Theatre activities at the three repertories of the Nataka Karnataka Rangayana are in slumber in the absence of permanent directors.
While Janardhan (Jenny), the director of Rangayana-Mysuru, demitted office on September 30, the directors of Kalaburagi and Shivamogga R.K. Hudugi and Iqbal Ahmed respectively, were asked to vacate their posts in July, following allegations of sexual harassment and misappropriation of funds against them.
There is little chance of government appointing directors to these three centres in the next three months, as Rangasamaja, the governing body which proposes names for the posts to the government, did not discuss the issue in the meeting held on October 19.
K.A. Dayanand, Director Kannada and Culture, is at present the in-charge director of Rangayana, Mysuru. Mangala Nayak and Jagadeeshari, assistant directors of the department, have been looking after the Shivamogga and Kalaburagi centres respectively.
What is more pressing is that there is every possibility of Bahuroopi — the annual national theatre festival which draws enthusiasts from across the country, and conducted by Rangayana-Mysuru — being held in the absence of a director for the second time, according to sources in Rangayana. In 2008 too, the festival was held minus a director.
However, while theatre activities have been affected in Shivamogga and Kalaburagi in the absence of permanent directors, artistes in Mysuru Rangayana are already holding discussion with theatre experts on holding Bahuroopi.
According to sources, Suresh Anagalli, an NSD alumnus and eminent theatre practitioner, and Gopalakrishna Nayari, veteran theatre personality, are possible contenders for the post of director of Mysuru-Rangayana. At the same time, the Rangasamaja favours prominent Rangayana artistes to head the Shivamogga and Kalaburagi centres. D.S. Chougale, a member of Raganasamaja, even batted for NSD alumni from outside Karnataka in order to bring in a new vision for Rangayana.
Former director of Rangayana and present head of NSD chapter of Bengaluru, Basavalingaiah, also underlined the need of visionaries, who can build the theatre movement and realise B.V. Karanth’s dream.
Rangayana, the brainchild of the doyen of Indian theatre, Karanth, was founded in 1989. To realise his dream of opening region-specific repertories, the State government set up Rangayanas in Shivamogga, Kalaburagi and Dharwad, aprt from the Mysuru centre. The Rangayanas get Rs. 1 crore each financial assistance from the government.
