The COVID-19 and its fallout had hit artistes much harder than expected. Without a stage to perform, most of them were pushed to penury.
Rangachetana, a Thrissur-based theatre group, had been doing a novel crowd funding initiative to support performing artistes, who are struggling to survive.
Through the programme ‘Rangachetana Live’, the theatre group organises performances of the artistes at their own houses. The programme will be recorded and streamed live on Facebook. People, who watch the programme on Facebook, are requested to contribute whatever they can for supporting the artistes.
“Situation is much harder than we think. The COVID-induced lockdown had pushed many artistes and their families to penury. Though performances have started slowly, it will take a lot of time to get out of the situation,” said K.V. Ganesh of Rangachetana, coordinator of the programme.
“We have so far conducted 31 programmes. Each artiste was given an amount of ₹10,000. We could distribute more than ₹3 lakh so far to the struggling artists, Mr. Ganesh said. Rangachetana includes artistes from every sector in the programme. “The pain of poverty is the same for everyone,” he added.
Denying a stage for the performing artistes is very much frustrating. The ‘Rangachetana Live’ provides them a platform to perform. “What they are getting is the remuneration for their performance. We respect their self-esteem,” he said.
The Rangachetana Live started on August 5.
“We conducted the programme at the house of Omana Valliserry (N.N. Velayudhan), a music director of many plays, on November 7. He, who played harmonium, flute, bulbul and percussion instruments and was an active presence on the stages. Omana, who was fighting cancer, died on Monday,” he said.
“Performances were the sole source of income for most of the artistes. When the stage itself is closed, what will they do to make a living. As it is an online programme, art loving people from anywhere can be part of it. We have been running the program mostly with the support of art lovers and friends. Now we need contribution and sponsorship from more people to take the programme forward,” Mr. Ganesh said.
Art and culture have kept us going in our hard times. Now it’s the time for us to give back, he said.
In the 31st episode of Rangachetana Live on Tuesday, Keshavan Nair and Saramma of Premalekhanam, the famed novel of Vaikam Mohammed Basheer, met each other once again.
After more than two-decades of the first performance of Premalekhanam, theatre adaptation directed by film and theatre director Priyanandanan, Sajeevan Vallissery, who donned role of Keshavan Nair went to the house of Tessy Pazhuvil, who did Saramma’s role.
