It was in the yr 2012 that Jairangam, a theatre-focussed platform, was launched by the late Deepak Gera (an engineer-turned-theatre aficionado) with a easy dream of making an area that celebrated artwork and tradition.
That dream has grown larger, says Mann Gera, pageant director of Jairangam Theatre Festival (in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Government of India) by way of which the crew has taken the artwork kind to Assam, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Bengaluru, and Rajasthan.
“Over the years, we’ve been fortunate to have some incredible artists grace our stage, including Makarand Deshpande, Arvind Gaur, Atul Satya Kaushik, Rakesh Bedi, Atul Kumar, Manav Kaul, Kalki Koechlin, Purva Naresh, Saurabh Sachdeva, Kumud Mishra, Swati Dubey and Sukant Goel. Each of them has brought something unique, adding to the festival’s journey and spirit.”
A nonetheless from Kankad Moti aur Kinwad
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Next week, the thirteenth version of this touring pageant, named Jairangam Fringes, involves Bengaluru with two performs (Kankad Moti aur Kinwad and Love Letters, Ninna Preetiya Naanu) and workshops.
This yr, Mann says, they wished to focus on India’s cultural range. “Both plays we’re bringing are rooted in different regions and languages, one in Marwari and the other in Kannada. What excites us is that even though they come from such distinct geographies, the stories still feel universal, something everyone can connect with.”
A nonetheless from Love Letters, Ninna Preetiya Naanu
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Kankad Moti and Kinwad is a rehearsed studying of tales by Vijaydan Detha, one of the vital celebrated voices in Rajasthani literature, says Mann. “His writing is deeply rooted in folklore yet strikingly universal, always holding up a mirror to society. For Bengaluru audiences, experiencing his storytelling on stage will feel both fresh and timeless.”
As for Love Letters, its simplicity and intimacy is what excites the crew. “It’s an invitation to pause, to reflect, to revisit the ‘firsts’, the ‘what-ifs’, and the ‘almosts’ of our lives. In a world where we’re all caught in the constant hustle, Love Letters gives us the gift of slowing down.”
In addition to the 2 productions, the pageant will even have a masterclass with theatre character Prasanna Heggodu, and a workshop with movie and theatre actors Ipshita Chakravarty and Ajeet Singh Palawat from Mumbai.
Addressing the town’s vibrant theatre scene, Mann says internet hosting the pageant in Bengaluru was at all times a part of the plan. “We have a community of curators who are constantly watching plays, attending readings, and sharing recommendations with our core team. Over the years, we’ve built a bank of more than 1,000 productions from across the country. From there, we carefully curate what to bring to each region, always keeping in mind what the local audience would connect with the most.”
A nonetheless from Love Letters, Ninna Preetiya Naanu
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
As for the evolution of Jairangam Fringes, Mann says whereas it started as a theatre pageant, over time, “we’ve grown into a space that embraces many forms of storytelling, be it music, films, exhibitions, and rehearsed readings. The vision has always been the same: to tell the stories of India, from India, and to India.”
The dream, he says, is to maintain increasing, reaching extra States, and constructing a nationwide cultural dialog by way of the tales they stage.
On September 13 and 14 at The Koramangala Club, CA-17, sixth Cross Rd, sixth Block, Koramangala, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560095. Tickets on in.bookmyshow.com
