Mirroring lives through theatre
A WEEK-LONG festival of drama organised by Kovai KRS troupe in association with Manoranjitham was inaugurated by Natarajan, former Director, Madras Doordarshan recently at Sree Ayyappan Puja Sangham, Coimbatore. C. G. Venkataramanan presided. Ravichandran of Brahma Gana Sabha, Chennai and Koothapiran, a doyen of Tamil drama, paid tributes to KRS Krishnan and his troupe. Following the inauguration, `Sneham,' scripted and directed by Pancham Manian and Chakravarthy Srinivasan was staged by KRS troupe with KRS Krishnan in the lead role.
In all, six plays were staged by professional players like Kovai Kalalaya, KRS troupe, Navrang Art Theatres and Mayan Theatres, Madras. Madras Kalalayam troupe presented `Aaradhanai Sei Maname' on the second day. The play won the awards for best story, dialogue, hero and direction at the drama festival held at Kartik Fine Arts, Chennai earlier.
Scripted and directed by Kalyanji, the play makes a conscious attempt to make the younger generation realise the need to tend their aged parents. The drama is a mixture of pathos and wit and lingers in the minds of the viewers.
Vaithi (Kalyanji) and Santhi (Mangalam) are happy with their son Gopi (Jagan) and daughter-in-law Anandhi. Anandhi nags Gopi with her tale of woe in looking after her in-laws while the other two daughters-in-law (wives of Ramani and Vasu) enjoy their lives abroad. Tension is built up with the arrival of Dandu (Srinivasan) and Pichumani (Narayanan), the cousins who play a villainous role. The aged couple leave the house unable to bear the ignominy. In the climax, Seetharaman (family astrologer) enumerates the noble intentions of Vaithi and Santhi in setting apart Vaithi 's deposit money for the welfare of the family. Wisdom dawns later on, on the wrong-doers and there is a happy reunion. The dramatis personae play their roles fittingly. Anandhi's digs at her in-laws and Gopi reveal her frustration in her kitchen chores admirably. Gopi's balanced and positive approach to the strains in the family is laudable.
T. K. GANAPATHY
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