A Telugu play on exploitation will take you into a discomfort zone in Hyderabad

Artistes enact a scene during rehearsals | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Real life takes centrestage in the play Ooru Ummadi Bathukulu to be staged in Hyderabad. Written by CS Rao, this social realistic play depicts the everyday struggles of villagers trapped in a feudal cycle of oppression and injustice. The play, set in the 1980s, is relevant even today as rural communities continue to be exploited and face issues, says director Rohit Raj Akula of Dharmi Theatre Academy. The play staged around eight times till now has been tweaked with a Telganana dialect to suit the contemporary audiences. Rural setting Rohit Raj Akula | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement The one hour-thirty minute production with instrumental music in the background and nine artistes has a rural setting. Pedda dora and chinna dora, the local tyrant duo in the play do not like each other, abuse power and target the vulnerable. They abuse Sita, the educated wife of Gandayya, an innocent man who sharpens knives and weapons on a grindstone. The extreme exploitation and frustration erupts into a revolt as Gandayya kills the two. “Writer CS Rao calls the tyrants as the two Ravanas of the village,” recollects Rohit, who completes a decade in theatre in 2026.Rohit who has directed nine plays till now had in fact taken a break from theatre and has been concentrating on creating a script for films. He was recently approached by his teacher DSN Murthy, a retired professor in Theatre Arts at the Hyderabad Central University who wished to see a rooted story on stage. In fact, DSN Murthy had first adapted the story written by CS Rao to the stage and directed the play. Rohit took a big screen pause to pay a tribute to his teacher and also celebrate this milestone year with a thought-provoking play. Realist drama | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Rohit, who was born in 1991, jokes he was not even around when the play was staged for the first time in Hyderabad. The debut show had renowned actors Thanikella Bharani and the late Nutan Prasad playing the roles of Pedda dora and Chinna dora. It was also made into a movie and its story has also been an M.Phil research subject for theatre practitioner Ajay Mankenpally. “These stories continue to resonate with us as we continue to read media reports on how the vulnerable and marginalised face exploitation.”Ooru Ummadi Bathukulu to be staged at Nishumbita School of Drama auditorium on August 23 from 7 pm onwards; Tickets: Bookmyshow Published - August 20, 2026 11:25 am IST