Kerala-based Rangachetana theatre group initiates a unique project to help artists in need

The Thrissur-based collective has been organising performances in the homes of artists and streaming them live on Facebook to raise funds

Drama has been the only source of income for 51-year-old Bhanumathy A. The Thrissur-based theatre practitioner has been part of several drama troupes across Kerala for the past 27 years before the pandemic completely upended her life as stage performances came to a standstill. Then Rangachetana, a theatre collective of Thrissur stepped in to help. Bhanumathy recently performed a solo play in her rented one-room accommodation, which became a ‘stage’. Her performance in front of a solo audience comprising Varghese, an autorickshaw driver who she hires frequently was not only streamed live via Rangachetana’s Facebook page but she was also ‘paid’ a remuneration of ₹ 10,000 for the performance. Four members of Rangachetana were at hand to help her. “The money I received has been of great help. The last year and a half have been hard. I had not paid my monthly rent of ₹3000 for five months,” says Bhanumathy who lives alone. She used the remaining ₹1000 to buy ration and apply for her Aadhar card which she had lost in the floods of 2018.