Karnataka   

Academy yet to receive funds

DAVANGERE: Chairman of the Karnataka Nataka Academy Srinivas G. Kappanna has said that the academy has run of funds. He and many other artistes had to borrow money from friends to come to Davangere from Bangalore to attend the State-level Kannada Stage and Professional Artistes’ Conference.

Grants, which were to be released to the academy in April, are yet to be released by the Government.

Participating in the inauguration of the conference here on Wednesday, Mr. Kappanna deplored what he termed the step-motherly treatment meted out to theatre groups in the State.

He said that Ninasam Rangayana had been given a huge sum of Rs. 2.80 crore. The Ninasam Rangayana had enacted over 100 dramas spending over Rs. 2 lakh per show.

He said that the Government provided so much money to Ninasam Rangayana though it was aware that it failed to attract audiences. He asked whether Ninasam Rangayana had produced any notable outstanding artistes such as Chindodi Leela, Renukamma Murugod and Subhadra Mansur. However, he said that the academy was not against giving money to some other organisation but the Government should provide sufficient funds to the academy to take up various theatre activities in the State.

Chindodi Leela, Gubbi Veeranna Award-winner and former chairperson of the Karnataka Nataka Academy, inaugurated the conference by delivering a dialogue from a reputed old drama. Later, addressing the audience, she stressed the need to rejuvenate theatre.

Drama was a powerful medium, which could be used by the Government to spread various messages, particularly in rural places.

Veteran stage artiste and Gubbi Veeranna Award-winner Nadoja Enagi Balappa, who is the president of the conference, said drama was relevant for all times.

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