Bhikhari Thakur, the Shakespeare of Bihar, helped the state gain national recognition in theatre but the glory is on the wane thanks to neglect of two drama leading centres.

Over the years, leading thespians have performed at Patna's Kalidas Rangalaya and Premchand Rangshala. The government's lack of interest in the promotion of theatre has made artistes' lives difficult though. If Kalidas Rangalaya has received a paltry Rs 5 lakh over 43 years of its existence, Premchand Rangshala has suffered for lack of proper maintenance.

The Kalidas Rangalaya was established in 1972 on land donated by then chief minister Kedarnath Pandey. Till 1981, the artistes performed under open air and later, the venue hosted performances of Divya Dutta, Heeba Shah, Shyam Sharma and Sanjna Kapoor. Help from the government is, however, a no-show.

'The theatre was in a bad shape in 2010 after which the Steel Authority of India donated Rs 10 lakh for renovation. Now, we have equipment worth over Rs 40 lakh. Every year, we apply to the government for a renovation and replacement of the electronic equipment, along with funds, but nothing has been done till now,' said Pradeep Ganguly, assistant secretary and state manager of Kalidas Rangalaya.

He added: 'Till the early 1990s, we had audience and people donating but now, if you charge Rs 5 for a show, no one turns up. The government has never promoted theatre but we strive to keep the theatre culture alive.'

Pankaj Tripathi, or Sultan of the Gangs of Wasseypur movies, was once a student of Bihar Institute of Dramatics, a wing of the Rangalaya set up in 1968. On his experience of his first performance, a nostalgic Tripathi said: 'In 1997, I performed for the first time here. The audience was quite knowledgeable. Things have not improved for the Rangalaya though. We still have those outdated lights, sound and electronic equipment.'

Premchand Rangshala is in a tad better condition for it was renovated in 2011 at a cost of Rs 9 crore. Alleged mishandling of equipment by untrained persons has, however, rendered them out of use.

'The government has been ignoring theatres across the state. Premchand Rangshala does not have any permanent technician to look after the advanced equipment,' said artiste Tanvir Akhtar.

The response to the neglect of the venues from government officials is baffling.

Subodh Kumar Chaudhary, secretary, Bihar Natak Academy, said: 'I have no knowledge about Kalidas Rangalaya, so I am not in a position to comment. You can call Vibha Sinha (assistant secretary) for details on Premchand Rangshala.' Sinha wasn't of much help.