Staged@RS, Ranga Shankara's signature digital programme supported by Infosys Foundation, is back with its monthly offering for audiences around the world! 'Vali Vadhe' is based on Kuvempu's 'Shri Ramayanadarshanam'. The musically-oriented Kannada play seamlessly blends elements of Yakshagana, Kalaripayattyu, and a Manipuri art form, and is directed by young and highly talented Kannada theatre artiste Ganesh Mandarthi. 

While the play pays homage to one of the country's most well-known epics, it also adapted to present audiences an insight into relationships and a taste of Kannada literature. It uses ancient stories of India, from Kuvempu's 'Pundena Agni Saakshi' and 'Neem Sathyavrathaneditem', to show the depth of love.

Based on Kuvempu's 'Shri Ramayanadarshana Kavya'

Direction: M Ganesh (Udupi)

Company: The Shri Gajanana Yuvaka Mandala 

Synopsis:

This play is based on two parts of Kuvempu's 'Shri Ramayanadarshanam' - 'Pundena Agni Saakshi' and 'Neem Sathyavrathaneditam'. In the current context where English is mainstream, the purpose of the play is to give today's generation an insight into relationships and a taste of rich Kannada literature. The evil Vali of Valmiki's 'Ramayana', here turns out to be the one who longs for love and regrets his behaviour just before dying, and wishes for a loving balanced relationship. This play includes elements of Yakshagana, Kalaripayattu, and a Manipuri art form. This is a musically oriented play. While a thinker inside a sentimentalist and a sentimentalist inside a thinker are suffering - an ancient story of India becomes a play to show the depth of love.

About the troupe: 

The Shri Gajanana Yuvaka Mandali was born in Sheshagiri 32 years ago and is a wonderful example of rural theatre organizations. The troupe has travelled with performances to various cities, such as Mumbai and Bangalore and is renowned for having performers and members who are mostly agricultural labourers and pursue theatre with an energy born out of passion and love. Despite formal theatre education, the troupe has produced some very fine artistes, appreciated by scholars and laymen alike. Shri Gajanana Yuvaka Mandali also conducts various other activities, such as drama festivals, theatre training camps, music, literary programmes, summer camps for children, library week, and conducting rural folk art exhibitions. through its activities, the Mandali tries to spread awareness on concepts such as literacy, village swarajya, removal of untouchability, environmental awareness, Swachh Bharat, Right to Information etc. among the masses.

Cast and credit list: 

 Artistes

 Zameera M P

 Sannappa Gorvara

 Siddappa Kondoji

 Harisha Gurappanavar

 Deviprasad Y

 Siddappa Rotti

 Bhuvan Manipal

 Bharata Havanagi

 Bindu Raxidi

Accompanists

 Ganesh Mandarthi

 Nagaraj Kasambi

 Anush Shetty

Make-up

 Bhuvan Manipal

 Lighting Execution

 Raju Manipal

Stage Manager

 Shivamurthy Hunasanahalli

Group Managers

 Prabhu Gurappanavar and Nagaraj Dhareshwar

Subtitles

Prathibha Nandakumar