After 10 successful shows, Ranga Vartula theatre team in association with Jain University will stage the ninth and tenth shows of Jayant kaikini’s hugely successful hilarious comedy play, Sevanti Prasanga (in Kannada)which is based on Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion at K H Kalasoudha, Ramanjaneya Gudda, Hanumanthnagar, Bangalore at 7.30 pm on March 13.
Sevanti Prasanga was adjudged as the Best Play of the year 2012 at National Theatre Festival Abhinaya 2012 and has also won awards in four individual categories such as Best Actress (Sevanti), Best Comedian (Sevanti’s Father), Best Director and Best lighting.
About the play: Based on Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, Sevanti Prasanga plays on the complex business of human relationships in a social world. Phonetics Professor Bhargava Shastry tutors the very cockney Sevanti, not only in the refinement of speech, but also in the refinement of her manner. When the end result produces a very ladylike Miss Sevanti, the lessons learned become much more fruitful. For a number of months, Bhargav Shastry trains Sevanti to speak properly. Many trials for Sevanti follow. Finally Bhargav Shastry succeeds in making sevanti win the title Miss Sevanti. Behaviours of both sevanti and Bhargav Shastry after this victory forces us to ask the following: Is the male artist the absolute and perfect being who has the power to create women in the image of his desires? Is the woman necessarily an inferior subject who sees her lover as her sky? Does beauty reflect virtue? Does the artist love his creation, or merely the art that brought that creation into being?.
About playwright: Jayant Kaikini was born in Gokarna. After a Masters in Biochemistry from Karnataka University, Dharwad, he moved to Mumbai where he worked as a chemist for many years. He now lives in Bangalore with his wife Smita and two children,
Apart from Kannada Jayant is fluent in Konkani (his mother tongue), Marathi, Hindi and English. Jayant Kaikini is regarded as one of the most significant of the younger writers in Kannada today. He is a writer of short stories, film scripts and poetry, and is based in Bangalore. He has so far published six anthologies of short stories, four books of poetry, three plays and a collection of essays. Jayant Kaikini started writing lyrics to film songs from movie Chigurida Kanasu. He is the person who has revolutionised the concept of Kannada film songs, with the classic touch of literature and beautiful, soft, lovely imaginations. Films like Mungaaru Male, Gaalipata, Geleya, Milana etc. Kaikini received the Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award for his first poetry collection at the age of nineteen in 1974. He received the same award again in 1982, 1989 and 1996 for his short story collections. He has been awarded the Dinakara Desai award for his poetry, the B H Sridhar award for fiction, as well as the Katha National award and Rujuwathu trust fellowship for his creative writing.
About the director: A post-graduate in BA and a Diploma holder in Theatre Arts from Ninasam Theatre Institute in Heggodu, Krishna Murthy Kavattar have been working in theatre since 1984 as Actor, Director, Music Director and Designer. One of the most talented, directors working in Kannada theatre today, Kavattar has directed more than 100 plays, the most important among them being Andhayuga, Hayavadana, The Bundul, Shastraparva, Haavu Hokka Manegalu, Maraanayaka, Maatruka, Agni mattu male, Taledanda, Siri Sampige, Mahaamaayi, Agnivarna, Chandrahaasa, Teru, Macbeth, Hakki Haadu, Aahaata, Makara Chandra, Dharmettimaaye (Tulu), Huli Mattu Hudugi, Pushpa Rani (for blind children) and many more.
He has worked extensively with youth and directed many award winning productions for college theatre groups, television serials and telefilms. His productions are known for psychological depth, visual treat, fine craftsmanship and attention to detail.
A most sought after actor, designer and Director, Kavattar has composed music for many plays.
About the team: It was a dream come true for a few youngsters, fresh out of college and ready to make a mark in the real world. The passion and enthusiasm which they showed while acting on stage in their college days has been never ending and this in turn led to the formation of ‘Ranga Vartula’, a theatre group newly into the profession, but ready to make an impact. Ranga which means ‘stage’ and Vartula which means ‘Circle’ signifies the completeness with which they perform each of their acts. Their performances do not fade away, they
are there to stay.