Portal:Karnataka/Selected biography
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Gubbi Veeranna (Kannada: ಗುಬ್ಬಿ ವೀರಣ್ಣ) was an Indian theatre director, one of the pioneers and most prolific contributors to Kannada theatre. He established the drama company, Gubbi Veeranna Nataka Company that played a crucial role in promoting the Kannada theatre. Some of the stalwarts that have emerged out of this company include Dr. Rajkumar, B. Jayashree and G. V. Shivananda. He is conferred the title Nataka Ratna meaning jewel in the theatre world. Gubbi Veeranna Nataka Company is the first theatre company in Karnataka to employ female artists to portray female characters on the stage. There is a popular saying that the story of Gubbi Veeranna's company is the story of the Kannada theatre which indicates the standing of this company in the theatre world. Apart from theatre, Gubbi Veeranna has also produced films and acted in them as well. Initially located in Gubbi, the company started to travel to different places and stage plays in those locations. The company had a troupe of more than 150 artists and backstage workers. Some popular plays staged by the company included Sadaarame and Yechamma Nayaka. These plays consisted of innovations like trick scenes, floods, clouds and rain. In those days, dramas used were staged for free with people only paying according to their liking at the end of the drama. However, Gubbi Veeranna's dramas were an exception with people willing to buy tickets to watch them. Most of the actors and actresses that entered the Kannada cinema world in those days were from this drama company.
