‘Theatre should make efforts to retain old audience, attract new one’

Journalist and theatre artiste Bandu Kulkarni said that theatre should make continuous efforts to retain its old audience and attract new audience to the theatre, just like the efforts made by newspapers to retain old readers and attract new ones.

He was responding to the honour after being conferred with the “Abhinaya Bharathi Award” on the occasion of World Theater Day, organised by the theatre organisation Abhinaya Bharathi at the Institute of Engineers auditorium in Dharwad on Friday.

Returning the award money to Abhinaya Bharati, Mr. Bandu Kulkarni said he was indebted to the organisation for the opportunities in theatre given to him during his early days.

Prof. Basavaraj Anami, Registrar of KLE Technological University, said that it was required to use technological tools to enrich the theatre in the current digital era. New media could be utilised to bring the youths to the theatre, he said. Prof. Anami also returned the honorarium given to him to Abhinaya Bharati.

Arvind Kulkarni presided over the event, while Vinayak Nayak made introductory remarks. A host teachers, senior artistes attended the event.