Mysuru: ‘Bahuroopi’, the ongoing national theatre festival in Mysuru, is attracting young and old alike to the venue, Rangayana, with as many as 1,500 people watching four plays a day at the annual week-long theatre festival.
Over 500 artistes including over 200 from other states have come to Mysuru for the festival with 22 plays including 11 plays in different languages from other states being staged. The festival is being held on the theme ‘Gandhi’s path’ to mark his 150th birth anniversary and introduce the relevance of Gandhi to the younger generation.
An international film festival, a folk festival, a national symposium on Gandhi, display of art and craft, posters and books related to Gandhi and a desi food festival are the other highlights of Bahuroopi.
The plays from other states include Bhagavadajjukeeyam (Hindi) by Nipa Rangamandali from Lucknow, Oedipus (Bengali) by Ebang Amra theatre group from West Bengal, the Blackboard and Land (Hindi and English) by the Housefull theatre company from Delhi, Swabhabjata (Assamese) by Seagull theatre team from Guwahati. Jhalkari (Hindi) by Raahi theatre team from Mumbai, Shadanbagi Eshei (Hunter’s Song) (Manipuri) by NT team from Manipur, Mahadevibai (Hindi and English) by Working Title team from Mumbai, Sangeethbaari (Marathi) by Kali Billi productions from Pune, Parithraan (Gujarati) by Ahmedabad theatre group from Gujarat, Zindagi aur Jonk (Hindi) by Rangavidooshak team from Bhopal.
The other plays being staged include Benda Kaalu on Toast (Kannada) by Sanchaari Ranga Ghataka team from Mysuru, Miss Julie (Kannada) by the Nightingale and Rose theatre association from Chitradurga, Gandhi v/s Gandhi (Kannada) by Rangayana from Mysuru, Akshayaambara (Kannada) by Drama non team from Bengaluru, Veerarani Kitturu Channamma (Doddaata) (Kannada) by Grama Ranga team from Dharwad, Manteswamy Katha Prasanga (Kannada) by JPIER team from Mysuru, Devayaani (Kannada) by Yakshasinchana trust from Bengaluru, Kendonians (Kannada) by Paduvaranga study centre from Mangaluru, Kaamyakala Prathima (Kannada) by Rangabhoomi team from Udupi, Veera Abhimanyu (Kannada) by Sri Vinayaka Yakshagana Kalathanda from Mulki, Mukyamanthri (Kannada) by Kalagangotri team from Bengaluru, Subhadra Kalyana (Kannada) by Gubbi company from Mysuru, Shaakunthalam (Malayalam) by Lokaharmi team from Kochi, Mahatma (Kannada) by amateur artists from Mysuru.
The festival which began on Friday, will conclude on February 19.
