Jayaprakash Reddy honoured with Jandhyala Award

Film actor Jayaprakash Reddy was honoured with the Jandhyala Memorial Award at the valedictory of the 21st State-level comedy playlet competition held at Siddhartha Auditorium in the city on Sunday. Sumadhura Kalaniketan organised the three-day comedy playlet contest as part of its 43rd anniversary celebrations.

Participating in the award presentation function, Deputy Speaker of Assembly Mandali Buddha Prasad lauded the services being rendered by Sumadhura Kalaniketan to promote art and culture in the capital region.

Dr D Vijaya Bhaskar, Director of Cultural Affairs, appreciated the efforts of the cultural organisation to unearth and encourage histrionic talent by organising a State-level competition exclusively for comedy playlets for the past two decades.

Responding to the felicitation, Jayaprakash Reddy said it was a great honour for him to receive the award instituted in memory of Hasya Brahma Jandhyala. He appealed to people to patronage the stage art, which is an effective medium to enlighten the society.

Young Theater Organisation of Vijayawada staged `Premaku Velayera’ playlet written by Paramatmuni and directed by R Vasu on the concluding day. `Am … Aha… Kam … Kaha’ written by Sankaramanchi Parthasarathi and directed by Tallavajhula Sundaram was staged by Murali Kala Nilayam of Hyderabad.

On the second day of the contest, `Povoyi Anukoni Athidhi’, `Attarintiki Daredi’ and `Sandade Sandadi’ playlets were staged by the Amateur Dramatic Association of Chilakaluripet, Malladi Creations of Hyderabad and Velagaleru Theater Arts of Velagaleru respectively. Noted stage artiste M Ratnakumari was honoured with Radhakumari Smaraka Puraskaram by Sumadhura Kalaniketan on Saturday. Income Tax Commissioner T Satyanandam attended the function as a chief guest.

`Am… Aha… Kam … Kaha’ playlet received the best production and best director awards. `Povoyi Anukoni Athidhi’ got the second best production and the best actress awards. The third best production and the best actor awards went to `Dawat’ playlet. Jayasree Srija Sadhineni won the best script writer award for her playlet `Sandade Sandadi’. `Permaku Velayera’ received the best music and best set awards.

The best makeup award was bagged by `Telu Kuttina Dongalu’. Sumadhura Kalaniketan president Samanthapudi Narasaraju, Playlet Competition Committee chairman Dr N Murali Krishna, Siddhartha Kala Peetham president P Lakshmana Rao, Koganti Satyanarayana, Dr Jaganmohana Rao, Dr U Lakshmi, G Venkata Sastry, GSV Krishna Rao and others were present on the occasion.