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Student stars
Ever imagined how a student would feel when he is given an opportunity to explore what is in store for him/her even before he/she learns the basics of the course. It is simply thrilling. It not only gives the student confidence in oneself but also helps to know where he or she stands and what needs to be done to excel in the chosen field.
The first year students of the Department of Theatre Arts of Andhra University were not only thrilled but also nervous when their faculty member, P. Raja Rao, offered them a chance to act in a model telefilm produced by the department.
Thus, the department has created history by becoming the first among universities in the State to produce a 25-minute model telefilm with freshers who are doing their diploma/degree course in performing arts. Produced on professional lines, the short film was completed in just 14 hours at a cost of just Rs.6,000.
The credit for all this should go to Raja Rao, who had conceived the idea of making the telefilm. He also directed it. Written by the noted film scriptwriter, Kasi Viswanath, the short film, `Prema Training Centre', is about a middle-aged man, who helps Romeos by selling them love letters. In the end, he realises his mistake when he finds his daughter cheated by his client who had ditched her with his love letter.
Rajasekhar, Vasaki and Madhuri (all students) play the main characters. In all, there are 23 artistes in the telefilm. Shot entirely in Visakhapatnam, the telefilm is comparable in quality to the present day soaps on television. However, there seemed to be lack of continuity in the change of scenes, which Raja Rao says is due to gaps in digital editing.
The department established in 1961 has produced several stalwarts who have carved a niche for themselves both on the stage and on the screen. These include actors like Kothurti Bhaskara Rao, Sakshi Ranga Rao, K. Vivekananda Murthy, S.K. Misro, Kondavalasa Lakshmana Rao, Ganesh Patro, Vankayala Satayanarayana, B.V.A. Naidu, Krishna Chaitanya, K.G.R. Gandhi, Devadas Kanakala, K. Vijayalakshmi, Jayasri and Alapati Lakshmi.
The 1960s was the era of stage plays. While the cinema ticket was a mere 25 paise, the entry ticket for a stage play was about four times that amount. Therefore, it was enough for students to learn the nuances of stage acting and over a period of time many of them graduated into films.
But now the situation is entirely different. The proliferation of satellite television channels and cable networks has opened up a host of opportunities for students of theatre arts to prove their abilities. Mere stage acting skills would not suffice. They should know how to face the camera. The private training institutes charge a fortune and poor students cannot afford to enroll in them.
Raja Rao, who has earlier directed a telefilm, `Manushullara marandi' for Siti Cable, way back in 1989, has also worked as TV cameraman and assistant cameraman for films. He has also portrayed character roles in about half-a-dozen films. "If sufficient budget is allocated, we can turn out better quality films which could be used by the satellite channels and Doordarshan. The students would get adequate exposure in addition to earning their pocket money," feels Raja Rao.
B. MADHU GOPAL
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