Actor Om Puri Will Introduce Bahuroopi National Theatre Festival In January

Rangayana Mysuru is dedicating the 13th edition of Bahuroopi National Festival – 2016 from January 14 to 20 as “Abhivyakti” (Expression/Manifestation). A week of festival is being organized on the holy occasion of Sankranti. Noted theatre personality and actor Om Puri will inaugurate the six-day Bahuroopi National Theatre Festival at Rangayana, a premier theatre repertory. Rangayana has been holding the annual theatre extravaganza since many years. The show has become sort of a ‘brand’ for the repertory.

The main objective of this edition is to discuss the challenges and possibilities that expression is facing at all levels of the society and sorts of creativity. The theme based dramas have been chosen from different parts of the country and state. Also, chance has been given to new experimentations of the active drama schools with trained young artists. Thus, drama enthusiasts have been given a chance to view better dramas. A national symposium is being organized where the intellectuals, thinkers, and stage men present their views on issues related to expression. This would prove to be a better stage to exchange ideas, communicate, and discuss.

The theatre show has managed to attract four productions from abroad, besides 11 plays from the State and other parts of the country. Theatre artists from Uzbekistan, Poland, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will stage their productions. Deputy Commissioner D. Randeep, who, after a meeting to discuss preparations for the festival, told reporters here on Saturday that festival got international touch with overseas artists staging their plays. Plays will be staged at Bhoomigeetha and Vanaranga in Rangayana campus and Kalamandira from January 13 to 18.

Another highlight of the festival is the performance by theatre musicians from various parts of the country, said Assistant Director of Kannada and Culture Nirmala Mathapathi. Polish team will be staging an English play Bad City, Srilankan team has readied a Sinhalese production Sekkuva, besides Ameena Sundari, a Bangla play and Uzbekistan’s English play Media will be staged. Tumhara Vincent, a Hindi play from Hyderabad; Jammu and Kashmir’s Ishq Malangi, Urdu play Ghinuva, an Odisha play Ab Aur Nahi, a Hindi play from Sikkim and Har Singaar, a Hindi play from Bihar, will be staged. Artists from Kerala are bringing two plays – a Sanskrit play Madyama Vyagoya and Malayalam play Charitra Pustakattil Oredu.

In 1599, Shakespeare wrote Julius Caesar, the first ever political drama based on the political theme of Rome Empire. Prof. G K Govindarao, a thinker and famous actor, has directed this play for Rangayana and a special exhibition has been arranged on this occasion. Bahuroopi is being arranged with the cooperation from Rangasamaja, Department of Kannada and Culture, Mysuru district in-charge minister, and district administration.

The newly-built mini auditorium on the premises of Kalamandira will host a two-day seminar on January 14 and 15. As part of Bahuroopi, folk troupes roped in from many parts of the country will give their performance outside Kalamandira daily evening. Like every Bahuroopi, this year a film festival will be hosted at Sri Ranga auditorium in addition to the exhibition of crafts, handlooms, and other cottage industry products.

More than 60 stalls will be put up for visitors besides exhibition from the State-run corporations and boards. Ms. Mathapathi said Rs. 50 lakh had been sanctioned to host the theatre festival and the Rangayana was expecting approximate revenue of Rs. 9 lakh. She said foreign teams will get a remuneration of Rs. 1 lakh; inter-state teams Rs. 40,000 and the State teams Rs. 35,000, in addition to traveling allowance, food, and accommodation. No separate food stalls will be opened this year and only the in-house canteen of Rangayana will be operated, she said.

This article was originally published on The Hindu.com. Reposted with permission. Read the original article.