due course and will cost ₹100 per play though Rangayana was also toying with the idea of introducing ‘’season ticket’’ so as to reduce the burden on theatre afficionados who wish to make the best of the festival.
Apart from plays there will be book exhibition, workshops, seminars, film festival, exhibition of arts and crafts etc. Mr. Cariappa said the concept of motherhood encompasses nature, environment, land, language etc., and will reflect some of the issues plaguing society.
Mr. Cariappa said the theme for the festival was decided after prolonged discussion and will be an effort to rekindle reverence to concepts and values which were cherished earlier but are fast eroding in the present times. ‘’Parents are being pushed to old-age homes or are being abandoned and some of the films to be aired in the festival will highlight these aspects.’’
Of the 35 plays, 20 will be in Kannada and the remaining will be staged in different languages by troupes from across the country.
Apart from 35 plays, the festival will also feature Jogati Nruthya, Kamsale, Puja Kunitha, Chande Mela, Mallakambha, Gorawara Kunitha, Veeragase, Jade Kolata, Siddhi Kunitha, Dollu Kunitha, Suggi Kunitha, Lavani, Gombe Garudiga, and Gombeyata, among others.
