Ranga Shankara

We went to watch a play yesterday at Ranga Shankara. For those of you who don't know, Ranga Shankara is one of Bangalore's firsts that aims to keep the theatre alive, much like what the Prithvi Theatre has done in Mumbai. It is a performing arts space which frequently hosts plays by India's best theatre personalities and groups. In addition to the plays, which are hosted regularly, a cafe plays host to reading sessions, meet-the-people sessions, where one can meet with theatre stalwarts like Girish Karnad, Arundhati Nag, T.S Nagabharana, Girish Kasarvalli, etc. Yesterday I saw Alyque Padamsee and Arundhati Nag there, chatting over a cup of coffee after an open forum.

Ranga Shankara is named after Shankar Nag, one of Karnataka's most brilliant film & theatre personalities in the recent past. By the time of his early demise in 1990 in a tragic road accident (he was 35 then), he had won multiple awards including the Best Actor Award at the International Film Festival of India for his first film "Ondanondu Kaaladalli" (Once upon a time), directed by Girish Karnad. He had acted in over 100 films, acted/directed numerous plays. He also directed Malgudi Days, one of Indian Television's best known serials. His wife Arundhati Nag has spearheaded his dream of a theatre for Bangalore; she is herself an acclaimed theater and film personality. Among her other affiliations, she is also a big patron of Nritya Gram, the residential dance school at Hesarghatta on the outskirts of Bangalore, established by the late Protima Bedi.

Yesterday was a nice light hearted Kannada comedy play by the group Benaka, which is one of the oldest theatre groups in Karnataka. I am looking forward to more plays this week and meet-the-people sessions (hoping to catch Girish Karnad on Sat morning!).

BTW, if ever a TV channel called Times NOW goes on air, I might get lucky to go on air - my friend & I did a small interview with them about why theatre festivals like this, and places like Ranga Shankara are important to us Bangaloreans :-)