MARGAO
Lights, Camera, Action! Ahead of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Ravindra Bhavan, Marago is bracing up for an overhaul of the sound system, projector and the screen at the Pai Tiatrist auditorium.
But, for tiatrists and tiatr lovers, the renovation of the Ravindra Bhavan means there won’t be shows for a month at the premiere cultural centre, popularly known as the Mecca of Tiatr.
Initially, staging of all tiatrs at the Pai Tiatrist auditorium was supposed to come to a halt from October 1. However, the delay in the floating and the completion of the tender process to execute the work of installing the new sound system, projector and the screen has come as a breather for the tiatrists, who have been given slots to stage their shows up to October 14.
One thing, however, is certain that Ravindra Bhavan will not be available for tiatrists and tiatr lovers for a minimum period of one month, first to facilitate execution of the work on the sound system, projector and the screen and until the curtains to come down on the 10-day IFFI festival.
Given the situation, some of the tiatr directors have started rescheduling their shows at the Pai Tiatrist auditorium. A couple of directors have even uploaded videos on the social media stating that shows will not be staged at the Ravindra Bhavan for a month.
If Ravindra Bhavan Chairman Rajendra Talak is to be believed, tiatrs will resume at the Pai Tiatrist auditorium after the IFFI. Talak said he has taken the tiatr directors in confidence before taking the decision. “The sound system, projector and the screen at the Pai Tiatrit hall will get a big face lift ahead of the IFFI festival. The project will be taken up and completed before IFFI. To facilitate smooth progress of work, it has been decided not to make available Pai Tiatrist auditorium for any activity, including tiatrs during the period”, he said.
Talak, however, has hastened to add that he is working very closely with tiatr directors to ensure the auditorium is made available to them to stage shows. “We had initially conveyed to the tiatr directors that the hall will not be available from October 1 to carry out the works. Since the tender process is not yet complete, we got back to the directors and allotted the slots to stage the shows up to October 14”, he said.
Talak, however, hastened to add the Pai Tiatrist auditorium will not be available during IFFI since films will be screened, adding that the tiatrs will resume at the auditorium from December 1.
Meanwhile, there’s good news in store for visitors to Ravindra Bhavan. The issue of illumination has been finally fixed. Talak said the non-functioning lights in the complex have been replaced.
Talak also said plans are afoot to revive the musical water fountain at the entrance.
