Ongole: Revoke ban on Chintamani, artistes demand government

Ongole: The artistes from across Prakasam district staged a protest in front of the Collectorate here on Monday demanding the government to lift the ban on Chintamani play. Angalakurti Prasad and Dhenuvakonda Subbaiah

from Rangabhumi Kalakarula Sangham and Prakasam Zilla Kalakarula Aikya Vedika have jointly organised the protest.

State Nataka Academy former member Dhenuvakonda Subbaiah, Prasad and others said that the decision of the government to ban a play that was written more than a century ago was atrocious. They suggested that if anyone have objections over the content of the play, the government could censor certain parts or dialogues, but it's not advisable to completely ban the literary work of great writers.

They demanded the government to immediately remove the ban on Chintamani play written by Kallakuri Narayana Rao, and appoint a committee to look into the objections on the Chintamani play and cut the portions of dialogues obscene or objectionable to a section of the society, and permit for the performances.

Noted artists Vaka Sanjeeva Reddy, Kanamala Raghavulu, Polavarapu Bhujanga Rao, Yelchuri Anantalakshmi, Talluri Sridevi and others also participated in the protest and submitted a representation to the Joint Collector.