Artistes oppose bid to privatise Kolhapur’s Palace Theatre
Artistes in Kolhapur are protesting the municipal corporation's decision to privatize the historic Palace Theatre. They argue that privatization will prioritize profits over cultural accessibility and experimental theatre.
Why it matters
The dispute highlights the tension between municipal efforts to monetize public assets and the preservation of local cultural heritage and community spaces.
Artistes associated with the Sangeetsurya Keshavrao Bhosale Natyagruha, popularly known as the Palace Theatre, staged a protest on Tuesday to oppose the proposal to privatise the historic building in Maharashtra’s Kolhapur district.
The artistes demanded that the theatre remain under the control of the Kolhapur Municipal Corporation (KMC). The civic body had passed a resolution on July 20 to hand over the building’s management to a private company.
“I have grown watching plays here. Many artistes started their career here as this place gave space for experimental theatre. With privatisation, it will all be gone. People doing experimental theatre will not get slots as the new manager will look to make profits,” said Prasad Jamdagni, an actor and organiser of musical shows.
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