Imagine a theatre where the curtain, costume, make-up and a troupe of 40 artists are all pieces of the same story. That is the world of Surabhi Drama Theatre (1885), a travelling theatrical tradition in which artists create much of the magic themselves before stepping into their characters. Hyderabad witnessed this world over two days with Sri Krishna Leelalu and Maya Bazar. For audiences, it is a spectacle; for the artists, a way of life shaped by generations of performances, journeys and changing times. Actor-director Surabhi Jayanand takes CE behind the plays, tracing the tradition he grew up with and the effort to carry it into the future.
The two productions could not be more different in spirit. “While Sri Krishna Leelalu leans into mischief and warmth, following young Krishna through his most beloved childhood episodes, Maya Bazar, by contrast, brings the tale of demon king Gatothkacha,” began Jayanand. Together, they offer a glimpse of the troupe’s range.
Born in a village called Surabhi in Kadapa, the eighth-generation artist traces his roots to Maharashtra. “My forefathers were soldiers for Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, so we initially moved from Maharashtra to Kadapa. Back then, people would enjoy Tholu Bommalata, the puppetry show. Since there was very little entertainment back then, people found these shows fascinating and would come to watch the performances. Inspired by all of this, we understood that a puppet show was not just about putting on a performance; it had its own screen and its own visual language.”
That visual language eventually moved beyond puppetry. Keechakavadham became the troupe’s first attempt at drama, after which its repertoire expanded to more than 30 plays, including Satya Harishchandra, Bala Nagamma, and Maya Bazaar, among the rest.
“There was a lot of rasa and emotional richness in these plays. But over time, we ourselves would set up the stage with different elements, new sound effects and visual effects,” he notes.
The plays were staged with such craft that Maya Bazar director KV Reddy drew heavily from the theatre’s stagecraft, dramatic beats and enduring popularity while conceiving the epic 1957 film of the same name.
However, while the stage was creating elaborate worlds, the people behind it lived a very different reality. “Constant travel from one village to another became a big thing for us. In fact, I had to change multiple schools every year because our families had to travel for these plays,” he recalls, adding, “Earlier, the shows were not ticketed, and people would give the amount as per their wish. Later, the tickets were priced at about Rs 25.” Today, Jayanand says, a single drama can involve expenses of around Rs 1 lakh.
There is no alternate profession waiting in the wings. “We are surviving only through drama. We do make-up for schoolchildren. We don’t know any other option,” expresses Jayanand.
The troupe’s digital journey eventually grew, with Surabhi conducting 58 online events across countries.
Today, audiences continue to respond to the live performances with quite an enthusiasm. “Recently, we did another Sri Krishna Leelalu play in Hyderabad, and the response was so overwhelming. The IT crowd was enjoying it, and that turned out to be a surprise for us. Many even made reels of the play,” he says.
That legacy, carried across generations, villages and now screens, has led the family to settle together in Serilingampally’s Surabhi Colony, where the entire lineage lives side by side.