PANAJI
Kala Rakhonn Mandd (KRM) has strongly disputed the claims made by Manoj Joshi, the lead actor of the play Chanakya, about the excellent and trouble-free lights and sound system at Kala Academy’s Dinanath Mangeshkar Auditorium.
In response to Joshi’s statement, which was circulated in a viral video, KRM revealed that the production team for Chanakya had hired external lights and sound services, citing a lack of trust in the Kala Academy’s installed systems. Despite this, Joshi claimed there were no issues with the technical setup during the performance on 25 April.
This controversy follows similar complaints raised by Marathi actor Sharad Ponkshe, who had criticised the auditorium’s technical difficulties during the play Purush. Ponkshe was forced to pause his performance midway due to system failures, resuming after a 10-minute delay under basic floodlights.
In a political twist, Goa’s Art and Culture Minister Govind Gaude attempted to downplay the issues, labelling them as a minor two-minute technical glitch and accusing political opponents of orchestrating a smear campaign against him.
KRM, however, has alleged that Gaude may be involved in influencing actors to make misleading statements in front of cameras, thus misrepresenting the situation to the public. The group also highlighted a series of ongoing technical problems at Kala Academy, including issues with curtains, roof leaks, sound and lighting failures, and faulty air conditioning systems, which have all been observed during various performances.
Cecile Rodrigues, General Secretary of KRM, condemned the repeated technical failures at the iconic venue and called for greater accountability in managing Kala Academy’s facilities.
