The Bangari of telly tales

This theatre artiste has come a long way from his tiny village five kilometers from Vanalli village in Sirsi, Uttara Kannada district. The Bangari of Kannada television, Sri Dutta, a former journalist who once worked for a vernacular newspaper, left his job for a diploma in theatre and arts at Rangashankara in Mysuru. He shares his journey and his love for theatre, drama and television.
“Ever since high school, I have always participated in extracurricular activities, especially school dramas, plays and even some dramas through a company comprising professionals. That was where I learnt the basics of the local flavour of Yakshagana,” says Sri Dutta.

However, after pursuing his graduation, he switched careers to journalism and worked for a vernacular newspaper at Sirsi. Nonetheless, art came calling soon after, and he started performing with a senior colleagues at work who also had similar interests.

“It was fortunate that I could continue theatre thanks to my colleagues at work. When I was given only minor roles, I decided to move on and learn theatre professionally. I pursued a diploma in theatre and arts at Rangashankara. Thereafter, Mahadevi happened and everyone who once identified me as Sri Dutta started showered immense love affection to Bangari,” he recalls.

His tele-serial continues but Sri Dutta also finds the time to teach performing arts. “The day I performed my first show as a theatre actor, I felt the most satisfied in my life. One of the best things an individual can do is pursue one’s interests rather than getting tangled in stress and dissatisfaction of a career they do not like, forever,” he adds.

In Mahadevi, Sri Dutta has been seen in three different shades, starting as an innocent and dumb guy, then as a devil and at present as a mature adult.
From an agrarian family, Sri Dutta destresses working at his farm back in his village during breaks from acting or teaching arts to college students.