Review: Stage Creations drama : Neeya Naana by Kathadi Ramamurthy and S L Naanu & team

Chennai beautifully presents in its fold, a variety of talents and entertainment to its people.  As long as you know how you can keep yourself enjoying taking the best of both worlds…the traditional, conservative and cultural flavor or the modern, contemporary and fashionable fiesta.    In this pursuit of happiness, we love watching theatre and encouraging the art and talent.  We strongly believe that the stage is the lap of Goddess Sarawathi, Mother of Knowledge.  

 

We were very happy to watch Stage Creations recent play,  Neeya Naana, story written and scripted by S L Naanu.   We were happy to see the hall filled with rasikas at Tag Dakshinamurthy hall on 7 Aug 2016, Sunday.   The day coincided with the inaugural event of Stage Creations 50^th Anniversary celebrations and unveiling of the logo and the website by none other than another veteran Crazy Mohan sir.  

The play by the group of theatre Jambavan (Veteran Artist) Sri Kathadi Ramamurthy Sir.   Neeya Naana had a touching theme that dominates the social fabric of today …especially touching the ordinary middle class families and the live wires of joint family system with on and off the same today.   The play takes you through ordinary regular day to day circumstances, and tickles you with simple charms of a family that is dominated by insecurities, anxieties and disappointment on expectations.   Humour takes it realm without even trying to work hard and we can see the roars of laughter and claps from the happy audience.  

The ease with which the cast has performed shows the efforts that went into the recital sessions.  It is not easy to do a family comedy genre and its success is highly attributed to the fact that Ramamurty sir plays with his ease and glory even at this age of 80 years.   The play has a strong family story line and the much deeper comedy sense makes it successful.  

The story starts with the marriage of Sivaraman’s second son’s wedding and post which he keeps insisting that his son and daughter-in-law to go and live separately fearing the separation at the later stage in life.  Given the experience with his eldest son Vignesh and daughter in law and the way they were pulled to court for the property creates a havoc in the mind of the elder Sivaraman.   The story goes around how the new daughter-in-law proves not only to be smart, but also very caring and understanding and fills in the vacuum in their lives.  The bet between them for an year and how the things unfold during this period is rest of the story.  

The play is directed and written by S L Naanu.   Produced by Bobby and Jhonny, who are physically no more in this world, but glad they remain ever alive in the stage as they get their placeholder in the cast and crew list of the drama.  Kudos to the team for this sense of gratitude and humility.

Probably one of the best comedy plays this year and undoubtedly will fetch few awards for their cast.   The comedic timing about Kathadi sir shows his experience with ease.  Lavanya Venugopal and Geetha as daughter in law and wife of Sivaraman did an amazing job.  I am only proud that Lavanya happens to be my friend in Inner Wheel as well.   SBI Murali as Dr Mani and Srinivasan as Google Search Giri and Naanu himself as Madhu did a fabulous job.  

Being in the theater arena, the sets by Saidai kumar comes as no surprise.  Simple and elegant and make up of artists are also to the point.   Lights, music and back stage coordination were at its best.   Subbu’s music added a beautiful flavor to the comedy nature of the play and kept it as required without being too jarring or inconsistent.  

The jokes especially when Sivaraman completes his cataract surgery makes you laugh out loud.  The moments where Google search gets into play are really funny.  Overall it was a friendship day treat.    It was worth the 2 hours spent to watch and real stress buster.  Anyone who enjoys theater and especially comedy and wanting a 100% entertainment should go to watch this play on stage.

I would give this show 4/5 rating …Truly entertaining.

The Hero Behind the scenes of Neeya Naana- Antony

The Hero Behind the scenes of Neeya Naana-   Antony

Antony-  Captain of Neeya Naana- Photo Courtesy- Facebook

The real brain behind the scene is always unseen'-   As such the real heroes are always unsung.   This is not only for our Indian Army, Armed Forces but also for the Genius called Antony.

Millions of viewers watch the TV

 show - Neeya Naana-   a popular Tamil debate show in Vijay TV- a subdivision of Star Network.   The applause and credit goes to the anchor Mr. Gopinath.C.   He is famous for his style of debating skills, acute journalism, and right usage of words at the right time and keeps the show in track of the conversations, balancing emotions and reactions of the either groups during the debates.  He also adequately stays composed, with his dialogue delivery, use of the right connotations and excellent linguistic skills.   What millions of viewers are not aware is that the entire show is  controlled, managed, directed and delivered by the Director- Antony...who stays through out the show capturing the same bit by bit, and delivering word by word, prompting to Gopi on what next to be done.   Gopi excellently manages hearing to the heartbeat called Antony, and the same time managing the pulse of the parties involved; this in turn makes it an excellent team effort and a success story.

Right from the production team, sourcing the right people to talk, organizing the studio, lighting, set management, audio controls, camera captures, editing, sound and recording basics, and starting with a devotional prayer before the actual shooting, everything is so well organized and controlled.   Make-up and Coats of Gopinath, to providing water and tea to the participants on regular basis all along the show, and also providing food for those who travelled to the studios, they ensure that the whole team is comfortable.   This show is not for the 15 minutes of fame.   This show is for proving an insight into the subjects handled.   This show is all about the reality of our everyday lives...the facts that we hide and the fiction we diction so easily.   This show is to highlight the social issues, probing into root causes, trying to influence in its smallest way to the segment of the society that it can reach.

Antony is to be widely appreciated for the choice of topics- that are both current and also related to the every day lives of the normal people in the society.  The topics and the show are so popular only for the reason that the viewers can relate to themselves in some way or the other.   It does not dilute from the facts though it builds over a planned context of discussion supremely controlled and managed by our unsung hero- Antony

As long as we have directors like Antony who are managing huge projects like Neeya Naana, there is no doubt of their success.   No wonder, the team is in tact from the day it started till today.   The show is only gaining popularity and wisdom as the years go and matures into a compulsory relaxing hours ending the weekend, being telecast late evening every Sunday.  It does not just stay as a weekend entertainment or week day re-telecasts for people at homes, but it becomes a knowledge area that cannot be missed.   This would continue for sure as long as this man is at the helm of affairs.