Two-day Karnad festival to commemorate 100th show of Samudaya’s Tughlaq 

The festival will have discussions, seminars and many other events, where people come and share their memories of Karnad and revisit his works

Samudaya, a progressive amateur theatre group set up by Prasanna back 1975, is celebrating the 100th show of its popular play Tughlaq, written by one of India’s finest playwrights, the late Girish Karnad. To commemorate the event, Samudaya is hosting a two-day Karnad festival at Ravindra Kalakshetra on October 28 and 29.

The festival starts at 3 p.m. on October 28, with the rendition of Kannada theatre songs, a discussion reminiscing the life of Karnad, screening of a documentary on the playwright by K.M. Chaitanya, and performance of one of Karnad’s most loved plays Hoovu (Flowers), by the troupe Hongirana, Shivamogga. The second day of the festival starts with a seminar on Karnad’s works, 10.30 a.m. onward, followed by the release of the book Rangachintana, a conversation with senior theatre makers, by Samudaya, and the presentation of the 100th show of Tughlaq.

Directed by Samkutty Pattomkary, Tughlaq is a play about the turbulent rule of Mohammed Bin Tughlaq. The protagonist, as portrayed in the play, had great ideas and a grand vision, but his reign was an abject failure. Tughlaq was known for his reformist ideas, one of which was shifting the capital from Delhi to Daulatabad in order to have a capital that is in the center of his province. This play covers the consequences that followed this decision. The play outlines his plot to eliminate his opponents and ends with scenes of utter chaos and misery in the kingdom and Tughlaq is being left alone, having been abandoned by those who survived him.  

Shashidar Bharighat, theatre director and senior member of Samudaya, says that it is a great achievement that an amateur theatre troupe is completing hundred shows of a play. “If any amateur theatre is completing 100 shows of production, it is a great achievement. It has been 10 years since we made this production, and how the play has survived for a decade is to be appreciated. The director Samkutty Pattomkary has constructed the play very interestingly. The most important element that has helped sustain the play for 10 years is Girish Karnad’s writing and the play itself, which is relatable to anyone of any generation culturally and politically.”

“This year is also the 85th birth anniversary of Karnad. As we complete the 100th show of Tughlaq, we want to honour and remember the late playwright. At the festival we have discussions, seminars and many other events, where people come and share their memories and instances with Karnad and revisit his work” Bharighat added.