Balanagamma - A Telugu Stage Drama: Events in Hyderabad

REVIEW FOR BALANAGAMMA - A TELUGU...

Unless you know anyone whose soul resides in some bird (excluding George Bush), this story will entertain. It's long, take your water bottles along.

On the occasion of its 29th anniversary, Kinnera Art Theatres is organising 29 days of Telugu stage dramas from different parts of the state, at Sri Thyagaraya Gana Sabha, from 9th November to 7th December. As part of the 21st day of celebrations, Bala Nagamma is being staged today.

Bala Nagamma is the beautiful queen of King Karyavardhiraju, who is abducted by a male witch called Mayala Marathi, who's gotten bowled over by her beauty. Karyavardhiraju is turned into a stone upon trying to rescue his queen. Time and again, the male witch goes to Bala Nagamma with his proposal of getting married to her, but she rejects his advances saying that she was in a penance to get rid of all her previous sins.

In this way 12 years elapse. In the meantime, her son Balavardhiraju grows up at the palace, and becomes an able successor to his brave father. He invades Mayala Marathi, but fails in killing him, as his spirit is safely kept in a parrot. Bala Nagamma, meanwhile, romantices the male witch, who in turn divulges his secret of his life. So with the help of his mother, Balavardhiraju kills Mayala Marathi, by finding the parrot and killing it.

This 2-hour drama is being presented by Navakranthi Association of Nizamabad and directed by Arjuna Rao.

Kinnera Art Theatres was started in 1977, and has since organised various programs, including musical nites, classical dances and vocals, felicitations and releases of books. It has served as a platform for many upcoming artistes, and has at the same time provided recognition and appreciation for established ones. Dr R Prabhakar Rao, IPS, is the chairman of the association, while M Raghuram is its dedicated secretary.

Please contact M Raghuram of Kinnera Art Theatres at 98660-57777 for further details.