The last Sunday of April 2024, amidst the scorching heat of the summer, there was a wave of emotions, a fall of rainfall like drops of happy tears for the theatre lovers of Chennai. Despite my husband wanting it to give it a miss, due the IPL CSK match, I forced him saying that this will be worth watching than an IPL match, and he can always watch the match later. Thank God, the entire evening was worth the wait. The house was full at Narada Gana Saba. Kodai Nataka Vizha never disappoints and the play from none other than V.Sreevothsan and that too with star artists like M.V. Bhaskar and Lavanya Venugopal and team is a must watch for theatre enthusiast.
My curiosity grew high seeing the poster where Bhaskar walks with the stick behind Lavanya, and I initially thought that he is going to play the role of a visually challenged person. But trust me, Lavanya just killed the role with perfection. It is not easy to act like a blind artist in a stage, movies can have retakes, but on stage, it is the MOMENT. Lavanya kept the innocent smile on the face throughout the drama, the eyes depicting real visually challenged, not a moment asking for sympathy of the audience, but the entire family and fraternity of doctors and lawyers in the play take you to their world for the next 1.5 hours.
Introduction of the amazing CAST and CREW of this play
Lavanya Venugopal & M.V.Bhaskar humbly present their second production " KAATCHI PIZHAIGALO "
On stage in order of appearance
Bhaskar - Dr Shankar Ram,
Srikrishnan - Mohan,
Lavanya Venugopal - Manaswini,
Lalitha Narasimhan - Tejaswini
Raksha - Akshaya ,
Ramesh - Dr. KAILASAM,
Pothilingam - Sathappan,
Arjun,Prabhu,Madhukar Keshavan ( Research assistants)
Lights : Babu assisted by Yogesh
Set Company : Saidai Kumar Set Execution Shanmugam
Back stage management Arjun, Prabhu and Madhukar
Poster support Disney and Monisha
Song sung by R Gayathri and Dakshin
Lyrics : Naachiyar Thirumozhi
Music : Dakshin
Written & directed by : V.Sreevathson based on the concept given by Badri Venkatesh
The PLOT
The story begin with Dr Shankar Ram and his lawyer friend Mohan talking about the casual routine of Mohan and the habits he is addicted to. Beside the portrayal of the character differently, during the course of the play, Mohan also makes his presence felt though his legal angel to the story and standing by his friend. Lavanya enters as a blind wife Manasvini of Dr Shankar Ram, a character that takes you to her world with ease, depicting the intellectual brilliance of the differently challenged, the power of their other senses, the way they can lead a near normal life without the sympathy of others.
Couple of soul-stirring and politically correct Vs incorrect thought process were highlights.
The introduction of Akshya, daughter of Dr Shankar and Manasvini is beautiful. Her love story with the son of a DK politically influenced man Sathappan brings in a beautiful connect between ideologies, two different people in faith, trust and belief systems, the contrasting conditioning, traditions, rituals and beliefs. The man in black, is white in heart, and you will see during the course of the play when he chants pasurams with ease, calling everyone respectfully and the dialogues between a religious father vs an atheist non-believer is amazing.
The story has a very ethically deepened situation, where an Ophthalmologist who spent close to 2 decades in research to come with the invention that would show sight to the visually challenged wife from birth and his emotional bonding with his wife, who otherwise is healthy and happy except that fact that she could not see. There is resistance from rest of the family, risk that is unknown and questionability from the medical and legal fraternity on the need for such risky experimentation on human beings and that too on his own family member. Dr saying that the "Longest wait is for the biggest Satisfaction'' throws a lot of light on the fact that good things come for those who know to wait.
The Project Thesis naming after Kannappa Nayyanar was thoughtful... the first donor of eyes to Lord Shiva and this donation is for the longer vision....larger than what a normal human mind can imagine.
When asked what all she want to see once she gets eye sight and that too for a half hour, a mother shows her emotion that she wants to see her daughter's wedding.... her parents photo and her wedding photo, Dr Badrinath photo, her sister Teju's wedding photo and Thailavar.
When Dr asks her why she did ask to see Lord Shiva,, she says it is an emotion..he is everywhere and formless and seeing Sivan is possible only through Realization.. Brilliant dialogues and then the way she says she wants to see "Thalaivar" and Basha movie interval scene, the audience roared in laughter and happiness
Few dialogues like intellect is beyond colour, creed and vision, and that God is supreme, and culture and traditions are way of life and love is blind hit you deep.
When Dr asks her what she wants to see when she gets eye sight, does she want to see him, his family, etc etc, Manasvini tells that she will decide on what all she wants to see, and Dr can decide on how to make her see! a very beautiful way of giving a consent to her soul-mate and life -partner.
Tejashvini and Manasvini bond is portrayed so beautiful, that sisterhood is a bond beyond sympathy, situation and beyond the situational, ethical, legal and medical grounds, it is filled with care, concern and genuine love. Both Lalitha and Lavanya nailed it with ease living their characters. The way Manasvini convinces her sister that risk is everywhere, even in the car she drives, so why not accept that in research, shows the bond, the depth without hurting anyone in the process and way of making her understand her stance. The courage Manasvini gets from her sister, right from childhood, portrays a beautiful relationship.
When Dr mentions that he is not ok to get his daughter marry a boy from an atheist family and says that they are not equal, Manasvini asks what is bothering, whether economical or social equality. He replies "in principles' they are different. But the same Dr, understands that the relationships are beyond any grounds of differentiators, when love, and even the so called non-believers have trust in the existence of Supreme and they are only non-believing because they believe in such existence. As a writer, I am struggling to write this beautiful dialogues, but when you see it on the stage, you will be mesmerised with the way, both the fathers accept each other in end and stay for each other even before marriage. Love and care, ideologies and beliefs very beautifully portrayed.
Few dialogues, on the saying of no to Hindi, the love for black, both the clothes and the coffee, and emphasis on the fact that situation is the king for every selection, including elections.....the audience applauded the dialogues and flawless perfection. Situation is God.
Coming to the final 2 scenes, there is hope, there is fear, there is love, there is ethical concerns, there is an ardent search for HIS hands in the long lasted research and Ramesh Sir as Dr Kailasam equally stole the show here.
Raksha as Akshya, was a strong representation of the youth today. She did her role perfectly well. Even the research assistants quietly did their part perfectly well. Pothilingam sir as Sathappan and Raksha as Akshya equally captured the audience hearts. Srikrishnan as Mohan and Lalitha as Tejaswini, will also be remembered as the wonderful supporting cast
Sets, music, lights, make-up, costumes and back stage management, props, all went with the flow of the drama so beautifully making this a drama to stay for long. Best of the season so far and a real treat to the theatre audience. Gayathri and Dakshin did their best to the songs and music. and how can we even review an growing Everest in the Tamil Theatre World V.Sreevathson sir. Sreevathson is a blessing to Tamil Stage.
I am sure, this drama deserves lot of awards and recognitions. Best of the recognition will be the number of times, this play will be staged. And best is that there is no hatred, no hurtful dialogues, no sympathy tears, and with light political satire, perfect timing of dialogues, the voice modulations, the flawless acting and expressions, create an emotional bonding with the play
Few things that they can take care of , is the volume of the sound system that can be bit more, as it was not audible in few places. The 2 sets that switch between the play can be improvised with lighting. Also the concept that she will have vision after the injection only for 30 minutes was not clear to the audience. But these are small things when compared to the great message the play provides.
Long live Tamil Theatre
Long live thRee Creations
Long live artists like M V Baskar and Lavanya Venugopal
Long live script writers and directors like Sreevathson.
Final words:
If you are a drama lover, and tamil theatre enthusiast, don't miss this play. A wholesome, engaging and heart fulfilling drama.
The dialogues on politics, atheism, family values, ideologies and society interlinking and ethical research will be remembered for long. Every actor of this play did with perfection and sure to grab the judges attention.
Highlight was the love of the couple- the Dr and Manasvini, how gracefully they celebrate each other and their wishes and thoughts, complimenting each other throughout the play.
For this drama, I am sure the writer did a good amount of research, and also adequate search of the characters to bring out the best. Dialogue writing at its best!
Best is the climax, like a Balachander or Manirathnam movie, leaving the climax to the viewer discretion. Had it been a movie, it is just right place to stop for a sequel!
Dedicated this review post also to the great memory of Dr Badrinath and the amazing work that is getting done at Shankar Nethralaya.
"Blind are not those who don't have sight, but those who have no insight or real vision in life".
Congratulations team thRee Creations and "KAATCHI PIZHAIGALO"
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Few pictures from my gallery!
