Feb 06 2025 to Feb 06 2025 7 p.m.

Where

Bangalore International Centre

7 4th Main Rd, Stage 2, Domlur 560071

Event Description

90 Minutes | Kannada | For Ages 16 years and above

Yogi Mattu Bhogi is a free adaptation of the 7th-century play, Bhagavadajjukam (Sanskrit, ‘bhagavat’ – hermit; ‘ajjuka’ – harlot), also known in English as The Ascetic and The Courtesan. One of the oldest surviving plays in Sanskrit literature, it is a fine example of a ‘prahasana’, or farce. Layered in witty exchanges about dharma, it is centered around the transmigration of souls between the two titular characters leading to confusion and chaos for the supporting characters who have no answer to the absurdity of it all.

Through this retelling in Kannada, Mahesh Dattani, plays around with the idea of gender: its expression, perception, spectrum and the exploration of what one truly is with a confrontation of stereotypes using humour and catharsis. Infused with Yakshagana, the play comes alive when the classic Sanskrit text and the physicality of theatre gels seamlessly with the traditional dance theatre form from coastal Karnataka.

Credits:
Adaptation and Direction: Mahesh Dattani
Kannada Translation: Vishvajith Madhavamurthy
Yakshagana Choreography: Guru Bannanje Sanjeev Suvarna
Music Composition: Poornima Bhojraj
Set Design: Mahesh Dattani
Light Design: Trisha Shetty, Bhavya Bharadwaj, Pallavi Kodagu
Lights Execution: Trisha Shetty, Bhavya Bharadwaj
Costume Design: Shruti Bangera
Music: Amrit P
Production Manager: Venumadhav Bhat
(Initial) Poster Design: Gopalkrishna Bhat
(Initial) Poster Artwork: Shruti Bangera
Assistant Directors: Trisha Shetty and Kritika Verma
Production Assistants: Atharv Mishra and Amrutha

About Punaha Theatre:
Punaha, a theatre company based in Udupi, is dedicated to the art of storytelling through the transformative power of performance. ‘Punaha’, is derived from the Kannada (Σನಃ), Hindi (पुनः) and Sanskrit word, meaning “repeat,” or “to do it again”. They are a group of professional theatre artists, academicians, and working professionals who love theatre, and the idea of repetition and riyaaz involved in it. ‘Punaha’ symbolizes their commitment to revisit and reimagine classic narratives while exploring contemporary themes that resonate with today’s audience. It also is the idea of us as humans trying, failing but definitely starting again, starting Punaha. Among their ongoing productions are Girish Karnad’s Agni Aur Barkha (translated into Hindi by Ram Gopal Bajaj) and Harold Pinter’s The Caretaker. Agni Aur Barkha was previously adapted to the stage in Kannada as Agni Mattu Male. Yogi Mattu Bhogi is our fourth production overall in collaboration with Sahitya Akademi awardee, Mahesh Dattani. Punaha hopes to create a thriving theatre culture in the small coastal city of Udupi, develop their plays thriftily and tour them to other cities, big and small. Reflecting the multilinguistic atmosphere of the city, their intention is to not be bound by the constraints of a single language, producing plays primarily in English, Hindi, and Kannada.

Artistes
Mahesh Dattani
Director

Mahesh Dattani is an acclaimed playwright, director, actor, and writer. Born in Bangalore, he became exposed to Kannada theatre from an early age. In 1998, he became the first playwright in English to receive the Sahitya Akademi Award for his book Final Solutions and Other Plays. Today, his works, such as Final Solutions, Dance Like A Man, Bravely Fought The Queen, On A Muggy Night in Mumbai, Tara, et cetera, are taught in several universities and are performed across the world.
Vishvajith Madhavamurthy
Kannada Translation

Vishvajith Madhavamurthy is a research scholar with interest in socio-political narratives in art forms including theatre and films. As a hobbyist, he indulges in writing and acting for short films and theatre.
Sanjeev Suvarna
Choreography

Guru Shri Sanjeev Suvarna is a renowned Yakshagana guru who received the Parthi Subba Rajya Prashasti in 2023. He has collaborated with esteemed theatre directors and artists such as Ellen Stewart, B.V. Karanth, Shivarama Karanth, Maya Rao, and Peter Brook.

Suvarna has developed numerous national and international repertoires, showcasing his expertise in choreography. Rooted in the guru-shishya tradition, he actively teaches Yakshagana to students, particularly empowering women artists and underprivileged youth at his Kendra. He has also worked with the Koraga tribe, training them in folk arts.
Venumadhav Bhat
Production & Management

Venumadhav Bhat is an alumnus of Manipal Institute of Communication. He intends to establish himself as a filmmaker in the Kannada Film Industry. In 2023, he starred in two feature films: #Mute, for which he was also the screenwriter, and Hostel Hudugaru Bekaggiddare, where he played the role of Swami. He has also worked in Bangalore as a Theatre Teacher in schools for 3 years. Acting and directing plays in Bangalore, he has also acted in various advertisements, and is currently developing a new feature film.
Abhinav Grover
Parivrajaka

Abhinav Grover is an actor and Theatre Maker and a graduate from Drama School Mumbai, Batch 2014-15. Focused on acquiring more skills and knowledge, after graduating from DSM, he went on to do his training in Yakshagana at the Yakshagana Kendra Udupi under Guruji Sanjeev Suvarna for two years. Abhinav has also worked with theatre directors like Sunil Shanbag, Vikram Kapadia and Mahesh Dattani from Mumbai, Paul Goodwin from the UK and Renato Rocha from Brazil. Awarded the Tendulkar-Dubey Theater Fellowship in the year 2019. As a creator he has worked on plays like Pinter’s The Caretaker, Karnad’s Tughlaq and Agni Aur Barkha, an adaptation of Beckett’s Waiting for Godot- Raamji Aayenge and Krishna Sandhaan a Yakshagana. He is currently staying in Udupi and working on Yakshagana training at an advanced level and simultaneously working in a few web series in Mumbai. He is a part of Rocket Boys on Sony Liv and YRF’s Netflix web series The Railway Men and an upcoming theatrical release Superboys of Malegaon.
Shravan Baliga
Shandilya

Shravan Baliga is a dedicated theatre artist and engineer. He began his journey with a diploma in theatre from Kalakul, a lone theatre repertory for Konkani. His training was further enriched by a three-month workshop with Christopher Ninasam. Baliga’s notable work includes his role in the acclaimed play Kendonians, which garnered numerous awards in Tulu and Kannada and was selected for the Bharat Rang Mahotsav 2022. He pursued a postgraduate degree in Theatre Making and Acting from Drama School Mumbai, where he honed his craft. Over the past six years, he has participated in around seven productions across five languages: Kannada, Tulu, English, Hindi, and Konkani. His diverse experience includes collaborations with esteemed professionals such as Sapan Saran of Tamasha Studios, Arun Kal of Little Earth Theatre, and Christopher Ninasam of Astitva.
Arjun Samudra
Ramalik & Ensemble

Arjun Samudra is currently working as Faculty at Dept. of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, KMC Manipal. Also pursuing part time PhD at MAHE, Manipal.He is an amateur theatre enthusiast and has previously worked with Dr. Rameshwari Varma & Dr. N Rathna (Samathentho Theatre, Mysuru); Rangavaibhava – Cultural wing of Mysore Education Society, Malleswaram, Bengaluru & Karavali Yakshagana Kendra, Mysuru; Nagna Theatre Udupi. He has attended theatre workshops at Rangashankara. He looks forward to exploring and partaking in theatre plays as he believes theatre provides a ‘cognitive playground’ in which he can experiment with different choices and vicariously experience the consequences of his own and others’ behaviours in a safe environment.
Vidmahi
Nati, Latika & Ensemble

Vidmahi was exposed to literature and theatre from a young age. Her initial experience in theatre came from attending theatre summer camps in and around Udupi. She considers herself to be lucky to be part of plays that were staged in theatre festivals like Bharath Rangamahostav at the National School of Drama, New Delhi, Ranga Shankara Bangalore, Rangayana Shivmogga and Mysore. She has been learning Bharatanatyam under Vidwan Sudhir Rao Kodavoor and Vidushi Manasi Sudhir for the past 14 years and has completed her Vidwat examinations conducted by the Karnataka Secondary Education Board. Along with this, she holds a black belt in Karate and is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in English at the Manipal Centre for Humanities, Manipal.
Rayanna Jogi
Stage Manager, Father & Ensemble

Rayanna Jogi is an independent filmmaker and storyteller. Graduated from MIC with a Bachelors of Science in Animation. He is currently working on a feature film trilogy. He also freelances in video editing, motion graphics, graphics designing. He loves meeting new people, observing human behaviours and is the most curious about everything.
Kavya Prabhu
Vaidya

Kavya Prabhu is a Vidushi in Bharatanatyam, bringing a deep passion for the performing arts to all her endeavours. A trained classical dancer, she has honed her craft over the years and expanded her artistic pursuits to include theatre, with experience performing in several stage productions. Her interests also encompass Kannada literature, music, and the intricate tradition of Kolam, all of which enrich her creative journey and inspire her professional endeavours. An MBA graduate with a specialization in Finance, she combines her artistic discipline with strong analytical and problem-solving skills. Currently, she applies her expertise and attention to detail in her role as a Contracts Specialist at a reputed MNC, seamlessly blending creativity and professionalism.
S Sudhanva Kalkura
Yama

S Sudhanva Kalkura, a third-year Computer and Communication Engineering student at  Manipal Institute of Technology, is a passionate Yakshagana artist with over 14 years of  training under Guru Sanjeeva Suvarna. He has performed across India at prestigious venues,  including NSD Delhi, Kurukshetra, Rangayana Mysore, Ranga Shankara Bangalore, NSD  Bangalore, and Pune, where he presented a unique Hindi Yakshagana. Sudhanva also had the  honor of acting in a film directed by the legendary Girish Kasaravalli. With a deep interest in  art and culture and an adventurous spirit, he seamlessly blends his technical education with  his love for traditional arts, constantly exploring new horizons in creativity and  performance.
Pallavi Kodagu
Yama’s Attendant & Snake

Pallavi Kodagu is a theatre enthusiast who is pursuing her M.A. in English Literature. Having been exposed to the world of drama since childhood, she has developed keen interest in this field. Pallavi enjoys watching plays and spending time doing theatre. She is taking her theatre classes from Basuma Kodagu and is a part of Vanasuma Vedike Katapadi. She also has indulged herself in Yakshagana and is learning from Guru Sanjeeva Suvarna at Yakshasanjeeva Budnar. Pallavi has acted in a web series – EKAM, and has also been a part of few short films and art films.
Neeraj Singh
Ensemble

Neeraj Singh is a software engineer and an artist at heart, currently based in Udupi to delve into the traditional art form of Yakshagana. With over five years of experience in theatre, he has participated in more than ten productions under esteemed directors like JP Singh, Arvind Gaur, Sanjeev Kant, and Sunil Chitkara. His journey includes performing at the prestigious Bharat Rang Mahotsav 2022.

His short film, The Better Half, was nominated at IFP 2023, and he is set to appear in the upcoming TV series Rishtey. Before relocating to Udupi, he worked as a dubbing artist for Bhojpuri and Hindi projects. Passionate about performing arts, he is deeply interested in exploring its many facets while gaining a nuanced understanding of human psychology.
Praveenkumar
Ensemble

Praveenkumar is a cinephile aspiring to become an actor with a vivid interest in exploring and learning about life as a journey with various roles and parts to be played, influenced by circumstances, culture, history and the most interesting faction, people themselves. He found that his desire to savour all the experiences that a person could have in this existence, not just bound to his present period of time but also beyond, could be quenched through acting different characters. Also, that he could live through the experiences of different people and widen his knowledge about the plethora of emotions through cinema and theatre. In his quest to learn about behaviour and logics, he took up Economics, later did Counselling Psychology, and now moves on to explore himself with theatre and acting.
Shruti Bangera
Costume, Set Design & Actor

Shruti Bangera is a painter, Yakshagana artist, and Ph.D. researcher with a rich background in visual arts and theatre. She has been learning Yakshagana under the guidance of Sri Guru Bananje Sanjeeva Suvarna. Her significant contributions to Nagna Theatre and Abhyaas Theatre encompass visual dynamics, costumes, set design, and makeup. Additionally, Shruti has a longstanding interest in poster-making for Yakshagana and theatre performances. Also, has worked with Mahesh Dattani on a dramatic reading of his contemporary play, Dance Like a Goddess.
Soumya Zacharia
Production Coordination, Mentor & Actor

Soumya Zacharia completed her Bachelor’s in Arts from Christ University, Bangalore and Masters in English from Manipal Centre for Humanities, MAHE. She is currently a PhD scholar at MIC, MAHE in Film and Cultural Studies. She is trained in piano and keyboard. Her interests include films, theatre, music, art and dance.
Trisha Shetty
Assistant Director

Trisha Shetty is a self-proclaimed nerd novice who aspires to be a writer as an excuse to dive into her obscure interests in the name of research. She graduated from MGM College with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature, History, and Economics. The realisation that some stories cannot be told through the written word alone drove her to filmmaking. After working on numerous short films and a web-series, fate (and boredom) landed her into the absurdist theatre of Harold Pinter’s The Caretaker. This is her sixth play.
Kritika Verma
Assistant Director

Kritika Verma is a third-year student of the Integrated Program in Management at Manipal Centre for Business Practices. She is a part of MIT’s socio-theatrical society, ADA Dramatics, where she has done 4 stage plays and 4 street plays. She has some experience in acting and directing from school as well. Her primary interest lies in centre stage and specifically in script analysis – understanding the depth of a characters’ behaviours and portraying it on stage.
Atharv Mishra
Production Assistant

Atharv Mishra writes poems and short stories, and also likes to work on plays and scripts. As hobbies, he also loves to read and draw. He has directed and acted in multiple college level plays and street plays.
Amrutha
Production Assistant

Amrutha is a final-year student of European languages and intercultural studies at Manipal University. Passionate about films, she enjoys exploring and analyzing cinema across genres. Her current research focuses on examining the Indo-French relationship in cinema.
Bhavya Bharadwaj
Production Assistant

Bhavya Bharadwaj is a physicist pursuing his PhD in Nuclear Structure study at the Manipal Academy of Higher Education. He has been an active member of the college drama clubs since his undergraduate days at Manipal University, Jaipur. He graduated with a B.Tech in Mechatronics in 2020 and a Masters of Science in Photonics in 2022. The college clubs have and continue to provide him a space to experiment with his craftsmanship in acting, direction, writing, and every aspect of theatre making. On the professional front, he worked under Ravi Chaturvedi over the course of three plays, State vs Kalindi Patel (2017-2020), Janshatru (2018), and Guinea Pig (2018-2019).