Rasaranjani staged the evergreen play Kanyasulkam in memory of theatre giant Chatla Sreeramulu. A 120 years after it was written by Gurajada Apparao, the play still draws audience. The characters of Girisam and Madhuravani are the best bet for any one to play. In the second line the characters of Ramappa Panthulu, Karataka Sastry and Lubdhavadhanlu are challenge for any one to play.
The play was directed by veteran actor B. Narayana, who also played crucial role of Agnihotravadhanlu. His portrayal was at his best with apt diction.
Mikkili Francis as Girisam excelled in some parts but his diction was not that assertive as needed. Even the play was not properly edited. Some needless scenes were given greater space than those gripping. Narayana Swamy as Lubdhavadhanlu and Mohan Senapathi as Karataka Sastry looked made for each other as the main drama in later part ran between them. K. Vijayalakshmi of Vizag played Venkamma, while B. Narayana played her husband Agnihotravadhanlu. Prasunamba as Buchamma too suited that role with her innocent looks. B. Narayana lived the role of Agnihotravadhanlu with excellent and assertive and emotive diction.
Rasaranjani’s glorious journey
Rasaranjani, celebrating its 22nd anniversary is a leading theatre organisation and a trendsetter for staging classics like ‘Mrichakatikam’ besides modern experimental plays. It has also been sponsoring plays produced by other active theatre groups, paying them reasonable production costs.
Launched in 1993 by former DGP, H.J. Dora IPS, and K.V. Ramanchari IAS, the organisation had a strong working force in Modali Nagabhushana Sarma, former head of Theatre Arts department of Osmania University, the late J.V. Somayajulu, Duggirala Someswara Rao, Chatla Sreeramulu and some theatre directors with actors like Mikkili Francis, B. Narayana, K. Nataraj and others. Of them J.V. Somayajulu and Chatla Sreeramulu are no more.
The late Garimella Ramamurthy was in-charge of Rasaranjani activities till his demise. Mutnuri Kameswara Rao has taken over since. Rasaranjani’s plays were initially staged at Andhra Saraswataha Parishat at Boggulakunta. The unit stuck to its ‘buy ticket and enter the theatre’ norm that still continues, charging just Rs. 10 to emphasise the fact that ticket buying spectators are more serious than those who like to see the performance free of cost. This is the first organisation that made audience buy ticket and enter the hall.
There were sessions when some great prosaic works of legendary writers like Gurajada Appa Rao were converted into plays and staged. Festive mood used to prevail when the plays were staged. Some plays were presented in the open air theatre structured behind the main hall. Many directors were born and playwrights experimented with novel subjects.
As the venue Andhra Saraswatha Parishat considered far awy from artistic activity, Rasaranjani then shifted its venue to Thyagaraya Ganasbha where each play was being staged for two consecutive days, every month. On some important occasions Rasaranjani chose Ravindra Bharati to stage some rich productions needing larger stage. Thanks to Ramanachari, the Nandi Drama festivals he launched when he was commissioner of Information and public relations, cinema and TV, held almost annually, with good prize money helped outside units win an award in the Government festivals. There were occasions when this repertory of Rasaranjani chose some old productions like Maro Mohanzadaro or Gurajada’s Kanyasulkam etc.
Besides its annual festivals for three days every year coinciding with the World Theatre Day, on March 27, Rasaranjani is proud to have conducted popular theatre festivals. These include ‘plays of yesteryear for today’s audience’ in two series.
