Rangayana, the theatre repertory, is gearing up for the much-loved national theatre festival. In an interview with STOI, Rangayana director B VRajaram says they are forming subcommittees to ensure the success of the theatre festival. Hailing from Bangalore, the sexagenarian has been involved in theatre for nearly four decades. Rajaram has directed and acted in more than 110 plays.
Rajaram was the president of Karnataka Nataka Academy. In 2001, he was awarded 'Samsa Ranga Prashasti' for teaching and training youth and college students in drama and was honoured for his service in mime by Indian Mime Theatre, Kolkata.
Excerpts:
How are the preparations going on for Bahuroopi, the national theatre festival?
The preparations are going on well. We are done with preliminary meetings with Rangayana artists and officials. In next few meetings, we will form around 15 sub-committees to look after various matters like accommodation, food, stage and others.
How different will be this Bahuroopi be from the previous ones?
This year, Bahuroopi will be a seven-day festival. As this is Rangayana's 25th year of existence, it will be called Ranga 'yaana '-25.
A total of 21 plays will be staged - four from other states. Folk dance artistes from Delhi, Rajasthan and Orissa will be invited. A platform for discussion on 'modern professional theatre' will also be organized.
How is the theatre movement in Karnataka?
Theatre movement in our state is alive. But, in cities there is a problem of audience and in villages there are financial constraints for theatre groups. In cities, an intelligent group of audience watch plays. If plays are staged every week then the theatre movement can survive. Many youngsters are getting attracted towards theatre, which is a good sign.
How is the youth's response for Rangayana? Do they watch plays?
Rangayana has taken theatre development as a responsibility. It organizes 'College Rangotsva' and 'Chinnara Mela' to attract children and youth towards theatre. They take part in different plays. To attract youth to watch plays, we give them a concession in the ticket price. Youth as audience come in good numbers.
How is the response for the weekend shows and diploma course?
Many of the shows run house full. People know that every weekend there are shows and they turn up in good numbers. For the diploma course, we have received around 60 applications for the 15 seats this year. We have to grow stronger as this is our third year.
About the theatre museum
There are some financial problems. It will open shortly. We also want to come up with theatre library, where scripts of every play staged across the state are made available. Let us hope for the best.
She was allegedly attacked with acid by her husband a few years ago. Now, her life is a struggle.
Geetha, 33, who was attacked in 2001 in Shimoga, still carries the wounds, both on her body and mind. Her face was completely disfigured in the attack. She lost sight in one of her eyes.
Even after a decade, the culprit has not been punished. After the attack, her siblings also did not lend any help.
Her 13-year-old son Pradeep, who was a class VII student then, had to discontinue education and start working at a provision store. Ostracization forced the victim to change houses frequently.
The case is still pending in high court. "I need Rs 500 for just eye drops every month. I need complicated surgeries for which I don't have money," she says.
"Death is better than this. The culprit has to be given the same punishment. He will understand how it feels to be an acid victim," she says.
The case
It was the second marriage for Geetha as her first husband died at a young age. According to Geetha, her second husband, an employee at taluk office, started harassing her a few years after their marriage. He attacked her with acid saying he did not want any other man to see her face. However, his brother-in law from his first marriage took the responsibility of the attack. Though he was sentenced to 7 years' imprisonment, he came out on bail. Her second husband later approached the high court.
For
six years, Shanthi M G could not step out of her house. Almost 75% of
her face was burnt in an acid attack. Eleven years after the attack,
Shanthi's life is still not the same. But for her perpetrator, her
husband of 14 years, life became normal after a measly six-year term in
jail.
Shanthi's husband attacked her with acid after she
refused to pay him money for his drink. The year was 2001 and Shanthi
was in her late 20s. She'd been married for 14 years. The attack left
her face completely disfigured, she lost complete sight in one eye and
partly in the other.
Her life changed completely after the
attack. Her son Rathan was 12 and daughter Varshini was 10 when Shanthi
was attacked. She now recalls how her daughter would faint every time
she saw her face. Even people were scared of talking to her.
Though her family members eventually came around and supported her,
society did not. She was forced to change her rented houses frequently
as the owners could simply not tolerate her disfigured face for long.
The frequent change in residential address also meant that Shanthi was
deprived of social security pension. She continues to lead a life in
isolation, devoid of all social activities, while the culprit is leading
a happy life after his release. Even now, Shanthi has to wear a mask
every time she leaves her house.
"My life became horrible after the attack. I could neither live nor die. I am living this life for my children," Shanthi says.
Every month, she spends more than Rs 2,000 on her treatment and
medicines. She has been deprived of a government job. So far, she has
undergone eleven corrective surgeries.
Shanthi, who is now 42,
says: "My husband walked out freely after six years in prison. But my
face has been disfigured for life and my children also suffer because of
this." She hopes the government introduces more stringent laws to
punish attackers severely and curb acid attacks.
The scarred history
Shanthi worked as a teacher at a private school. When her husband
stopped working, the family's responsibility fell on her shoulders.
Eventually, her husband took to habitual
drinking and started harassing her for money. One day, an adamant
Shanthi refused to pay him money. This irked her drunkard husband so
much that he threw acid on her face in front of their children.
With nearly 75 pc of her face burnt, she was confined to her house for six years.
Her 12-year-old son was forced to drop out of school and take up a job. Her parents sold their properties for her treatment.
