JOIN USTwo groups showcase Karnataka arts on FB
Covid has killed the theatre as we knew it, but social media is keeping the passion alive for some groups in Karnataka.
'Samskruta Siri' and 'Amanthrana' together account for about 200 artists and 1 lakh followers on Facebook, and they regularly present recordings and live shows. They cover dance, especially Yakshagana-inspired choreography, and music.
“We have released three music albums and four more are in the making,” says Kishore Kumar, moving spirit behind 'Samskruta Siri', based in Belthangady, Dakshina Kannada.
Many children are trained to sing and dance for the shows, and their parents show great enthusiasm, says Vijaykumar Aladangadi, promoter of 'Amanthrana', based in Karkala in Udupi.
When Apeksha Pai sang Kannada songs, she got a live audience of one lakh. This surpassed the 600-plus audience she might have got at a hall, says Vijaykumar.
'Samskruta Siri' and 'Amanthrana' have been hosting live events for five and seven years respectively. They have taken their shows to Kundapur, Puttur, Uppinangadi, Belthangady, Ujire and Mangaluru. Between 2017 and 2020, they organised 'Amanthrana Habba' with 4,000-5,000 people attending their shows. But then, Covid struck.
The 'Samksruta Siri' team now includes digital editors, make-up artists, and choreographers. Not all are professionals; they come together when a show is coming up.
“The videos are provided by the artistes, but we do give them guidelines. For this coordination, we have created a Facebook page called ‘Tent of Talent,’ maintained by Prasanna Acharya and Subramanya of Karkala.
Word of mouth draws artistes to the group. “Many log on to our website and inform us about their talent,” says Kishore.