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House converted into a cultural hub
A corner house opposite a park in a serene neighbourhood at Sainikpuri in Hyderabad is now Rangbhoomi by Sneha Arts, a new cultural space for music/dance shows, open mics and theatre performances. Co-founded by artist Sneha Lata Prasad and theatre actor/director Jay Jha, the endearing te space launched recently is an expansion of the cultural dimension to new localities in the city.
Jay Jha (black tee) with participants of a theatre workshop
The house painted in vibrant colours greets visitors with a small courtyard, a canteen and an imposing metal-and-scrap sculpture of a man riding a horse on the top of the house. Walk around or relax on a concrete bench listening to birds chirping. With a 14×25 feet stage and a hall that can seat around 70 people, the space promises to engage the audience in an intimate setting.
Theatre workshop
Open mic session
The first theatre workshop with five members is on when we enter the hall to chat about the space. Jay, a founder of the KissaGo Theatre Group and also one of the co-founders of Rangbhoomi Spaces in Gachibowli, shares that the Gachibowli space has been shut down due to lease issues. “Initially, Sneha ma’am (Sneha Lata Prasad) who is also passionate about arts, culture and theatre, wanted to set up her sculpture studio here. Once she knew about our lease issue, she was encouraged to let this house transform into a creative hub,“ he shares, adding that Sainikpuri evokes nostalgia since he had lived in this area during college. “It is easy for me to shift and work here since there are friends and acquaintances to help.”
Challenging aspect
House lit before a show
The space that officially opened on Valentine’s Day with the play Banerjee Babu, has since had an open mic by Orange Carrot Productions. Jay admits that getting a crowd is a challenge in the area. “Watching a theatre performance is still new to this part of the town,” he adds. The team plans to stage plays by KissaGo to create buzz and let theatre lovers in the area know about the setting.
Sculptures created by artist Sneha Lata Prasad
However, there have been enquiries for music and dance shows, and a few schools have reached out to stage performances by their students. “Spaces like these help us realise doing theatre in front of a small gathering is also fun; we neither need a mic nor shout to make our voices heard. ”
The house lit before a show
With the aim of creating an arts/cultural centre in the neighbourhood, Jay hopes the space will make a mark. “At Gachibowli, Rangbhoomi Spaces took three months after its launch to get noticed. It has been only a month since this Rangbhoomi launched, so we hope to create a buzz slowly and steadily.”
Preksha Trivedi Company and KissaGo Theatre Group to stage Blind Men`s Club at Lamakaan and Rangbhoomi by Sneha Arts on March 16 and 17; Tickets: ₹200 on bookmyshow.com
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