Gubbi Veeranna

Infobox actor
bgcolour = silver
name = Gubbi Veeranna


imagesize = 200px
caption =
birthdate = 1890
location = Gubbi, Tumkur district, Karnataka, India
height =
deathdate =1953
deathplace =
yearsactive =
birthname =
othername =
homepage =
academyawards =

Gubbi Veeranna ( _kn. ಗುಬ್ಬಿ ವೀರಣ್ಣ) was an Indian theatre director, one of the pioneers and most prolific contributors to Kannada theatre. He established the drama company, "Gubbi Veeranna Nataka Company" that played a crucial role in promoting the Kannada theatre. Some of the stalwarts that have emerged out of this company include Dr. Rajkumar, B. Jayashree and G. V. Shivananda.cite web|url=http://www.ourkarnataka.com/Articles/starofmysore/knowhero.htm|work=Online web page of OurKarnataka.com|title=Nataka Ratna Gubbi Veeranna|publisher=© 1998-00 OurKarnataka.Com,Inc.|accessdate=2007-06-19] He is conferred the title "Nataka Ratna" meaning "jewel in the theatre world". "Gubbi Veeranna Nataka Company" is the first theatre company in Karnataka to employ female artists to portray female characters on the stage.cite web|url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2003/03/06/stories/2003030600800200.htm|work=Online Edition of the Hindu, dated 2003-03-06|author=Deepa Ganesh|title=Dramatic silences|publisher=2003, the Hindu|accessdate=2007-06-19] There is a popular saying that "the story of Gubbi Veeranna's company is the story of the Kannada theatre" which indicates the standing of this company in the theatre world.cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/mp/2002/10/17/stories/2002101700330200.htm|title= All the city was a stage for them|work=Online Edition of The Hindu dated 2002-10-17|author=K. Chandramouli|publisher=2002, The Hindu|accessdate=2007-06-19] Apart from theatre, Gubbi Veeranna has also produced films and acted in them as well.

Biography

Gubbi Veeranna was born in the town of Gubbi in the Tumkur district of Karnataka in the year 1890. He started a drama company called "Gubbi Shree Chenna Basaveshwara Nataka Company" and started producing plays in which he also acted sometimes. He had four wives, three of them being Sundaramma, Bhadramma and Jayamma. He had an unnerving commitment towards the theatre. An incident to corroborate this is when his second wife Sundaramma who was also an artist with the company died on the stage while enacting a play. It is said that Gubbi Veeranna who was also acting in the play along with his children, did not stop the play but allowed it to continue till the end. He and his children attended to her dead body only after the play stopped. Veeranna also is credited for having groomed people like Rajkumar and B. V. Karanth. He not only helped them groom their career in the theatre field but also provided them with other financial help. As an example, Veerana provided financial contribution towards B. V. Karanth's graduation and masters degree at Banaras Hindu University.cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/2002/sep/04spec.htm|title=Tribute|author=Girish Karnad|work=Online webpage of Rediff.com|accessdate=2007-06-19]

Theatre company

Initially located in Gubbi, the company started to travel to different places and stage plays in those locations. The company had a troupe of more than 150 artists and backstage workers.cite web|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2000/20001111/windows/main1.htm|title=All life is an accident|author=Kuldip Dhiman|work=Online Edition of The Tribune, dated 2000-11-11|accessdate=2007-06-19] Some popular plays staged by the company included "Sadaarame" and "Yechamma Nayaka". These plays consisted of innovations like trick scenes, floods, clouds and rain. In those days, dramas used were staged for free with people only paying according to their liking at the end of the drama. However, Gubbi Veeranna's dramas were an exception with people willing to buy tickets to watch them. Most of the actors and actresses that entered the Kannada cinema world in those days were from this drama company. Later the company opened branches in different places. An important branch of the company was the Mysore branch which staged popular plays and the finances generated from this branch actually sustained the whole company. The humorist Hirannaiah was one of the persons responsible for the popularity of the Mysore branch.cite web|url=http://www.deccanherald.com/archives/may82005/finearts8467200556.asp|work=Online edition of the Hindu, dated 2005-08-05|title=Blessed with the gift of the gab|publisher=2005, The Hindu|accessdate=2007-06-19] Gubbi Veeranna's company first came to Bangalore in the year 1916. Later Gubbi Veeranna constructed his own theatre in Bangalore on the Subedar Chatram Road in 1924 and the Shivananda Theatre (now called as Movieland) in 1930. Probably, the most famous artist to emerge out of the Gubbi Veeranna company was Rajkumar. Rajkumar's father Singanallur Puttaswamiah was an actor in the company and Rajkumar and his brother joined the company as child artistes.cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/fr/2006/04/14/stories/2006041402600100.htm|work=Online edition of The Hindu, dated 2006-04-14|title=Raja bequeaths empire|author=Muralidhar Khajane|publisher=2006, The Hindu|accessdate=2007-06-19] Rajkumar actually attributed his command over the Kannada language and his singing skills to the training he underwent under the watchful eyes of Gubbi Veeranna.

Film production

Gubbi Veeranna also started "Karnataka Gubbi Productions" which was a company to produce films. Later called as "The Karnataka Films Ltd.", it is attributed to have started the film career of Rajkumar when it agreed to offer him the lead role in his first film Bedara Kannappa.cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/2006/04/14/stories/2006041414760400.htm|work=Online edition of The Hindu, dated 2006-04-14|title=Rajkumar had a link with Hubli|publisher=2006, The Hindu|accessdate=2007-06-19] He has also produced silent movies like "His Love Affair" which was directed by a foreigner, Raphel Algoet. In this film, the lead role of the actor was played by Gubbi Veeranna himself and the actress was none other than his wife, Jayamma.cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/2001/10/18/stories/13181282.htm|work=Online edition of The Hindu, dated 2001-10-18|title=Mylapore and movies|publisher=2006, The Hindu|accessdate=2007-06-19]

Recognition

The Karnataka government has instituted the Gubbi Veeranna award for excellence in theatre in his memory. B. V. Karanth is a recipient of this award.

Notes

Persondata
NAME = Gubbi Veeranna
ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
SHORT DESCRIPTION = Indian theatre director, one of the pioneers and most prolific contributors to Kannada theatre.
DATE OF BIRTH = 1890
PLACE OF BIRTH = Gubbi, Tumkur district, Karnataka, British India
DATE OF DEATH = 1953
PLACE OF DEATH =