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The Karanth case

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                                    NK SINGH The dramatic arrest of the prominent 57-year-old theatre director, B. V. Karanth on a charge of attempting to burn to death Vibha Mishra, the pretty 27-year-old heroine of his drama troupe at Bhopal last week has rocked the world of art. He had joined Bharat Bhavan, the lake-side House of Arts' at Bhopal, four years ago.  Although Karanth has dabbled in films and produced nationally-acclaimed works like "Chomana Duddi" and "Kedu", he is better known as a theatre director and playwright. A diploma-holder from the National School of Drama, Delhi, and the Asian Theatre Institute, he started his career with the famous "Gubbi" company in his native Karnataka. He has directed world classics not only in, Kannada and Hindi, but also in Punjabi, Gujarati and Sanskrit. He was director of the prestigious National School of Drama from 1977 to 1981 when he was p...
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MP organises dances while world mourns Bhopal victims

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NK SINGH

Bhopal: The day the world will be observing 'Bhopal Day', to mourn the dead on the 100th day of the worst industrial disaster in history, the Madhya Pradesh Government Culture Department will start a celebration of classical dances.

By a cruel coincidence, the State Government's Culture Department will organise its week-long Khajuraho festival of classical dances from March 12, the day the international environment groups, including the United Nations agencies, have decided to observe as Bhopal Day.

The Culture Department and ifs prestigious show-piece, Bharat Bhavan, the multi-arts complex at Bhopal, was the subject of a recent controversy because of its insensitivity towards the plight of the poor illiterate gas victims.

In a handout issued here on Saturday, the Madhya Pradesh Government has invited tourists from all over the world for the "most spectacular and exhilarating cultural experience of the year". Renowned dancers like Yamini Krishnamurti, Protima Bedi and Padma Subramanyam will participate in this seven-day "extravaganza of classical dance".

Ironically, the day the Khajuraho festival will be inaugurated by Yamini Krishnamurti, the Citizen's Relief and Rehabilitation Committee, set up three months ago to help the gas-hit people, will pay "homage to the gas victims" at the main gate of the Union Carbide Factory at Bhopal,

The committee, in a hand-out, has urged the people to observe Bhopal Day in their respective towns and villages to pay their respect to the 'martyrs'. Besides solidarity meetings in the shanty towns surrounding the Union Carbide Factory and a public meeting, a film on Bhopal disaster made by the avanti-garde filmmaker, Tapan Bose, will also be screened on the occasion.

Express news service

March 5,1985




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