Samudaya, known for staging street and protest plays, Gets 50

A Kannada Theater Group established in 1975, Samudaya, recently celebrated his Golden Jubilee with a three -day festival in Rabindra Kalakshetra, Bengaluru, which included popular theater songs and drama.

Bracht’s philosophy is that art is not only for art, Samudaya was established during the Emergency to raise voice against social diseases and corruption. This is an opposition form of the theater, which was popularized by the Badal government. It was among its members as Agrahara Krishnamurthy, Prasanna Heggodu, KN Nagraj, MC Venkatesh and Shashistha Bharital. Cultural forum Secretary CK Gundana and Karnataka Rajyotsava Award winner, Samudaya’s visit and its ideologies share.

“Although this medium was seen as a means of entertainment in the 1970s, our purpose was to use theater such as a tool for changes with plays Sattavara Neralu, Jokumarwamy, Gashiram Kotwal And Jasma OdenWhen Biwi Karanth directed the play Che Guevara We started being toldCommunist. ,

Gundana | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Focus on road plays to start with Samudaya. Gundanna says, “In Bengaluru itself, we have staged 20 street plays, but the number has decreased. We have opposed water scarcity, price hike and factory related issues through our street plays. If a play was to be staged in Kundapur or Gulbarga, members of that unit will also work and direct it.”

Gundana said, “Apart from artists, Samudaya also has academics and literary personalities.

A scene from the dramaTughlaq, Staged by Samudaya | Photo Credit: Hindu Archives

In many prestigious plays with a social message, staged by Samudaya, speaks about Gundanna Hutwa badatiIt is written by KV Narayan, which is related to the exploitation of people by a king. “We also staged Brecht Mother, Which was the music of Karanth, who made it differently to highlight the social message in the songs. ,

A view of Samudaya Pampa Bharath
Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Given Samudaya’s five -decade visit, Gundana feels happy that the group faced all the challenges to reach this milestone. Today, the group has branches in Karnataka including Mangaluru, Mysuru, Tumru, KGF, Dharwad and Hosopat.

“We had the first 35 units, out of which only 10 are active now. ,

Drama poster, Hutwa badati
Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

“Samudaya, never a bank on government funding, therefore, it has happened many times when we have not staged a drama for a year or two due to lack of money. Still, when we had to address a pressure issue, we have taken a loan for the stage and later closed them. People should know about the events that happen and their events,” says Gundana.