About Prakasam ®2009

About PraKaSam for Kala Soudha

Pra.Ka.Sam or Pradarshana Kalaa Samsthe is an NGO created with the sole intention of promoting,
nurturing and creating new works of performing arts. Prakasam strives hard to achieve its
primary goal of promoting and nurturing young talent & providing a sustainable platform
for performing arts, Prakasam has been active in media and related performing arts field.
since 2001.

Founder:
P D Sathish Chandra aka PD is best known as an actor first and then a communications professional. After his last media stint as the Program Director for 93.5 Red FM in Karnataka, he is now full time into acting in the sitcom Panduranga Vittala (Videos) & Bhale Basava on Zee Kannada and other film projects. He has been involved in all forms of performing acts, in movies (Kutty Srank - winner of 7 national awards, Parari, Lifeu Istene, Minugu, Prem Ka Game, Aa Dinagalu etc.) and is instantly recognised as the comedian from the TV sitcom Panduranga Vittala and for his other stints in serials like Gali Gali Sim Sim, Yakhingadtiro etc. He also ran a spoof news show for Public TV called Vaaranna for four months.

  
But his first love, theatre, takes centre stage. He has acted in over 50 plays in Kannada, English, Hindi, Marathi & Bengali. Prakasam is currently into promoting youth in theatre and getting newer audiences to come back to theatre though their Kala Krushi projects. His modelling experience ranges from TV spots, voice over to hoardings. He was also a radio jockey (RJ) with Radio One for a year hosting a real time retro show.

His experience in performing arts dates to his college days when he played an active role in theatre. Slowly his interest grew into passion, and he was into mainline theatre stream with his group Fourth Corner. His stand-up comedy act was revisited, and he started acting in mainstream amateur theatre. He was part of the founding team of Ranga Shankara till the first year of its operations. His love for teaching started with his first job at NMKRV College for Women and continues with Frames where he teaches theatre to aspiring actors.

A combination of his enthusiasm for performing arts and his flair for writing has resulted in PD penning many articles, scripts, and poems. He had been reviewing theatre for The Times of India and continues to contribute articles related to performing arts to leading publications.  
With a master’s in mass communications, he has been actively working with his company Fourth Corner to provide communication solutions to his clients. He has also handled media relations and corporate communications before his passion took him full time to performing arts.

People Behind:

Sihi Kahi Chandru - He is the biggest figure of the Kannada television industry, especially when it
comes to comedy serials. He has directed Papa Pandu and Silli Lalli which crossed a record 1,000 episodes and has also worked in the capacity of an actor in over 200 Kannada movies. With a career spanning across 35 years in the arena of performing arts, Chandru is the chief mentor of KH Kala Soudha. He has extended his unconditional support to make this a successful venture. We at KH Kala Soudha deeply respect and appreciate his patronage and hope to have his continued support in all our future endeavors.

Mandya Ramesh - This is another name which brings theatre and movies closer. Natana, his repertory, has produced talented actors who have made their presence felt in all departments of the Kannada film and television industry. He has acted in over 100 movies and many TV serials, totaling up a rich performing arts experience of 30 years. He has supported us with his guidance on actual running and day-to-day management of KH Kala Soudha. His inputs in making the auditorium performance-friendly is commendable. His presence on our board of advisors has given us the momentum to upgrade the auditorium operations to match international standards.

Gita Chopra - Geeta Citygirl Chopra is a proud native New Yorker that joins the KH Kala Soudha family as an international connection. Hailed as the "South Asian theater's grand diva" by AsianWeek, her acting, directing, and producing credits span a glitteringly dissimilar array of thematic elements and inspired energies. With a mission to connect all people and link all the arts in the spirit of progressive solidarity, Citygirl started SALAAM Theatre, the first professional South Asian theatre/arts company in the USA. As Artistic Director of SALAAM since the year 2000, she has had the opportunity to express her personal and creative ideals. Graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts NY and the City College of New York. Favorite Acting Credits: Rafta, Rafta… (The Old Globe, San Diego, CA). NY Stage: Charles Mee’s Queens Boulevard (Signature Theatre), Serendib (Ensemble Studio Theatre), The Wound (La MaMa ETC), Democracy in Islam (Theater for the New City), Trail of Tears (TNC), Kalighat (BPAC), Gallathea, Law Against Lovers, Five on the Black Hand Side (Aaron Davis Hall). TV/Film credits: www.imdb.me/citygirl

Srinvas G. Kapanna - Kappanna had a humble beginning; he started stage work as a student at the National College, Basavanagudi, where the eminent Padmabhushana Dr H. Narasimhaiah and Make-up Nani became his mentors. Since then, he has contributed immensely to stage lighting, stage design, play production, presentation of folk and classical forms among others. Promotion of Indian culture, especially Kannada culture, has been the focus. He recently completed a meritorious stint as Chairman of the Karnataka Nataka Akademi. He has been conferred the National Sangeet Natak Academy Award and the Rajyotsava Award and has other awards and accolades to his credit.

Vijay Padki - Vijay Padki is a psychologist and a behavioural scientist by training and founder director of the P&P Group, a management resource centre. He has been active in theatre for over five decades. He joined Bangalore Little Theatre (BLT) in 1960 and served the company in various capacities including actor, director, trainer, writer, designer, and administrator, not to mention his three stints as president. He has also won the award for the best contemporary play script instituted by the Hindu for the play Credit Titles.

Dr. B.V Rajaram - He is a PhD holder of Dramatics and has been a theatre legend from past 40 years. He is acting Director of Karnataka Nataka Academy and has been instrumental in famous Kannada theatre troupe Kala Gangothri. He has worked closely with the Government of Karnataka and other national and international theatre bodies in the past. He has won many laurels including Nataka Academy’s award in 1992. He has presented his entire support for us in our endeavor of Kala Soudha.

Production list: please visit - https://prakasamtrust.blogspot.com/2023/10/prakasam-production-list.html

Team PraKaSam Contact Details:
Email: prakasamtrust@gmail.com
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