Influence of Marathi on Kannada theatre can be proven by the fact that most of the Kannada plays have been inspired from the rich Marathi dramatic literature. Professional stage of Mysore drew inspiration from Sanskrit literature, Marathi language, and Telugu language and also from Bengali language. Playwrights like Gadakari, Khadilkar, Kolhatkar and Deval with their prolific and merited contributions had placed the Marathi stage on a solid and lofty bed-rock. Karnataka, which had a closer relation with Maharashtra, freely drew on the Marathi drama, and translated almost every well known play into Kannada.
Gururao Raghavendra Mamadapur of Dharwar set himself at the task of translating the well known Marathi plays for the Kannada professional stage. Mudavidu Krishnarao, Garud Sadashivarao, Vamanarao Master, Subbarao Adabaddi, G. G. Hegde and L. J. Bendre, steadily drew from the Marathi dramatic literature. G. H. Veeranna got four of the most popular plays Ekach Pyala (Sura Mahime), Rakshasi Mahatva-kanksha (Raj Bhakti), Ranadundubhi (Karnatak Samrajya), and Chatra-pati Shivaji (Swami Niste) translated into Kannada language, changing them here and there to suit the Kannada theatre stage.
Most of these adaptations became highly popular on the professional stage of Karnataka theatre. People, who had seen the Marathi originals, flocked again to witness the Kannada versions and were greatly satisfied. Kannada versions of Ramarajya Viyoga and Raksasi Mahatvakanksa staged by Garud, Yuvati Vijaya, Saubhadra, Mahananda ana Indira staged by Shirahatti Venkobarao, Shaha Shivaji, Chatrapati Janma and Tipu Sultan staged by the Halgeri Company, Simhacha Ohhava, Draupadi Vastraharan, Vidyaharan, Mahananda, Sant Sakhuhai, Bajirao Peshwe, Samsaya Kallol, Bhakta Prahlad and others staged by Vamanarao Master, Panigrahana staged by Sarvodaya Natya Sangha and Pantachi Sun staged by Amba Prasadita Nataka Mandali remained popular on the professional stage for many years.
An achieved magnificence of the Marathi theatre is its stage music, and, Karnataka went into raptures over it. Karnataka accepted the Marathi stage songs as a model to copy. Vamanarao`s troupe became well known for its stage songs built on the Marathi model. A. V. Varadachar deputed his talented musicians like Seshagirirao to Pune and Mumbai to learn the tunes of Marathi stage music for the benefit of Mysore audiences.
