Natana: Now open
What is it with Kannada theatre that every write up about it starts with “it is alive and kicking” as if it was expected to breathe its last any minute? Strangely, along by the side, we also come across news and write ups about the many achievements of Kannada theatre personalities!
So, let me start this also with the now ‘traditional’ adage, Kannada theatre has yet again proved that it is alive and kicking and has even got a dose of fresh blood with the inauguration of Mandya Ramesh’s dream of long timeNatana Rangamantapa in Mysore. Everybody is happy for Mandya Ramesh because it is public knowledge that he strove really hard to complete his dream project for the past eleven years, putting all his earnings into it. Today when Chief Minister Siddaramaiah cuts the ribbon and lights the lamp and beats the drum it will once again reverberates the positive thinking that theatre is necessary for keeping the mental health of a society. As Ramesh himself puts it beautifully “with all the anxieties of the current world, theatre continues to do good and help build social conscience in youth. Coming from a humble background, it was theatre that helped me to cultivate a taste for culture and mental well-being. Natana is not just a auditorium but a space where life skills are honed and characters are built.”
Ramesh was bitten by the theatre bug 36 years ago. He is forever with a smile, ready to take to stage any minute. He has also become an institution in his own right and has trained as many talents as the roles he has etched. From theatre to big and small screens was a natural travel but Ramesh never abandoned his first love i.e. the stage. “As a child I had a culturally rich experience. My father would perch me on his shoulder and take me to the rich, colourful world of Bayalata, Company theatres and other folk arts. I would lose myself in those characters and dream of being them. Theatre became my hobby, then a profession and eventually love of my life. It taught me life skills and it gave me the strength to take the ups and downs of life on an equal platter. It gave me the spirit to convert defeat into achievement,” says Ramesh.
Ramesh graduated from Mysore University with a degree in science and later completed graduation in Theatre Arts from Ninasam School of Drama, as Best Student. He was an artist at Rangayana repertory under B V Karanth. Trained under Karanth, Ramesh wanted to put theatre skills for social cause and toured extensively in Mandya, Mysore and Chamarajanagar with his street plays as part of Literacy Campaign. Every year he conducts theatre workshops for children. “ It also helps in keeping Kannada alive because we train children to write, speak good Kannada.”
The next thirty six years Mandya Ramesh acted, directed plays, toured the nation with his troupe. He directed Girish Karnad’s Agni Mattu Male for NSD, New Delhi and at Kolkata Drama Festival. He was awarded Brest Director for three consecutive years at Udupi Theatre Festival. Eventually he was nominated as member Experts Committee for Theatre Committee, Government of India, member, Karnataka Nataka Aademy, advisory member for Gubbi Veeranna Trust, member, National Repertory Rangayana. He is a visiting professor for Department of Media and Mass Communication, University of Mysore. He was invited by the NRIs of Bay Area, San Jose, California to conduct theatre workshops there.
Films and TV
He was introduced to big screen by Nagabharana in his all-time hit Janumada Jodi. “To act with Dr Rajkumar was something I never imagined in my wildest dreams.” Who can forget Ramehs’s brilliant performance as Kappanna in Nagabharana’s Nagamandala, for which he got State Best Supporting actor award? It was the first of a long list of awards he is honoured with.
He has acted in over 145 films and won Best Supporting Actor award several times. He took to small screen, never giving up stage though, and became a household name. He was judged the Most Entertaining TV actor in 2011.
Ramesh tried his hand at writing and published Rangavalli in 2010 and Kanavarike in 2013 that documents his journey in the theatre world.
Natana
Natana is an auditoruium with 240 seating capacity. It has a well stacked library of ten thousand books. A small guest house to facilitate visiting theatre experts is neat. It has space for rehearsals and conducting workshops. There is also a seminar hall. Situated at Ramakrishnanagar in Mysore it hopes to attract al theatre enthusiasts from all over the world.
Ramesh pays rich tributes to his family for being a big support in life. Ramesh’s daughter Disha Ramesh is also an actor and is debutante in B Suresh’s film Devara Nadalli, ready for launch.“ As much as owe my life to the inspiring interactions with B V Karanth, K V Subbanna, Prasanna, B Jayashree, Umahsree I also must acknowledge the support given to me by my parents, wife and daughter,” he says. B Jayashree, Umashree and Master Hirannayya have been a major support for Ramesh in completing the project. Naturally, they are also a part of the inauguration today.
A documentary on Natana gives more information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzTXC6NmScU
Projects
* New productions and shows
* Theatre workshops
* Playwriting workshops
* Paiting exhibitions
* Sculpture exhibitions
* Lectures and seminars related to theatre and films
* Film shows
* Film appreciation camps, production camps
*Short film shows
*Performance of folk art of the world
So, let me start this also with the now ‘traditional’ adage, Kannada theatre has yet again proved that it is alive and kicking and has even got a dose of fresh blood with the inauguration of Mandya Ramesh’s dream of long time
Ramesh was bitten by the theatre bug 36 years ago. He is forever with a smile, ready to take to stage any minute. He has also become an institution in his own right and has trained as many talents as the roles he has etched. From theatre to big and small screens was a natural travel but Ramesh never abandoned his first love i.e. the stage. “As a child I had a culturally rich experience. My father would perch me on his shoulder and take me to the rich, colourful world of Bayalata, Company theatres and other folk arts. I would lose myself in those characters and dream of being them. Theatre became my hobby, then a profession and eventually love of my life. It taught me life skills and it gave me the strength to take the ups and downs of life on an equal platter. It gave me the spirit to convert defeat into achievement,” says Ramesh.
Theatre for social cause
Ramesh graduated from Mysore University with a degree in science and later completed graduation in Theatre Arts from Ninasam School of Drama, as Best Student. He was an artist at Rangayana repertory under B V Karanth. Trained under Karanth, Ramesh wanted to put theatre skills for social cause and toured extensively in Mandya, Mysore and Chamarajanagar with his street plays as part of Literacy Campaign. Every year he conducts theatre workshops for children. “ It also helps in keeping Kannada alive because we train children to write, speak good Kannada.”
The next thirty six years Mandya Ramesh acted, directed plays, toured the nation with his troupe. He directed Girish Karnad’s Agni Mattu Male for NSD, New Delhi and at Kolkata Drama Festival. He was awarded Brest Director for three consecutive years at Udupi Theatre Festival. Eventually he was nominated as member Experts Committee for Theatre Committee, Government of India, member, Karnataka Nataka Aademy, advisory member for Gubbi Veeranna Trust, member, National Repertory Rangayana. He is a visiting professor for Department of Media and Mass Communication, University of Mysore. He was invited by the NRIs of Bay Area, San Jose, California to conduct theatre workshops there.
Films and TV
He was introduced to big screen by Nagabharana in his all-time hit Janumada Jodi. “To act with Dr Rajkumar was something I never imagined in my wildest dreams.” Who can forget Ramehs’s brilliant performance as Kappanna in Nagabharana’s Nagamandala, for which he got State Best Supporting actor award? It was the first of a long list of awards he is honoured with.
He has acted in over 145 films and won Best Supporting Actor award several times. He took to small screen, never giving up stage though, and became a household name. He was judged the Most Entertaining TV actor in 2011.
Ramesh tried his hand at writing and published Rangavalli in 2010 and Kanavarike in 2013 that documents his journey in the theatre world.
Natana
Natana is an auditoruium with 240 seating capacity. It has a well stacked library of ten thousand books. A small guest house to facilitate visiting theatre experts is neat. It has space for rehearsals and conducting workshops. There is also a seminar hall. Situated at Ramakrishnanagar in Mysore it hopes to attract al theatre enthusiasts from all over the world.
Ramesh pays rich tributes to his family for being a big support in life. Ramesh’s daughter Disha Ramesh is also an actor and is debutante in B Suresh’s film Devara Nadalli, ready for launch.“ As much as owe my life to the inspiring interactions with B V Karanth, K V Subbanna, Prasanna, B Jayashree, Umahsree I also must acknowledge the support given to me by my parents, wife and daughter,” he says. B Jayashree, Umashree and Master Hirannayya have been a major support for Ramesh in completing the project. Naturally, they are also a part of the inauguration today.
A documentary on Natana gives more information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzTXC6NmScU
Projects
* New productions and shows
* Theatre workshops
* Playwriting workshops
* Paiting exhibitions
* Sculpture exhibitions
* Lectures and seminars related to theatre and films
* Film shows
* Film appreciation camps, production camps
*Short film shows
*Performance of folk art of the world
