“I had said many foolish things about him,” starts a famous film and theater actor, writer and director Prakash Belawadi, as he talks about his cooperation with Santeshivara Lingnaiya Bhirappa, who died on September 24, 2025 at the age of 94. Vamshawruksha, Nay Neralu And Manage Tabaliau Nened Made in films (most of which won awards and praise on national and international platforms).
Bhirappa Parva – A story of war, peace, love, death, God and man, Accompanied as a modern classic, is a retailing of Mahabharata Through individual reflections of its major characters. The story is set just before KurukshetraWar and Madra King begins with Salya and uses monolog (a technology used in theater) as a literary technique. Festival A play was adapted by Prakash, first met the legendary writer in a seminar.
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Prakash and Bhirappa with artists and crew Festival
Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
“It was shortly before 2009, although I don’t remember the exact year,” says Prakash. “I can hardly call it a formal meeting. What I remember is sharing the stage with him at the ‘Nudisiri’ event in the moodbidry, where I had to step as a speaker at the last time, after the scheduled guest, at that time, I was unfamiliar with his writing, because I was also influenced by intensive.
In 2012, when the English version of light happened to read Parv, He was amazed that a writer could be so bold. “I got his contact with journalist Vijayamma and reached him to get permission to turn Festival in a play. He wanted to know if i would stage Festival Staged as an all-night play or on different days with each Act. He also asked, “I hope you will not present Ekalvya and Karna as a feminist in the form of Naxalites or Kunti,” sharing the light, combining it with a laugh that he almost left the idea because it was difficult to adapt to the stage.
Book cover of English version. , Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
By then, Prakash had read Bhirappa Matadana “Only because I had to work in the serial of the same name of TN Sethram. I did not think the book was a great job, but then I read his autobiography, BhittiAnd the man was shocked by personality and his life. Then, I saw films based on his books, Leftist And GruhhangaRead more Nay Neralu As I had to write a review. In my review, I remember that I wrote, Bhirappa is a writer who writes without surprising life. It was immature on my behalf, even reviewing his writing even when I did not read all his works and it gave me a tough competition. ,
In 2012, Prakash directed Yashwant Sital Hunter“Jo, likes FestivalConsciousness is also a stream of the novel. Therefore, I gained some experience in opening internalism in an external dialogue form. “Therefore, when Director of Rangayan, Adnda Kariyappa, Mysuru invited Prakash to direct him to direct him, he chose Festival,
A scene from the drama, Festival
Photo Credit: Sudhakar Jain
“Although Bhirappa lived in Mysuru, Rangayan had never staged any of his work. Festival I brought me into contact with the author, which I first met at his residence in 2020. He again asked me how I would customize it on stage and said, ‘Please don’t add your left or right tilt’. I replied, “Sir, Festival That is your explanation MahabharataI will not remove it again, but I will be loyal to your version and what can I do for an eight -hour game. I will write the script, you will read it, then tell me if we can go ahead. He agreed, read the script, liked it and Festival Came alive on stage. ,
Prakash shares three major factors Festival This hit him hardly.“First, Bhirappa removed with all the boons. Second, he also discovered a way to rationalize the miraculous birth mentioned in the epic. Finally, he made the characters human, even calculated his age.” Apart from these, what was for light, the way Bhirappa treats women in his writing. For example, the idea of ​​Kunti’s Pandu and his masculinity and he failed to fulfill his erotic desires. This is the most excellent aspect about the novel. ,
Director with Bhirappa, in a discussion before staging Festival
Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
“Prakash explains how Bhirappa has produced subaltern characters, which is fully depicted as contempt for the ruling class. Festival And picks it up through Ekalavya.
Still award winners, from film Nay NeraluBhirappa’s novel adapted and directed by Girish Kasarwali. , Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Prakash says, “It was only when I read his work, I asked myself why I had ever written so foolish about him. Until then, his son, Uday told me that many people had called Bhirappa and advised him not to give me a stage rights. FestivalThe acceptance of Bhirappa and my script came as a blessing. I felt that I had crossed a significant range in the theater. Because Festival Changed my attitude of theater. ,
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Bhirappa, in his last show Festival In Bengaluru. Photo Credit: Courtesy: Prakash Belwadi
Apart from rehearsal, Bhirappa watched 12 shows Parva. In Bengaluru, on May 19, 2025, “We canceled a show on Friday and had to resume for Monday. After the show, I asked how many people came on Friday and went back.”
Published – September 29, 2025 06:13 pm IST