Date:10/01/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/01/10/stories/2008011051010200.htm

Other States - Orissa

Drama festival ends

Staff Reporter

BERHAMPUR: ‘Gandhiji Kahithile’, a play by the Hanuman Natya Sansad of Dharakote, was adjudged the best play at the 17th South Orissa drama festival that concluded in the city on Tuesday night.

The play also won the awards for best direction and best actress. The other acclaimed play of the drama festival was ‘Saing Pabed’ enacted by the Priya Theatre group of Jeypore in Koraput district, which was adjudged the second best. Both these plays were related to the problems of people living at the grassroots level.

‘Gandhiji Kahithile’ was an effort to show how Gandhian ideologies could be practical solutions to various problems facing our panchayatiraj system. ‘Saing Pabed’ ventured into the life of Bonda tribals living in Malkangiri district to explore their aspirations and predicaments. ‘Saing Pabed’ drew many accolades from the spectators due to its stage craft and makeup of artistes. The actors looked too authentic as Bonda tribals. And the script of the play was Desia dialect of Koraput district rather than chaste Oriya.

On the concluding day of the festival, a seminar on the topic ‘drama festivals as a means to keep alive stage art in Orissa’ was also held.