BENGALURU: Often touted as one of the greatest lyric poets in Kannada literature, DR Bendre is known for his accessible poetry that blended classic elements with contemporary sensibilities. Many of his poems were not only aesthetically pleasing, but were also socially conscious and deeply thought-provoking. This month, a play titled Gangavatarana, exploring the life and literature of the Jnanpith awardee, is set to be staged at Ranga Shankara.
“It’s an entertaining literary amalgamation that tells the story of Bendre while exploring his literary works. Audiences get to see Bendre as a poet, a family man, and most importantly as a generous humanist. He was someone who had expressed profound concerns about issues that we are currently experiencing, decades ago. He had spoken about environmental awareness, untouchability, poverty and hunger and so on,” explains veteran thespian, actor and filmmaker Rajendra Karanth, who wrote and directed the play.
Apart from chronicling many famous anecdotes and incidents from Bendre’s life, the play is also a reflection of today’s materialistic society. It raises many serious questions about human potential and his ability to rise above misery. Unlike conventional plays, Gangavatarana features a plethora of musical and dance performances that prevent it from being dry.
“Bendre’s literary works cannot be constrained to a single artform. Over the years, his works have been adapted into musicals, and has been etched into public memory through Sugama Sangeetha. We wouldn’t have been able to do justice to his legacy if we had just limited ourselves to a single format,” Karanth explains, adding “It features dances choreographed by masters, all the various renditions of Bendre’s poetry sung by some of the most popular singers in Kannada.”
Originally staged in 2009, Gangavatarana features well-known names from Kannada television and film. Many of the original cast members, who were still college students during the play’s initial run, have all gone on to establish successful careers over the years. “Rakesh Rajkumar who played the titular role was the producer of the recently released film Hostel Hudugaru.
Meanwhile, Pramod Shetty is one of the most sought actors in the Kannada film industry. Except for Pramod, who was busy, the play still features almost all the original cast, with a few newcomers in smaller roles,” Karanth says, adding that the play has gone through significant evolution in the last decade.
Originally, it was a 1.5 hour show, but over the years, the team has added new elements bringing the runtime to 1 hour and 50 minutes.