Celebrating with good reason
GUDIPOODI SRIHARI
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Telugu theatre gets its place in the sun.
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NOTEWORTHY A scene from Anna Suktam.'
Twenty-five years ago, A.P. Theatre was formed and the man behind it was A.R. Krishna. Most of today's theatre artistes are his disciples who still continue to be active. Of them D.S. Dikshit, a versatile artiste and theatre teacher continues to train more artistes and has become a source for cinema and TV casting.
Double celebrations
Krishna was the sheet anchor of social theatre and was the one who launched even a theatre repertory. He played many roles in different plays including Kanyasulkam. He also figured in a film directed by Mrinal Sen. He produced an experimental play, Malapalli, adapted from the original novel of the same title written by Unnava Lakshminarayana, a patriot and freedom fighter.
This production became a unique experiment in theatre world. The play was performed in a number of outdoor sets and the show continued without a break.
The theatre group he launched has now entered the Silver Jubilee year. D.S. Dikshit and other disciples of A.R. Krishna held a huge four-day festival at Ravindra Bharati to celebrate the silver jubilee and the late A.R. Krishna's Jayanti. The department of culture, A.P., joined in holding this festival, was also called A.R. Krishna's `Nata Jeevana Rajatotsavam'.
Most plays staged during the festival were those directed by Dikshit and penned by C.S. Rao. The first one was Vishnusarma English Chaduvu. This was an adaptation of a novel of the same title, written by the late poet Viswanatha Satyanarayana. C.S. Rao dramatised this novel and D.S. Dikshit directed it. Playwright C.S. Rao added excellent pun adding interest to the play, and by projecting the greatness of Telugu language. G.V. Ramakrishna Sastry as Viswanatha Satyanarayana, K. Vijayalakshmi as his wife, Malladi Bhasker as Vishnu Sarma and K. Satyanarayana as Indra played important roles.
Ravindra Bharati became the venue for display of theatrical excellence, with the staging of street plays of Tanikella Bharani - Go Grahanam and Kokkoroko - satires on social problems, also directed by Dikshit.
The major attraction of the day was the staging of Raallaku Nolloste written by C.S. Rao. This play reflected the plight of stonebreakers, how they are prone to accidents, lead miserable lives and how contractors exploit them for their own selfish gains. And K.Vijalakshmi brilliantly played the crucial role of a rebel against this exploitation. Director Dikshit added a realistic touch by showing the actual hammering of stones on stage.
On the third day, another of C.S. Rao's play Maa Naanna Kaavaali was put on boards. G. Sekharbabu directed this production that aims at showing how to bring up children. Ushasri and master Jagdish gave excellent performances as children of parents played by Anuradha and Raj.
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