Mangaluru: A kissing scene between two Yakshagana artistes has created controversy during a programme here in Bantwal on September 16.
In a video that has gone viral on social media, it is alleged that during a traditional Yakshagana performance on “Rama Karunya”, two artistes Prashanth Shetty Nelyady and Rakesh Rai Adka of Kateel Mela who were portraying Jayantha and Sushame roles had a lip-lock.
The Yakshagana-Natya Vaibhava programme was organised on September 16 at Subraya temple in Bantwal taluk where Tenkutittu Patla Sathish Shetty was the Bhagavat.
However, reacting to the video of the Shringara scene that has gone viral and miffed Yakshagana fans, one of the artistes Rakesh said that the video had been edited with an intention to put the traditional art form in a bad light.
“No lip-lock scene took place. Since the show was running late, Yakshagana Bhagavatar told me that we should end the show quickly and I was trying to convey the same to artiste Prashanth Shetty, who was playing the female role. When Shetty was not able to comprehend what I was saying, I went close to tell him. This has been projected as if we got into a lip-lock. We hail from a reputed Yakshagana troupe and would never do anything that brings bad name to the art form. There were several people present in the hall and nobody had objected. It was later that an edited video clip went viral,” BM quoted Rakesh as saying.
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