Can you believe having a conversation about Shakespear and Charlie Chaplin with a man who sells paan or drives a bullock cart in India? Well then do take a tour of Heggodu, a small village in the north of Karnataka.

Just a peek into the culture of this too-good-to-be-true village will reveal how much knowledge the inhabitants actually have about Hollywood classics and world-famous-texts. Here, it is very common for the villagers to be seen discussing French cinemas or debating over the literary play they liked the most. The village also boasts of a library that is stocked with films and plays from all over the world.

Courtesy: https://www.99doing.com

However, the real question is how? How did a village with a population of less than 1000 acquire such a queer culture? The answer lies in one man-K.V Subbanna-a plantation owner whose vision of reviving ancient Indian plays and sharing world-famous theatrical works with the people of his village was put to work through a theatre company founded by his family-Ninasam.

Along with setting up an institute of performing arts, the company established several such institutions, including a travelling theatre company, library, publishing house, film society, three performance stages and also introduced annual culture courses and organized events like summer workshops and film festivals.

These institutions and events have not only helped the Kannada-speaking natives of the village get familiar with the renowned Indian and International writers like Kalidasa, Bernard Shaw and Leo Tolstoy, but also acquire a deep passion for their works.

Courtesy: https://www.natgeotraveller.in/

Today if you see, Ninasam has achieved exactly what it aimed to do-blend theatre, films, and literature with everyday life. So, at Heggodu, you will not see people breaking away from their usual life routine to practice art, but you will see people with real jobs and families taking out some time every day to participate in theatre or just simply enjoy it.

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