To offset costs due to limited seating capacity, ticket prices have been hiked from Rs 200 to Rs 250; directors stress that high production costs, closure of Ravindra Bhavan venue have made this move necessary
Tiatr directors seen having an interaction with Ravindra Bhavan, Margao Chairman Rajendra Talak and TAG President Anthony Barbosa on Thursday.
Photo Credits: Santosh Mirajkar
MARGAO
With the Pai Tiatrist hall at Ravindra Bhavan, Margao out of bounds for all programmes at least till August, tiatr is set to make a return at the Gomant Vidya Niketan hall, Margao in a big way.
However, given the limited capacity of the GVN hall, the directors have made a fervent plea to tiatr lovers to support their decision to hike the show ticket from Rs 200 to Rs 250 to make the shows economical.
In fact, tiatr directors, who had either launched or were to launch their shows in the monsoon season, have decided to stage the shows at the Gomant Vidya Niketan Hall, Margao. The announcement was made by some of the directors after an interaction with Chairman of Ravindra Bhavan, Margao, Rajendra Talak, wherein they were told that the Pai Tiatrist hall will not be available till August.
Saying it is now clear that the Pai Tiatrist hall at the Ravindra Bhavan, Margao will not be available for programmes till August, Tiatr Director Constantino Crasto said the tiatr directors have been left with no option than to stage their shows at the GVN hall, Margao. He, however, hasten to add that shows at the GVN hall will not fit in the budget of directors given the limited seating capacity of the hall. “Given the unprecedented situation, the tiatr directors have decided to stage their shows at the GVN in the interest of tiatr and to provide entertainment for the tiatr lovers. We receive good response from tiatr lovers during the rainy season and also we as directors also release our tiatrs during the monsoon,” he said.
He added: “At the Pai Tiatrist hall, we charge Rs 200 per person for a show. But, at the GVN, we have decided to hike the ticket to Rs 250 so that the rate fit in our budget. The audience have also supported tiatrs and have helped to keep it alive over the decades. We expect similar cooperation from the tiatr lovers for shows to be staged at the GVN, Margao.”
Another director pointed out that directors, who release their shows during the monsoon are the worst sufferers due to the closure of the Ravindra Bhavan. “Huge money goes into the making of a tiatr. Due to the closure of the Pai Tiatrist hall, many directors could not even stage a show at the hall. Hence, we have decided to stage our shows at the GVN, Margao,” he said.
He added: “Since the GVN capacity is just 450 seats, we have decided to marginally hike the ticket fee from Rs 200 to Rs 250 to make the shows economical. Tiatr has survived because of the patronage extended by the tiatr lovers over the years. We hope for continued support from the people in view of the prevailing circumstances.”
Tiatr fraternity questions Ravindra Bhavan’s structural stability, demands safety audit
MARGAO: With the Ravindra Bhavan, Margao main auditorium shut for public, tiatr directors have raised a host of questions, including the safety audit of the imposing structure, besides its structural stability.
Noted Tiatr Director Sammy Tavares told the media after an interaction with Chairman of Ravindra Bhavan Rajendra Talak that no one is ready to take responsibility on the present state of affairs of the Pai Tiatrist auditorium.
“The Ravindra Bhavan Chairman has assured us that he would ensure the repair work will be taken up on a war footing to make available the auditorium for programmes. But, safety issues remain unanswered, but the chairman says the maintenance of the Ravindra Bhavan falls in the domain of the PWD,” Sammy told the media.
He said the chairman even could not answer why there was a delay in taking up the work on repair of the roof, pushing the buck on the PWD. “The collapse of the false ceiling and the closure of the auditorium due to safety concerns have thrown up the question whether any safety audit of the structure was carried out any time, but the chairman said the PWD would be in a position to answer,” he added.
A retired Superintendent of Police, Sammy Tavares said the PWD is mandated to issue a certificate for a stage before a VIP comes on the dais for any programme. “In the instant case, hundreds of people assemble at the Ravindra Bhavan auditorium for any given show. Why is there no safety audit, who will take the responsible for any unfortunate incident or a tragedy,” he questioned, demanding to know whether Ravindra Bhavan will push the blame on the PWD.
He added: “If the Ravindra Bhavan was inaugurated 17 years ago, the management should tell the public how many times the PWD had conducted the safety audit and the structural stability.”
Compensation for tiatr directors: TAG chief to take up issue with CM
MARGAO: Tiatr Academy of Goa President Anthony Barbosa who also attended the meeting convened by Ravindra Bhavan, Chairman Rajendra Talak has assured the directors that he would talk to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on the question of compensating the beleaguered tiatr directors.
“On a positive note, TAG president Anthony Barbosa has assured to discuss with the Chief Minister on the question of compensation. He will talk to the directors before approaching the Chief Minister,” Sammy Tavares informed.
Talak refutes claims of targeting tiatr, says safety in PWD’s domain
MARGAO: Chairman of Ravindra Bhavan, Rajendra Talak has urged people not to believe in what he termed as false propaganda that the Ravindra Bhavan management is out to destroy tiatr by shutting down the main auditorium.
He told the media that he is not a technical person to comment on the safety aspects and structural stability of the Ravindra Bhavan auditorium, saying the matter falls in the domain of the PWD.
Saying he has no power to offer compensation to the tiatr directors, Talak said MLAs who are demanding compensation should raise the issue in the Legislative Assembly. “I have no powers to give compensation. What I can do is to refund the money back to the producers,” he said.
He said Margao MLA Digambar Kamat will soon meet Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and get the financial sanction to take up the false ceiling repair work. “There is a wrong message being circulated that Ravindra Bhavan has deliberately stopped tiatr. This is absolutely false. The tiatrists know what we have done at the institution in the last two years. There is no question of stopping tiatr,” Talak added.
