Folklore Cultural Theatre to be leased out

KOCHI: The fully air-conditioned and digitised folklore cultural theatre at Fort Kochi will soon be leased out owing to the abandoned condition of the tourist complex where it is located. The theatre opened in June 2009 with a seating capacity of 70 was hailed as an ideal project to preserve traditional art forms. The `23-lakh project flaunting traditional Kerala architecture was expected to provide a platform for extincting art forms, including Kathakali, Mohiniyattom, Kalaripayattu, Ottanthullal, Chakyarkoothu, Nangyarkoothu and other indigenous art and folk forms. Though it was decided that there will be daily performances at 6 pm, it soon slimmed down to weekly shows and for sometime now it is totally defunct. “Tenders have been invited. Since the theatre is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, operating it on a loss will be counter-productive. There are hardly any audience and the marketing is very pathetic,” says an official of the Cochin Heritage Conservation Society which set up the theatre.The major hitch for the smooth operation of the theatre is the deserted portions of the tourist complex. “It is impractical for the theatre to function inside the abandoned building.”“The shops are not tendered and the tourists will be hesitant to come inside when the rest of the complex is left in a desolated state,” says the official.According to tourism authorities, who constructed the building, the complex was handed over to the corporation after completion. “Though the shops were tendered, infrastructure facilities were not proper and this can be one reason for the defunct state of the building . The department is not involved in the activities of the complex or the theatre,” says an official of the District Tourism Promotion Council. Moreover the building, including its main entrance, is blockaded by makeshift tea stalls and petty shops selling curios. “The whole complex built spending nearly `5 crore is left unused for nearly 5 years now. We are trying to make it operational and re-tender all the shops inside,” says Antony Kureethara, Fort Kochi councillor.