A one-year-old and her great-grandmother, a 78-year-old, belonging to one extended family, shared the stage on Tuesday, as Bhanodaya Natya Mandali (Surabhi) opened a five-day festival at the Kalabharati Auditorium in Visakhapatnam to mark 141 years of the Surabhi theatre tradition, with a staging of ‘Bhaktha Prahlada’.

Bhanodaya Natya Mandali is one of 12 troupes currently functioning under the Surabhi banner, a theatrical lineage that traces its origins to 1885. The Mandali itself was founded in 1993 and is completing 32 years this year, said R. Bhanu Prasad, a key member and artiste with the troupe. He said its growth owed much to his grandfather, R. Nageswara Rao, who led Surabhi theatre for several decades.

The festival, which will run till June 20 with performances beginning at 6 p.m. each evening, will also feature ‘Pathala Bhairavi’, ‘Lava Kusa’, ‘Bhookailas’ and ‘Mayabazar’. Police Commissioner Shankhabrata Bagchi, and former Deputy Mayor Dadi Satyanarayana were among the dignitaries present. The celebrations are being held in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, government of India.

Mr. Prasad said the 40 artistes who performed on the opening day belonged to a single extended family, ranging from one-year-old Kurthananda to 78-year-old R. Pushpalatha. “All artistes, from children to senior members, contribute not only as actors but also to makeup, stage management, sound, lighting and other production work,” he said, describing the scale of Surabhi’s productions as distinct from most other theatrical traditions.

Tributes paid

He said Visakhapatnam was chosen for this year’s festival as a tribute to two people associated with the region.

“We chose to hold this festival in Visakhapatnam because no Surabhi performances had been staged in the city following the passing of thespian and organiser Badamgir Sai, who played a key role in popularising Surabhi Theatre in the Visakhapatnam region,” he said, adding that the festival was also being held in memory of his grandfather, R. Nageswara Rao. The celebrations were originally planned for Hyderabad.

Mr. Prasad said sustaining the art form was becoming harder, with social media now competing for audience attention after decades of competition from cinema and television. He said the troupe stages 120-150 shows annually across the country to sustain its artistes. “Support from the government would go a long way in helping sustain these traditions,” he said.