HYDERABAD: The dance production ‘Karpura Vasantha Rayalu’ was as beautiful as it is written and described in Cingireddi Narayana Reddy’s book with the same name. The long poem came alive on stage for the first time at Ravindra Bharathi on his 93rd birth anniversary. Among the many pioneering works in Telugu literature by C Narayana Reddy, popularly known as CiNaRe in the Telugu states, the dance production stands out for its beautiful poetic composition, showcasing his expertise.
It depicts the love between a medieval Reddy king, Kumara Giri, and his court dancer, Lakuma Devi. Organised by the Smt Susheela Narayana Reddy Trust and directed by Anupama Kylash, Professor of Kuchipudi at the University of Silicon Andhra, this production enchanted the audience with its emotional depth and visualisation. Set in the context of the Kondaveedu Kingdom in the early 14th century, the storyline revolves around King Kumaragiri Reddy, AKA Karpura Vasantarayalu, played by Pramod Reddy, and the courtesan Lakuma Devi, poignantly portrayed by Vyshnavi Korlakunta.
As the king sees her dancing, he becomes infatuated with Lakuma and soon falls in love with her. “I heard of CiNaRe’s ‘Karpura Vasantarayalu’ long ago, and playing this role is a great experience. As a Bharatanatyam dancer, adapting to a narrative format was an interesting exploration.
In my 30 years of experience, this is one work where I am trying intense Abhinaya and becoming a character for a full-length production. .