The Sahamata Film Society in Magaluru, which has identified itself with the new wave film movement through the screening of art genre films in Mangaluru for the last couple of years, has now found its new passion - theatre.
The Sahamata members opined that theatrical activities would compliment the sole objective of the organisation of carrying the ideological message to the people, towards a positive social change.
As its first theatre experiment, Sahamata will stage a play ‘Hoovaraliddakke Yaake Sakshi,’ at Ravindra Kala Bhavan in University College, Hampankatta, Mangaluru on October 10. The play is based on a story written by writer Dr H S Anupama and is conceptualised by Sahamata president Prof Krishnamurthy Chitrapura, Secretary Ivan D’Silva and other members.
The story revolves around a young woman Janaki, who breaks the shackles of tradition. The one-hour duration play tries to project the perverted mentalities of the people, whose very attitude towards women is demeaning.
Stating that theatre is a medium which responds to social crisis, Ivan D’Silva, who is leading the troupe, said that the troupe believes in the concept of cultural politics. The particular theme has been chosen to critically see through the disparities in society on the grounds of gender. In the days to come, the troupe will stage series of plays in rural areas, he said.
Stating that Sahamata plans to stage 15 to 20 shows a year, Ivan said the active involvement of youth has encouraged the team. There are 16 artistes in the troupe and most of them are amateur artistes who are carrying out their studies. Also there are housewives and working women.
The director of the play Lakshman K C said that directing the new artistes was never a challenge as most of them were students and quick learners. Hence, they could fit themselves into characters with lot of interest. Along with them, I could refine myself, he said.
Lakshman, who is also the music director of the play, said that the revolutionary songs which speak on the rights of women penned by Anasuyamma Kotigehalli have been adopted in the play.
Chandrahas Ullal, a senior artiste, said the theatre was a serious affair and theatre artistes have the responsibility to convey the dark realities to people rather than to hide it and portray only positive developments. He meanwhile lamented that these days, the medium of film and TV were only being used to serve entertainment to people. Today, theatre has a challenge to go to the masses, he added.
Manjula, who works as a house nurse, said that the involvement with the theatre troupe made her to open up to the world and to rediscover her hidden passion for acting. The message given by the play that women must be treated with dignity, is what she relates to herself, she said.
Rohini, daughter of Manjula and a student of journalism at university college, said that the theatrical activities nurtured her interests and she wants to take up theatre studies course in future.
Another student artiste Sudharani, who is carrying out her B Com studies in the college said that during the practice sessions, she got an opportunity to improve herself. Earlier, she used to be very reserved. But, now she is opening up herself in her everyday communication. Rakesh Bangera, a Diploma student of automobile engineering at KPT, said his reading hobby complimented theatre.