Theatre, film luminaries bid farewell to Karanth

BANGALORE: Theatre giant BV Karanth was given a state funeral on Monday, even as Chief Minister SM Krishna said all his medical bills will be borne by the state government.
The Ravindra Kalakshetra premises overflowed with theatre, literary and film personalities streaming in to pay their last respects to Karnath. Krishna, who came to lay a wreath, told reporters: ``Karanth''s contribution to Kannada and Hindi theatre is unparalleled. His last few days were fraught with worry. The state government will bear all his hospitalisation bills.''''
The entire Rangayana team -- Karanth''s brainchild -- and its director S. Prasanna were present, along with Nitoor Srinivasa Rao, U.R. Ananthamurthy, M.S. Sathyu, H. Narasimhaiah, Chidambara Rao Jambe, H.G. Dattatreya, C.R. Simha, Raghunandan, Nagarathnamma and others. T.S. Nagabharana and Vaishali Kasaravalli were present all through Karanth''s illness and on the last day.
Several prominent theatre persons from Mysore also came to pay their respects to Karanth. Meanwhile, some of the prisoners from the Bangalore Central Jail who are performing the play `Madhavi'' directed by one of Karanth''s students -- Hulugappa Kattimani -- on Monday evening, also brought a wreath for Karanth.
Karanth''s Gubbi Veeranna theatre company mates -- Rajkumar and G.V. Iyer -- paid their respects. While Rajkumar had visited him twice in the hospital and once earlier at his home, Iyer stayed till the funeral was complete at the Wilson Garden crematorium.
Theatre troupe Benaka''s old team of Sunderraj, Shobha Raghavendra, Kalpana Naganath and Nagini Bharana sang several of Karanth''s trademark Rangageethe (theatre songs). As they sang ``Bandano Banda Savaara'''' from Hayavadana, theatre persons had tears in their eyes.