Winning bells: Bengaluru’s short play festival announces prizes

BENGALURU: Theatre persons put their best foot forward at the finale of the Bengaluru Short Play Festival 2021, which was held recently at KEA Prabhath Rangamandira. The best play as per the jury’s choice was awarded to Sikdaurga Seerunde which was performed by You and Me Theatre. Under the same category, Phoo by Bengaluru Theatre Ensemble bagged an award as per the audience choice. 

The event, organised by Pravara Theatre and Akhvagosha Trust, also awarded Dr Beluru Raghunandan as the ‘best director’ for the play Saaku Magalu. It was performed by Rangachirantana. The story is based on the love life of a transgender and youngster. 

The ‘best actor’ award was bagged by Viveka for the play Sikdaurga Seerunde, while Vedika won the ‘best actor--female’ for Hannondane Deepavali, staged by ShuddiRanga group. According to Hanu Ramasanjeeva, artistic director of the Bengaluru Short Play Festival, the event aimed to bring new writers to the limelight. “The objective was to bring new writers and new stories. Usually, we find very similar plots and run-of-mill storylines. This event definitely gave scope to the new writers I believe.” 

The festival also had a special recognition for an original script, which was bagged by Amrutha Shettar for the play Hannondane Deepavali. Senior theatre personality, film actor and director B Suresh inaugurated the event by delivering a message on World Theatre Day written by Helen  Mirren, a stage artiste from the United Kingdom.