Among some of the cultural icons of our city, Rangayana, the theatre repertoire, has always been our city's pride. Established by the Government of Karnataka in 1989 at an ideal locality behind the Kalamandira, close to the green belt on the banks of Kukkarahalli Lake, it has been attracting a large number of culture vultures of our city.

For theatre entertainment our city has always depended on amateur theatre groups like Samathentho, Amara Kala Sangha, Samudaya, Kala Priya, Kadamba Ranga Vedike, Kala Suruchi, Parivarthana, GPIER (of Mime Ramesh) and Natana of Mandya Ramesh among others. We were also lucky to have theatre personalities like Dr. N. Rathna, Vasu (Amara Kala Sangha), late Sindhuvalli Ananthamurthy, M. S. Satyu, Rajashekara Kadamba, Srikanta Gundappa, Lingadevaru Halemane, Jayaram Thathachar, Rameshwari Verma, Prof. H. S. Umesh, S. Ramesh, late M. P. Shankar (film actor), and others who no doubt gave Mysoreans some of the best plays. Over the years the efforts of amateur theatre activists began to wane as less and less number of youngsters evinced any interest in theatre hobby.

Luckily in 1989 at the initiative of some friends of the legendary theatre personality Dr. B. V. Karanth, who was the Director and the moving spirit of Bharath Bhavan of Bhopal, the then Chief Minister Ramakrishna Hegde was persuaded to start a theatre repertoire under the aegis of the Karnataka government. The idea was mainly to provide a “job” to the Karnataka theatre genius B.V. Karanth who at that time was involved in a criminal case and literally in wilderness. The intention of Karanth's friends was to ensure that the genius of Karanth should not go waste for the theatre world because of the unfortunate incident in which he was embroiled.

When the decision was taken to set up a professional, modern theatre repertoire, the hunt began for a place to locate it. The present University Fine Arts College with a vast campus but with very few students, the Scout and Guide Grounds behind the Deputy Commissioner's office were among the locations for consideration.

Finally Karanth himself chose the land behind the Kalamandira where there was advantage of using part of the existing building space, in addition to the vast land area available. Thus was born the Rangayana, a name given by B. V. Karanth himself, with him as its first Director. This year Rangayana will be completing 25 years of its useful existence.

When Rangayana opened its doors, students were invited for interview from all over the State. Out of 450 who had applied, 25 were selected after holding interviews at Neenasam, Heggodu, Shimoga district, Dharwad and Mysore. Interestingly among the first batch of 25 students were engineers, post graduates in Science and also those who had not completed even SSLC. The first play to be staged was Kindari Jogi written by Kuvempu. Probably to commemorate this event, Karanth installed a huge terra cotta statue of Kindari Jogi at the premises. Fortunately, one could see it even now after being restored from its dilapidated condition.

Karanth was a thorough professional who put the students through the ordeal of real grind. Old students remember Karanth taking them out on the streets of our city early in the morning to expose them to real life situations of different kinds of people — it could be a milk vendor on his bicycle with two cans suspended or a florist woman from a village or even a beggar. They were also taken to the vegetable market to watch how the selling, buying and the bargaining take place and the language they use etc. This would help while enacting such parts. They would know both the body language and the dialogue delivery, learnt from direct observation of people in real life situations.

Karanth had also invited Directors of international repute to Rangayana for interaction with the students. No wonder he was able to take his repertoire of about 30 members to USA, Germany and other countries a couple of times.

Karanth taking his repertoire abroad reminds me of what K. Vijayakumar, former Joint Director of Information and Publicity had written in this paper last month (18.9.2009) about his visit to Canada and Niagara Falls where he visited Shaw Festival holding exclusive plays by Bernard Shaw. He wrote:

"How I wish our Rangayana Repertory in Mysore headed by well - known stage artiste Jayashree and her artistes in Rangayana will have an opportunity to experience the Shaw Festival."

Be that as it may, within a period of just three years Karanth indeed performed a miracle. But when his tenure of three years was extended for another term, the students who had by then also completed their three year course began to demand government jobs because, according to them, that was the promise made to them at the time of their selection. Though Karanth was held responsible by the students, he was helpless.

Rangayana the repertoire is administered and managed by a registered autonomous body known as Rangasamaj which in turn comes under the control of the Directorate of Kannada and Culture of the State government. Understandably, Karanth, when he left in the year 1998, was a sad man. Thus ended the era of B. V. Karanth in Rangayana after 7 years.

In the meanwhile, the 25 students continued to get their stipend and were also allowed to continue in Rangayana. The idea of admitting new batch of students was forgotten and the focus was shifted to repertoire. The original scheme was conceived after Neenasam pattern — classes for two years and practicals one year, except in Rangayana classes were intended for three years. This concept simply disappeared and neither the Rangayana Directors who came after Karanth, nor the Rangasamaj nor the government ever bothered to introduce the 3 +1 scheme nor took new batch of students.

Fortunately for Rangayana, C. Basavalingaiah, the next Director, was a product of the National School of Drama (NSD), Delhi, a post graduate in Kannada who had begun his career in theatre with his “Samudaya”, a cultural theatre movement. While in Rangayana, he had directed such highly acclaimed and popular plays like Gandhi Vs Gandhi, which became a huge success and ran for many weeks. The annual Chinnara Mela (children's fair) which too was a huge success, was his brainchild. He conducted a number of seminars and workshops keeping the glory of Rangayana, left behind by his predecessor B. V. Karanth, alive. However, the simmering discontent among the artistes continued as they were not absorbed by the government as employees.

Basavalingaiah was here for two terms of three years each and managed to use his good offices with the then Deputy Chief Minister Siddharamaiah to find a solution to the problem of the artistes. As if to pacify the artistes, despite the hurdles of law and the government regulations with regard to regularisation of their services, these artistes were offered salary in the place of stipend, but without the full benefits other government servants would get. It is learnt the artistes had filed a case in this regard which is still pending. In the meanwhile, two or three of them have retired, from among the teachers and staff.

The next Director was Prasanna, who was one of the founders of “Samudaya”. He was the father of a theatre festival par excellence called, “Akka”, a repertoire which touched on the subjects related to women and exploitation of women, in the year 2001 - 2002, if I am right. Nearly 60 groups had participated in this event, so much so it had even inspired Kannadigas in America to name their Association in such a way that in its acronymic form it read AKKA, the full form of which is Association of Kannada Kootas of America. Chief Minister B. S. Yeddyurappa is the only Chief Minister who participated in world Kannada conference in 2008.

Prasanna too was the product of NSD. Being a dramatist, novelist and a poet all rolled into one, he conceived of a special theatre stage called Bhoomigeetha, along with the Vanaranga which was already there, which assumed a new dimension under his guidance. “Lankesh Art Gallery” was his other addition, being his way of paying tributes to late Lankesh, the rationalist journalist and playwright. The one year certificate course for artistes was also his project, for which examinations were conducted by the Bharathiya Ranga Shikshana Kendra (BRSK) which had rather a premature end following lack of interest by the Directors who succeeded him.

After seeing the great success of AKKA, Prasanna came up with another idea the following year with a theatre festival called, Bahuroopi where the festival had many dimensions. The Bahuroopi became a permanent feature of Rangayana thereafter showcasing various formats of plays based on issues related to farmers, workers, women, company drama and such other themes, all brought under one festival umbrella called Bahuroopi. Though Prasanna got a second term in office, he quit a few months before his term expired out of frustration, not so much with the government as with the artistes.

The next Director was Chidambara Rao Jambe, a very pleasant and affable person, who can make himself likeable in the very first meeting. Being of humble and pleasant demeanor, he brought with him his 22 years of experience in another renowned theatre repertoire, “Neenasam”. A winner of Nataka Akademi award, he is considered one of the best teachers in Dramatics.

Chidambara Rao Jambe was responsible for giving a new format to Bharathiya Ranga Shikshana Kendra which was conducting a one - year certificate course for aspiring artistes. Once again, like the festering wound, he had to face the ire of artistes who were disgruntled with many unresolved issues. Despite this problem, Chidambara Rao Jambe conducted the Bahuroopi festival during his four - year tenure before bidding goodbye, demitting his office in January 2008. The government could have continued his service for the second term also, in the absence of anyone in view to succeed him. But it did not. So it was that for one – and – a - half years, from the end of 2007 till June 2009, K. T. Chikkanna (Ka. Tha. Chikkanna), the Joint Director of the Department of Kannada and Culture, Bangalore, was the in - charge Director.

In the meanwhile, Rangasamaja, the governing body of Rangayana which manages the affairs of Rangayana or more appropriately is supposed to, was engaged in searching for a suitable new Director.

It is interesting to note that the Rangasamaja was considering, as soon as Chidambara Rao Jambe left on Jan. 19, 2008, the names of H. Janardhan (Janni), a very talented and well - known theatre activist from Mysore; C. Basavalingaiah who had earlier served as Director and T. S. Nagabharana, a multi - faceted personality well - known in theatre and film circles. However, when the District – in - charge Minister Shobha Karandlaje, while presiding over the valedictory function of Bahuroopi conducted by the in - charge Director Ka. Tha. Chikkanna, casually mentioned that she wanted to bring a woman Director to Rangayana, the Rangasamaja got into a tail spin. It immediately went about looking for women candidates, finally short listing three women theatre personalities namely, Malathi Sudheer, who is associated with theatre activities, Bhageerathi Bai Kadam, an NSD graduate and Dr. Vijaya, another theatre activist.

However, like the awarding of Nobel Peace prize to Barack Obama, a surprise awaited everybody when B. Jayashree, a well-known theatre and film personality, was appointed as the Director.

It is said there was some problem with the short listed names of women candidates as none of them was an NSD product and the government was keen on having someone with NSD qualification. B. Jayashree fitted into this slot easily as she was an NSD and is a renowned and a complete, multi - faceted theatre personality, known for her creative talents in acting, singing, music and even dance.

No doubt theatre in its varied dimensions is in her blood, being the grand daughter of legendary Gubbi Veeranna of the well - known Gubbi Nataka Company of yesteryears. She graduated from NSD in 1970 and had the distinction of acting under such Directors as Alkazi and Karanth, apart from founding her own theatre group known as Spandana, which produced plays that made waves across the State like Lakshapathi Rajana Kathe and well - known playwright Chandrashekar Kambar's Karimayi.

With such testimonies and being a marquee player, both the government and the Rangasamaja, including Shobha Karandlaje, could not have wished for a more deserving candidate for the post of the Director than B. Jayashree. Unfortunately, despite having these qualifications, she seemed to lack the most important qualification required for the Director's post — humility. According to some, Jayashree suffered from the audacity of being a celebrity. Was it not Goethe who said that “One cannot always be a hero, but one can always be a human being?”

It is learnt that she had accepted the post rather reluctantly and on her own terms — that her husband, apparently without any occupation, be given a suitable position in Rangayana and her attendance not be questioned. Similarly she might have had many other conditions but it did not concern the artistes.

The problem started when she confronted the already disgruntled, aged artistes head - on. To begin with she wanted artistes to be in the campus during office hours as if they were clerks and attendants.

Her relationship with the artistes was perceived as that of a boss and her employees. She did not encourage the local amateur artistes who used to frequent Rangayana and participate in theatre activities as was the practice earlier. The worst was when she decided to transfer seven artistes to Rangayana in Dharwad. Even with the Press, her relationship was not friendly, not even cordial. No wonder in an interview she gave to Deccan Herald in Chikkamagalur she had said that the media was responsible for the present condition of the theatre. Well, as a journalist, I would say she was wrong. It is not the media but the cinema which is responsible for the present condition of the theatre. Consider this: If Jayashree is not so much pre - occupied with music, films and TV, as she is, well, she would have displayed a totally different, conducive attitude towards Rangayana.

The statue of Thiruvalluvar which was brought to Rangayana and was later sent back to Bangalore after an agitation by the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike and the controversy that followed did not speak well of Jayashree's conduct as a Director. As if this was not enough, Jayashree got rid of the Deputy Director of Rangayana, a government officer, and brought her own favourite from Belgaum for this place.

After all, Jayashree could have continued with the incumbent Deputy Director Tara Saraswathi, with 8 years of experience, for a few more months before deciding to change her. But the haste with which Tara Saraswathi was removed, gave room for rumours.

One of the grievances of the artistes was that she is very sarcastic while talking to them. Almost like the conversation between the mother-in-law and daughter – in - law with strained relationship. One artiste even gave an example. The new Director would measure each individual with her eyes during the conversation. If the artiste asked (in Kannada), “Madam, shall we plan for a programme?” the Director would say: "Why do you ask that question? Is it to find out whether I can do it or not?"

Another example:
Question from Jayashree: "Shall we perform Kindari Jogi?"
Reply by the artistes: "We did it when we were young. Why not we take up other adult plays or a new one?"
Jayashree's reply: "What? By suggesting 'Kindari Jogi,' did I make a mistake?"

With this kind of attitude, artistes say, no fruitful discussion was possible. She herself was the problem, according to insiders.

Having said this, there is very little to say something good about the old artiste - government employees of Rangayana either. They seem more audacious than poor Jayashree, according to some insiders.

I understand that these Rangayana artistes are already steeped in the most pernicious government culture of asserting rights without responsibility or accountability. As I know it is only in a communist country that a performing artiste is a government servant.

I understand that the flow of creative juice in artistes dries up the moment they become government employees!

In the meanwhile, Rangayana should gear itself for Bahuroopi festival scheduled for December - January. For this, the training and rehearsals should have started from the months of June - July. The artistes are now wondering if Bahuroopi would happen at all this year. Forget about Bahuroopi, one should wonder whether Rangayana itself would survive as a theatre repertoire.

The best is either for Jayashree to take full control of Rangayana or allow the government to find someone who will face upto these aging government artistes.