Vijayawada: Survival of theatre depends on patrons

Vijayawada: Theatre will flourish with artistes and technicians but the survival will be only with patrons.

In olden days the fine arts will be promoted and protected by the kings. Now there are no kings and kingdoms, only the public are rulers and hence the burden lies on the shoulders of the government. But the encouragement is not enough for survival of the theatre. Hence, the patrons have become more important in promoting the present theatre, says one of the foremost cultural promoters in Vijayawada and Guntur cities, Ambati Madhumohana Krishna, with whom The Hans India' had a brief interaction and discussed present trend and condition of theatre in the city.

Madhumohana Krishna is holding several dignified posts in many cultural organisations. He was president of NTR Kala Parishad, Guntur, Janapada Kala Kendram, Vijayawada, Nritya Ravali, Vijayawada Cultural Academy, AP Film Chamber and also Treasure for Narayanateertha Trust (Kaja).

"I strongly believe in sincere and hard work. If we intend to do good things God also will bless us with success. I love theatre and also other fine arts like dance and music. Hence, I render help to the organisations to promote the activities," Krishna said.

"I was born in a middleclass family in Gurazala village. My father Ambati Rangarao was a postmaster and mother Lalitha Devi was housewife. I was brought up with much discipline. During my childhood I set my goal to serve society and now with the grace of God I am doing to a certain extent," he said.

Madhumohana Krishna had his schooling and college studies in Guntur. During his school days itself he was attracted to theatre and participating in cultural programmes actively. After completion of his education, he started participating in parishad competitions along with Jaya Prakash Reddy (movie artiste) and bagged many awards. He exhibited excellent talent in the plays 'Siromani', 'Tikka Sankaraiah', 'Manduva Logili', 'Palnati veera Charitra' and 'Nayakuralu Nagamma'.

While working in Chennai, he joined Madhu film institute, Chennai and had training from Raja Rammohan Das and Devadas Kanakala. But he could not continue in Chennai and came back to Guntur.

"Though I am acting and doing some job in a private company my aim of serving the cultural field and also to the public has not vanished from my mind. To do anything we need money and I started a steel industry in Guntur and then entered into real estate. I invented a method to serve the middleclass and lower middleclass people by allotting the plots on a monthly instalment basis. I was succeeded in that and many middleclass people have become house owners now."

"Then I stated another venture namely 'Happy Resorts', wherein I made all my plot holders as members without their additional contribution. Like that I brought the middleclass people to enjoy on weekends. I still attend the cultural programmes and render help to the needy organisations," said Madhumohan.

While narrating his new charitable project, Madhumohana Krishna said that he started a charitable institution namely 'Happy Green Foundation Trust' with four main objectives. Firstly, the foundation aimed to implement the Green surrounding by planting trees. Secondly, rendering help to the old age homes both financially and also help the aged people those who are in below poverty line.

The third object of this organisation is to protect and safeguard the birds and animals by providing medical aid and also infrastructural help to other organisations having similar aims. Lastly, the organisation desires to render assistance to the orphans and orphanage homes.

While concluding, Ambati Madhumohana Krishna expressed that God has blessed him to help the needy people and to promote theatre. He also thanked his family members especially his wife Lakshmikantamma for their full support in discharging his aims and objectives uninterruptedly.