Dubai: Brilliant Performances Mark Successful Show 'Maastru Manipujer'
News: Shodhan Prasad
Pics: Sujay Bendur
Daijiworld Media Network – Dubai (SB)
Dubai, Oct 31: 'Sangama Kalavidaru' successfully presented ‘Maastru Manipujer’, a Tulu social comedy at the Elite English Speaking School Auditorium here on Friday October 30. The show began around 5.00 pm and concluded at around 9.00 pm.
The auditorium was jam-packed and the audience deeply appreciated the brilliant performances of the local artistes with good round of applause. The play had the theatre-lovers glued to their seats right until the end of the show, as they enjoyed the rib-tickling comedy performances.
The story has been spun around a family of a retired teacher (Maastru) and his dreams to see one of his sons carry on with his profession and become a teacher. The storyline created by Dinesh Kankanady of ‘Aasarey Kalavidaru’ Mangalore carried a noble social message. Vishwanath Shetty, himself a local talent, took on the directorial mantle of this drama into a huge success. This is his second successful venture after ‘Ganguna Gammatt’ which was staged twice in the UAE.
This young director has picked up a team of local talents and moulded them into creative sphere under the banner of ‘Sangama Kalavidaru’ which was founded by the late Umesh Nanthoor to promote local talents. 'Sangama Kalavidaru' has presented many successful programmes in the past and the latest successful show is another feather in their cap.
The show started with a welcome by Shantaram Achar, one of the founder-members of Sangama Kalavidaru, who opened up the show with a song in praise of ‘Tulunadu’ to welcome the guests. It was followed by the lighting of the lamp by children. Then Vittal Shetty, a local talent, spoke on the recent flood situation in Karnataka and expressed the intention to collect relief funds for those affected. A box to collect funds for the flood relief was taken around the audience to support the cause.
It is commendable that in spite of the recent recession a group of art-loving sponsors, well-known businessmen of the UAE, especially those hailing from Tulunadu, whole-heartedly supported this event with their considerable contribution to make this Tulu awareness programme a grand success.
Shodhan Prasad took over the next part of the programme as MC until the concluding part. He invited all the sponsors on to the stage for felicitation with mementoes. Also felicitated were two senior artistes of the troupe, Harish Kamath Vitla and Prathima Shetty, who took part in the play, and Sarvotham Shetty, president, Karnataka Sangha Abu Dhabi, C R Shetty, president of the UAE Tulu Koota / Karnataka Sangha Dubai and Herman Louis of Radio Spice 105.4 FM and Ganesh Rai, former president of Kannada Sangha Sharjah, who designed the pamphlets. The appreciation letters were read out before being handed over to them.
Vittal Shetty presented updates on ‘Vishwa Tulu Sammelana’ and also played the message of the chief convenor, D Veerendra Heggade, to the audience. The teamwork by all the artistes who made this play an event to remember was widely appreciated by all Tuluvas who attended the event. Worth a mention are the names of the artistes who took part in ‘Maastru Manipujeru’. They are Vaasu Kumar Shetty Kudla, Donald Correa Pernal, Harish Kamath Vitla, Chidanand Poojary Vamanjoor, Sampath Shetty Thokurguthu, Rajesh Kuthar, Santosh Poojary, Dinesh Naik Kodiadka, Sunil Suvarna, Sashi Shetty, Prathima Shetty, Deepa Jagannath and Kumari Nivedita. Performances by some of them like Dinesh, Rajesh and Chidanand drew special rounds of applause from the audience.
Others who contributed to the success of this programme are Kethan D’Souza Kudla with lilting background music, Prasad Rai of Kavoor Electricals with lights and sound, Dinesh Correa with slide show, Kishore Gatti with make-up, Vincy Lobo Pernal and Charlie Kombalke with backstage support, Ganesh Rai with artwork and Chidanand Poojary of Woodshine Carpentry with the stage setting. Sheena Devadiga of Udupi Restaurant Karama and Jagannath Bellarey of Das Prakash Restaurant were the people who supported the artistes with snacks, meals and rehearsal support.
Media sponsors who actively supported this event were Daijiworld, Gulf Kannadiga and Radio Spice and their contribution was commendable.
Maastru Manipujeru left a long-lasting impression in the minds of the drama-lovers, making them long for similar events in the near future.
Before conclusion with vote of thanks, Shodhan called upon Shekar Shetty to handover the mementoes to the artistes. Director Vishwanath Shetty also was felicitated with fruits and shawl. To do the honours Sarvotham Shetty and C R Shetty were called upon to the dais who spoke a few words on the awareness or importance of Tulu language and Vishwa Tulu Sammelan.
The event proved the point to the theatre-lovers of the UAE that it was absolutely not necessary to bring in talents from abroad when there were equally good performers available locally. However, artistes, whoever and wherever they are, deserve a big pat on the back for their contribution to the field of art and entertainment.