BENGALURU: Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath president Dr B L Shankar said playwright Dr Nataraj Thalaghattapura’s effort to bring his Kannada play Banna Mecchidavaru to wider audiences through its English version, Admirers of Colour and Hindi translation Rangon Ke Upasak will help popularise the lives of artist Svetoslav Roerich and actor Devika Rani globally.
He was speaking at the release of the two books at Bharath Education Society, Jayanagar, on Saturday. The play depicts the struggles faced by Roerich and Devika Rani in the final years of their lives. The English translation is by Dr Rekha Kawshik P R, and the Hindi version by Prof Shakira Khanum.
Senior journalist and author Raghunatha Cha Ha said Nataraj’s plays capture the complexities of contemporary life, and his stories mirror the concerns of the present generation.
Three other books by Nataraj, the plays Bayala Roopa and Bogase Thumba Mannu, and the short-story collection Midinagaragala Naduve, were also released on the occasion. residing over the function, Jnanapeetha awardee Dr Chandrashekar Kambar lauded the playwright’s work. Nataraj said the audience response to his plays continues to inspire him to write.