Angaara exposes social exclusions beneath cultural pride in coastal Karnataka
Playwright Usha Kattemane’s play 'Angaara' explores the social exclusions and caste dynamics within the Koraga community in coastal Karnataka. The production uses traditional rituals and multilingual dialogue to critique contemporary social hierarchies.
Why it matters
It sheds light on the persistence of caste-based discrimination in modern India, challenging the narrative of progress through cultural pride.
As part of the 2026 Girish Karnad Fellowship programme, playwright Usha Kattemane’s Angaara , directed by Abhinav Grover, was performed recently at the Prestige Centre for Performing Arts in Bengaluru as part of the Chiguru & Kusumale Theatre Festival organised by Samagata Foundation and Bhasha Centre. By combining local performance traditions, multilingual dramaturgical approaches and social-political criticism, Udupi’s Punaha Theater, examines the long-term consequences of the caste system in coastal Karnataka through Angaara .
The article provides a critical analysis of a theatrical work, focusing on its social themes without taking a partisan political stance.
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