Andhayuga is one of the prominent plays of modern Indian Theatre which tells the interesting and less known story from Mahabharata that took place after the Kurukshetra war. the play unfolds the cruelty and brutality of wars as well as the horrific politics behind it which affected the remaining characters, human beings, and the society all together. The play explores the darkness of human race, cruel wars as well as the battle within ourself. The story, stylized and Bold presentation of characters with intensive and powerful acting accompanied by music, movements, lights, costumes, and stage design makes the production unique and worth watching.

Writer  

Dharamvir Bharati was an Indian writer, poet, author, and social thinker. Dharamvira Bharati was one of the pioneers of modern Indian theatre. He is a recipient of several awards including Padma Shri and Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.

Translator (s)

Siddalinga Pattanashetty is a recipient of the Karnataka Nataka Academy Award and the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award, and the Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award.

Thippeswamy served as a professor of Kannada for many years. He has translated several Hindi books into Kannada.

Director

Mandya Ramesh is an actor, director, and the founder of the Mysore Actors’ Institute and Theatre. He has studied at Ninasam, Karnataka. He has won many awards including Karnataka Rajyotsava Award, and Karnataka Nataka Academy Award. He has served as the member of Karnataka Nataka Academy, member of Rangayana, member of Karnataka Nataka Academy, member of the Committee of Experts on Intellectual Cultural Heritage and Visiting Professor at Gubbi Veeranna Rangapeetha, University of Mysore.

Director’s Note

There is no other epic in the world as great as the Mahabharata. I chose this play because every character that appears on the stage is very relevant to the belligerence that we see every day in our society. The text has been adapted around the world as a work advocating an anti-war approach that effectively portrays the catastrophe of nuclear weapons in the framework of mythology, alongside the beginning of biological warfare.

Group  

Natana was established as an amateur theatre troupe in 2002 to involve children and youth in performing arts later grew as a professional group. It is recognized as a theatre training school and repertory company of India through which enormous artist, theatre professionals, actors, technicians have been emerged. It has been organizing theatre training, theatre performances, seminars, theatre music concerts, folk performances, national and international level cultural festivals as part of its activity. Natana repertory company and children repertory has participated in many National and International theatre festivals and presented shows in various villages, in almost all the districts of Karnataka. Natana has conducted theatre workshop under the direction of Mandya Ramesh in North California for ‘Kannada Koota’ of North California. Natana repertory has staged two plays in ‘Singara Kannada Samskrati Sammelena’ held in Singapore. A fully equipped auditorium and theatre school has been constructed by Natana.