KADAPA: For him, theatre is life and Surabhi his home. Meet R Venugopal Rao, an undisputed vital part of the famous Surabhi theatre group, which for the past 137 years has been infusing a new life into the art of drama, more so the mythological plays, unique to Telugu culture.
Venugopal Rao, who started performing at the age of 5, has played the lead role in nearly 30 dramas. He excelled in playing Sri Krishna, Sri Rama, Manmadha, Viswamithra, Ravana Brahma, Kamsa, Hiranyakasipu, Batti Vikramarka, Sri Madvirat Pothuluri Veerabraham roles in the dramas. For his talent in performing stage shows, he has received many awards, including Kalaratna Hamsa, YSR Achievement Award (2021), Rangasthala Kaladureena (1966) and Burra Venkata Subba Rao award in 1966.
Speaking to TNIE on the sidelines of Surabhi Drama festival being conducted at Kalakshetram in Kadapa town on the direction of Kadapa district Collector K Vijayarama Raju as part of Dasara festivities, Venugopal Rao, who is a Kalaratna Hamsa awardee, said that Surabhi, which has taken up the task of conserving mythological plays for more than a century, will continue to strive for passing the art form onto next generations.
Surabhi, a family theatre group, performs plays based on stories from Hindu mythology and the Puranas. Surabhi dramas, live performances of the artistes, have been popular for decades. The theatre group was formed by Vanarasa Govinda Rao in 1885 in Surabhi, a village in the Kadapa district. In 1885, Rao was invited to host a live drama at a wedding by the elders of Surabhi. His acting troupe performed the play Keechaka Vadham, traditionally depicted using leather puppets, as a live drama which received huge response from the audience. There was no going back after that.
Several people, who have worked in the army of Chatrapati Shivaji in present Maharashtra, migrated and settled in Surabhi village in Kadapa. A few have also settled in Bheemavaram in West Godavari and Bejjanki in Telangana. Govinda Rao has encouraged his family members in performing stage shows. Family members of Surabhi say that the tricks they used in their stage shows were used in several films. Popular old flicks Maya Bazar, Veerabrahamam, Pathala Bhairavi, Bhakta Prahlada starring actors NT Rama Rao, Akkineni Nageswara Rao originated from Surabhi drama’s. Their dramas were also performed in Rangoon, Burma, during 1945.
Nearly 40 drama societies have performed Surabhi dramas since 1885. Now, only four societies — Sri Vinayaka Natyamandali, Sri Bhanoodaya Natya Mandali, Sri Vijaya Bharati Natya Mandali, Sri Sarada Vijaya Natyamandali — are performing Surabhi dramas.
Rao was the fifth generation from the Surabhi family. Currently, the eight generation of the family have been performing Surabhi dramas in the country. He appealed to the State government to extend financial support to Surabhi drama artistes and allot 2 acres. “There is a need to develop a Surabhi Tourism spot,” he stressed.