International Journal of English and Studies

SP Publications International Journal Of English and Studies (IJOES) An International Peer-Reviewed Journal ; Volume-3, Issue-1, 2021 www.ijoes.in ISSN: 2581-8333; Impact Factor: 5.421(SJIF)

RESEARCH ARTICLE

EMERGING TRENDS IN KANNADA THEATRE ______Dr. Thammaiah. R. B. Head of the Department Department of English Padmashree Institute of Management and Sciences,Bengaluru,India ______Abstract: concerns of the marginalised. The upper Gender Impersonation rituals are caste Brahmin, who had a strangle hold on undoubtedly one of the most important rites most of the artistic forms earlier, had also of Indian cultural and traditional practices. gained control of the Kannada literary, Spacing of this gender impersonation in theatre and cinematic worlds. But there have ritual theatre in the contemporary times is been different attempts by different groups the need of the hour. This is heading to break free from this kind of unarticulated towards a newer perspective of oppression and create space for the hitherto understanding an art form and its neglected and marginalised sections. importance. The fast and far growing However women issues and feminist ideology of today is demanding for questions have, for some strange reason, addressing the role of impersonator in ritual been kept at bay. arts to/by the various aspects of this cultural artistic ritual practice. Despite the progress made by Indian feminist movements, women living in modern India still face many issues of Keywords: feminism, marginalised, discrimination. India's patriarchal culture cinema, discrimination and theatre has made the process of gaining land- ownership rights and access to education challenging. In the past two decades, there Gender Impersonation rituals are has also emerged a disturbing trend of sex- undoubtedly one of the most important rites selective abortion. To Indian feminists, these of Indian cultural and traditional practices. are seen as injustices worth struggling Spacing of this gender impersonation in against. ritual theatre in the contemporary times is the need of the hour. This is heading Kannada theatre and Cinema had towards a newer perspective of carved a place of their own in the National understanding an art form and its platform. There have been a few path importance. The fast and far growing breaking plays and movies in Kannada in ideology of today is demanding for the past. Kannada has always voiced the addressing the role of impersonator in ritual

SP Publications International Journal Of English and Studies (IJOES) An International Peer-Reviewed Journal ; Volume-3, Issue-1, 2021 www.ijoes.in ISSN: 2581-8333; Impact Factor: 5.421(SJIF)

RESEARCH ARTICLE arts to/by the various aspects of this cultural With the new and talented theatre artistic ritual practice. personalities of Karnataka taking up the responsibility of theatre promotion Kannada WORLD IS A STAGE AND WE theatre has gained its recognition ARE MERE ACTORS -goes the saying, as worldwide. we all know, it exactly reflects what a real human being is. A man with all his glory IT is said that in the 11th and 12th and errors seeks his life’s quest. So is the century all avenues of knowledge were open woman, in every walk of life.Theatre in this to women, nothing was a taboo to them. But sense ,had its raise and fall, its good and bad ,it was Gubbi veeranna company first to days, committed and uncommitted causes, introduce women artist to the stage in the sustain and unsustainable capabilities. 20th century. .Women who entered theatre were from voiceless class. To maintain the Kannada Theatre existed by women artists or to keep them not to go the influence of Parsi drama. It was awry, company owners married woman Maharaja of Mysore who pioneered and artist. It it said Gubbi veeranna had four nurtured the Kannada Theatre. The troupes wives. staged plays periodically in towns and cities The history of feminism in India can and also during jatras and important be divided into three phases: the first phase, festivals in different regions. As the troupes beginning in the mid-nineteenth century, were more or less Nomads, perhaps initiated when male European colonists realizing the treatment given in the society began to speak out against the social evils of probably had made Maharaja of Mysore to Sati; the second phase, from 1915 to Indian strictly ban woman acting in the theatre. But independence, when Gandhi incorporated gradually her prominence in the theatre, women's movements into the Quit India gained momentum as the lightings adapted. Movement and independent women's organizations began to emerge; and finally, Modern Kannada theatre gave out the the third phase, post-independence, which traditional forms and gave itself to new has focused on fair treatment of women in forms inspired from west. Amateur Kannada the work force and right to political parity. theatre began arround1950’s in Karnataka with the “KARNATAKA RENAISSANCE”.The concept of this Despite the progress made by Indian theatre was an attempt to remove the stage feminist movements, women living in from the hands of commercialism and to modern India still face many issues of bestow it with decorum and self esteem. discrimination. India's patriarchal culture has made the process of gaining land- ownership rights and access to education

SP Publications International Journal Of English and Studies (IJOES) An International Peer-Reviewed Journal ; Volume-3, Issue-1, 2021 www.ijoes.in ISSN: 2581-8333; Impact Factor: 5.421(SJIF)

RESEARCH ARTICLE challenging. In the past two decades, there experimented with the Kannada films and has also emerged a disturbing trend of sex- brought National and International fame. selective abortion. To Indian feminists, these Directors like P. Lankesh, Girish are seen as injustices worth struggling Kasaravalli, Girish Karnad, Puttanna against. Kanagal made serious movies which had Kannada theatre and Cinema had more than amusement as their purpose. carved a place of their own in the National Some of the noted movies of this time may platform. There have been a few path be considered to understand what kind of breaking plays and movies in Kannada in movies were made and with what concerns. the past. Kannada has always voiced the B. V. Karanth’s Chomana Dudui concerns of the marginalised. The upper was based on Dr. Shivarama Karanth’s caste Brahmin, who had a strangle hold on novel of the same title and dealt with the most of the artistic forms earlier, had also problems of the caste system of Hindus gained control of the Kannada literary, which was driving the lower caste people theatre and cinematic worlds. But there have towards Conversions. The most critically been different attempts by different groups acclaimed film based on the eponymous to break free from this kind of unarticulated novel Samskara by Jnanapeetha award oppression and create space for the hitherto winner Dr. U. R. Ananthamurty is more neglected and marginalised sections. concerned with the Brahminical theme of However women issues and feminist whether the corpse of the Brahmin questions have, for some strange reason, Naranappa can be cremated with Brahmin been kept at bay. rituals or shall that corpse not be shown and given the due final rites as he had had a sexual relation with the low caste woman The history of the Kannada Cinema Chandri and lived very immoral life. Ghata started in 1934, eighty years ago, when Sati Shraaddha by Kasaravalli also is concerned Sulochana was made, followed soon in the with the Brahmin woman who is a widow same year by another successful movie and is pregnant with an illegitimate child. called Bhaktha Dhruva. The movies made Vamsha Vriksha too is a similar attempt till the late 1970s were largely based on which tries to bring out the love between the history, mythology and the epics. Most Brahmin Father in Law and his widowed movies were devotional or patriotic. There daughter in law. Phaniyamma is important were few social dramas that focussed on the for the reason that it is directed by the first actual problems of society. woman director. It was made in 1984. Kaadu by Karnad was based on a novel by The 1970s and 1980s was a decade Aalanahalli Srikrishna. It looks at the of significance for Kannada theatre for then problems faced by the women from a little came a number of movie makers who boy’s perspective. Sharapanjara by ISSN: 2581-8333 Copyright © SP Publications Page 56

SP Publications International Journal Of English and Studies (IJOES) An International Peer-Reviewed Journal ; Volume-3, Issue-1, 2021 www.ijoes.in ISSN: 2581-8333; Impact Factor: 5.421(SJIF)

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Puttanna Kanagal was also based on a novel and her sufferings. But that too had little by Triveni. Though it centred on the woman impact on the people of Karnataka probably and her psyche it was made as a mass movie due to the fact that it was about a Brahmin more rather than a serious one and hence widow and the customs and traditions of had the ingredients of a commercial movie. Brahmin community. The majority of the Accident by Shankarnag had a political people could not relate or connect to it as theme and hardly dealt with anything that they felt alienated from what was being could be called Feministic. Tabarana Kathe portrayed on the screen. Kashinath made by Kasaravalli was based on a novel by movie called Anubhava which broke the Poornachandra Tejaswi and was a comment conservative mode of thinking but his on the system and bureaucracy. The 1970s attempt too had a different concern than and 1980s was a good time for Kannada women emancipation or anything like that. Cinema as many directors made serious He was trying to free the minds of people movies and drew the attention of the entire and compel them to think of sexual Nation by winning several awards. But the problems more freely instead of shying number of such serious efforts dwindled and away from them. Recently there have a fleet the movies were made with the sole of women directors in Kannada Cinema like intention of making money. Kavitha Lankesh, Sumana Kittur, The later movies followed a kind of Vijayalakshmi Singh. But they too have pattern and formula and were way behind failed to make an impression on the their times. Movies like Nanjundi Kalyana, Kannada audience as they have been making Anjada Gandu, A, Upendra, Auto Shankar movies which are commercially viable than and many more could be added to this list. women oriented movies rather than women oriented movies with a couple of exceptions Recently there have been sparse (Devereri and Avva). attempts like Gulaabi Talkies, Thayi Saheba etc. with women as their central characters. But they have failed to make a strong The early Kannada theatre was enough impact as to create or to consider it a influenced and inspired by the Marathi and movement. Parsi theatre. Professional theatre in The year 1983 was important for the Karnataka began long back in 1882 itself, Kannada Cinema because Prema Karanth some 140 years ago, when Sri directed a movie called Phaniyamma. it was Jayachamarajendra Karnataka Nataka Sabha a significant attempt because it was the first was established which existed till 1960. time a woman director had ventured Mummadi Krishna Rajendra Wodeyar who something like directing a movie, which was had the habit of watching the visiting till then a forte completely dominated by Marathi and Parsi Drama troupes patronised men. It was also about a widowed woman the Sri Jayachamarajendra Karnataka Nataka Sabha. ISSN: 2581-8333 Copyright © SP Publications Page 57

SP Publications International Journal Of English and Studies (IJOES) An International Peer-Reviewed Journal ; Volume-3, Issue-1, 2021 www.ijoes.in ISSN: 2581-8333; Impact Factor: 5.421(SJIF)

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Most of these professional religion, caste, history etc than the problems companies staged mythological and and issues concerning women. Karnad’s historical plays, like the early Kannada Hayavadana, Heap of Broken Images, Cinema. There was little scope for social Nagamandala, Yayathi cannot be called and realistic plays at that early phase of feminist. He largely deals with the man- Kannada theatre. Yet as days went on, woman relationship. Lankesh’s Sankranthi staging the historical and mythological plays is more about the 12th century movement. became expensive and the company owners Though the character of the girl in that play, had to think about alternatives. They thought Usha, seems to have modern views, she is about new social plays which were quite not given all importance in the play as the different from the earlier plays that they had play revolves round Basavanna and his been staging. Plays like Sadarame, Samsara disciples. H. S. Shivaprakash’s Maha Nauke staged by Gubbi Veeranna Company Chaithra also is of the same theme. became successful. But such plays were Kambar’s latest play too is about didactic or mere entertainers. The values Basavanna. These plays are more concerned those plays propagated were quite far from with history than with the present. what could be called Feministic. Chandrashekar Patil’s plays are more absurd and experimental in nature. H. S. Venkatesha Murthy’s plays are more The early playwrights from romances than anything else. Some of the Basavappa Shastry to Shrikantesha Gowda mythological characters have been were mainly concerned with bringing plays reconstructed by few of these playwrights from different languages into Kannada. questioning the old values with new Number of plays was translated from understanding and perspectives. Even such Sanskrit and English, making available attempts seem to have failed to leave a Kalidasa, Shakespeare and others to the lasting impression. Kannada audience. Hence we find more romances from that early Kannada theatre Surprisingly very few women have period than Feminist attempts. The taken to writing plays in Kannada. Except succeeding generations of playwrights like for a few rare attempts of some women T. P. Kailasam, Parvathavani also gave more writers to translate some plays from other importance to comic representation of the languages there has been no notable woman everyday middle class life. playwright in Kannada. Writers like Vaidehi have tried writing some children’s plays. The recent major playwrights in But those plays do not raise the gender Kannada theatre like Girish Karnad, P. issues. There have been some solo Lankesh, Chandrashekara Kambar, performances by some women artists. But Chandrashekar Patil, H. S. Shivaprakash they can only be considered as an were also more preoccupied with issues like inadequate and meek attempt of feminism.

SP Publications International Journal Of English and Studies (IJOES) An International Peer-Reviewed Journal ; Volume-3, Issue-1, 2021 www.ijoes.in ISSN: 2581-8333; Impact Factor: 5.421(SJIF)

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Just because a play is performed by a single representatives and brought great reputation woman will not make it a feminist play. to the art forms Looking at the theme of the major Kannada References playwright’s one can come to a conclusion that Kannada theatre has failed to represent A glimse of kannada theatre-dept of the issues related to women in an able information, Govt Of India. manner. How such powerful media like L.S.Sheshagiri roa -Makers of Indian theatre and Cinema can be ignored by the litrature-T.P.Kailasam. thinkers and writers to represent issues Prema Karanth –Wikipedia related to women is something that cannot be easily explained. Perhaps the The Hindu-Bangalore-Oct8,2012 involvement of more number of women in The Hindu-Online edi -sep5,2010. theatre and cinema might help to improve The Mysore Association,Bombay- the situation. The women have accepted the Theatre. legacy from generation to generation Times Of India-Oct6,2009. through oral tradition initially and through the academic norms of the present day in In search of a new theatre, In most of the cases. Women expressions, Carl.M. Borden, actions, and roles are perceived as a Contemporary Indian commodity for artistic or cultural Traditions voices on consumption. In Independent India a great Cultural, Nature and the number of women performers have challenge of change- Girish represented the country as cultural Karnad.