Ye Velugulaki Prasthanam - A Telugu Play By M Prasada Murthy: Events in Hyderabad

REVIEW FOR YE VELUGULAKI PRASTHANAM -...

The Abhinaya National Theatre Monthly magazine is organising the 2nd Abhinaya National Theatre Festival 2007 from 9th to 12th August, at the Ravindra Bharathi. Six stage plays and four street plays from all over the country will be staged during the 4-day festival.

A Telugu play Ye Velugulaki Prasthanam on 9th August; a Telugu street play Tadabu Lakadana Jibu Jibu and a Hindi/English play Numbers In The Dark on 10th August; an English play The Island, a Telugu street play Dakshinayanam and a Kannada play Caucasian Chalk Circle on 11th August; and a Tamil play Pavan Kunju, a Tamil street play Payanam and a Manipuri play Acheekpagi Khongjel on 12th August, will be staged.

Today, the inaugural day, Kalavani from the Godavari districts will stage a Telugu play Ye Velugulaki Prasthanam, directed by M Prasada Murthy. This is play is about Lord Buddha and his sacrifice of royal pleasures in search of truth and enlightenment. The play was written by Munisundaram.

Lord Buddha, initially called Siddhartha, was the son of King Kapilavastu. Moved by the animal sacrifices and the death of human beings and living creatures, he abandoned his royal luxuries and family, and became a bikshu (monk). The play deals with how Siddhartha transformed into Buddha and founded Buddhism.

M Prasada Murthy is one of the popular directors in Telugu theater. Hailing from Rajahmundry, he entered theater as early as 1960, as an actor, and participated in a number of full-length plays. He started directing plays in 1980, and was instrumental in started Kalavani.

Under Kalavani, he has directed many stage plays and street plays, winning many awards, including Nandi Awards for Best Actor, Best Director and Best Producer.

Abhinaya National Theatre Monthly was founded in the 2004 by Gadde Srinivas, a theater artiste and a die-hard lover of theater. Srinivas holds a diploma in theater arts. Quitting his lucrative profession in Telugu movies, he started Abhinaya, a first-of-its-kind magazine in India dedicated exclusively to theater. He organises many events throughout the year, like the State Theatre Festival in Guntur, and Padya Nataka Festival and Nataka Rachana Poteelu in Hyderabad.

Please contact G Srinivas at 93911-11622 for further details.