A CORRESPONDENT
PATHSALA: Statues of the father of mobile theatre, Achyut Lahkar and founder of Kohinoor Theatre, Ratan Lahkar were unveiled by minister Ranjeet Kumar Dass at Pathsala 'Pragati Sangha' in Bajali district.
In the meeting, Bhawanipur MLA Phanidhar Talukdar, former producer of Abahan Theatre- Krishna Ray, District Commissioner Bharat Bhushan Dev Chowdhury, Kiran Lahkar, wife of Achyut Lahkar, and many others were present. Ranjeet Kumar Dass said, "Mobile theatre should keep alive. The artistes of mobile theatre are idle now and if a new party is opened, there will be scope of employment generation."
Mobile theatre groups of Assam (known as 'Bhraymaman theatre' in Assamese) consist of a collective of actors, singers, dancers, directors, action artists, makeup artists, workers, and the producer. The theatre group moves from place to place within the state– from villages to towns to cities as indicated by the word 'mobile.' Mobile theatre has become increasingly visible in Assam as a medium of entertainment and as a part of its public culture. In the present time, almost 60 theatre groups perform their plays all over the state, making mobile theatre widely popular and visible. The first mobile theatre group of Assam was established in 1963 in Assam. It was Nataraj Theatre, founded by veteran theatre organizer Achyut Lahkar, also known as the father of Bhryamyman or Mobile theatre.
But in the prevailing situation following the outbreak of COVID-19 throughout the globe, uncertainity is looming large over the mobile theatre industry in Assam.
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