Police reportedly stopped giving permission for performing ‘Chintamani’ drama citing law and order problem. Some dialogues and songs in the play were creating problems triggering violence in villages, say the police.
Artistes, however, claim that Chintamani was a good message oriented theme which reflects the turbulence in the life of a woman and explains the fate of the people who were influenced by bad habits. But, some artistes are performing the drama by adding obscene songs and dialogues.
These dialogues had become a bane for genuine artistes as police refused to accord permission for the stage-play as a few troupes are exaggerating some characters and dialogues. “If we permit Chintamani drama in villages, some people are creating nuisance causing law and order problem. Instead of Chintamani, we request the artists to perform Sri Krishna Tulabaram, Kanyasulakam, Satya Harischandra and other plays,” said a police officer.
Speaking to The Hindu, an artist K. Ganesh Kumar of K. Hariprasad Nataka Kala Samithi said the famous play explains how Chintamani, an ardent devotee of Lord Sri Krishna, was pushed into prostitution in unavoidable situation and narrates her sufferings.
The theme revolves around a scholarly person from a reputed family who loses his family members and property and spoils his life after getting addicted to bad habits. The play spreads the moral on the need to put an end to ‘dasi’ system in the society.
“Chintamani is a good play and some crores of people like it even today. Many artist troupes are depended exclusively on Chintamani. There is a need to protect the originality of the famous play,” said Mr. Ganesh Kumar.