Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Reading the Gestures




The sub-title that CS Lakshmi gives to her book ‘Mirrors and Gestures’, is – Conversations with Women Dancers. That they are ‘conversations’ and not ‘interviews’ is an important insight into the nature of the book. “What is revealed to us is an oral history of how the emerging modern woman of the newly-independent India had asserted her claim over the creative space. It seeks to account the compromises and sacrifices that a woman has to make to continue to remain an artist throughout her life,” says Sajitha Madathil, adding that she uses the book as a sort of energy drink when the artist in her has to make way for the homemaker. “It is inspiring to know that women artists everywhere and in all ages go through the same crisis in their lives.”


Lakshmi, a veteran in the field of women’s studies, and a dancer in her younger days, combines the researchers’ tools with her artistic instincts to bring to the fore the processes - personal and political - that shape a woman artist, while attempting a social commentary of the times in which these artists had lived and performed. She says in the introduction that she had prepared the list of persons to be included in the book quite carefully, taking care not to include many women who had become legends in their own lifetime and about whom everything was known. There are exceptions of course, like Gangubai Hangal and Chandralekha. But most other people who are featured in the book are the less-interviewed, but astonishingly ahead of their times, as is revealed through the conversations.

Sita Pooviah, for instance, was a nationalist who had actively involved in the political movement of the 1930s and later associated with US Educational Foundation in India and the Women’s India Trust. She, along with her three sisters had consciously decided to shape their lives around the freedom movement and chose to remain unmarried. Sita took a PhD in dance in 1950, becoming the first one to do so in India, on the topic, ‘The Art and Science of Indian Classical dancing and Its Social Bearings’.

Says Sajitha, “The Pooviah sisters are representatives of the educated women of those times who dared to enter into an art practised by a certain caste, the Devadasis, and was looked down upon. The story of their creative work also becomes a historical link to a period. We find the interviewer asking them about whether the spinster life had helped them pursue their art. In answer to that, Sita talks about two very talented dancers, Rita Chatterjee and Kamala whose married lives were messed up, putting an end to their career as well. See, but for these meta narratives, such characters would be completely lost in the hsitories about those times which is one significant aspect about oral history.”

Dance, as it becomes apparent through the course of the book, was a culturally loaded space, the appropriation of which was not legitimate on the part of upper class women. We find repeated references to Uday Shankar whose fusion of Western and Indian Classical dance infused the art form with a new aura that somehow became acceptable in an India steeped in the colonial hangover. The female dancers who remained unmarried were, in fact, reviving the Devadasi tradition in a modern form. Whereas, those like Sucheta Joshi and Chandrabhaga Devi, who also turned out to be successful wives, seemed to have helped remove the cultural constructs that had made dance a taboo in ‘good families’.

Sucheta, who learned dance at the age of forty-four and after her marriage to an army man, pursued her career successfully until poor health demanded her to quit performing. Lakshmi asks her several questions about why she took to dancing so late in life and whether she found the support of her husband crucial. But Joshi also confesses that she gave up theatre, which her husband did not approve of. She says, “I said that’s alright. I will please you because you have encouraged me to pursue the art I liked right from my childhood (dance). One must adjust.”

Also, Chandrabhaga Devi, who was married to U S Krishna Rao, also a dancer, says, “Since the last few years, I am much more self-confident, independent and all that. But in those years, I was a very docile housewife. And ‘yours obediently’ to my husband. He respected my integrity, my education, my culture and so many other things but I was a true Hindu wife who would never place herself ahead of him, always after him.”

As Sajitha says, it is important that the conversations take place within the homes of the artists, letting them stray into personal details without the interviewer seeming to make any deliberate intrusions. “The whole idea of an accomplished artist unwinding while fixing lunch for the family, or settling accounts with a vendor is in itself a woman-specific concept. Or else, interviews with them would be limited to the perfection of the mudras or their stylistic innovations, which is actually a telling of the story from the middle of it. I think the book can serve as a benchmark for authors writing on women,” says Sajitha, who has penned a history of women theatre artists in Kerala.

Lakshmi points out in the introduction that the method she chose was in fact a ‘non-method’. We see her delve into the tiniest of details, facilitating the process of remembering and reliving. When Chandrabhaga Devi says Krishna Rao asked her, “Will you marry me?”, Lakshmi quips, “Did he propose to you in English?”

We get a glimpse of how the terse conversations veer off to freewheeling chats - when a particular photograph would cause a very long dialogue, or an anecdote would revive an old wound, as when Gangubai Hangal broke down into tears talking about her mother. At times, other family members, like father and mother-in-law, would join the conversations, which is again, an occurance with gender connotations. The book, a sequel to Lakshmi’s earlier work – ‘The Song and The Singer’ on women musicians, certainly does justice to its mission of constructing an oral history, while at the same time, placing the lives and art of these women beyond the bindings of gender specificities.


aswathy@expressbuzz.com


(The weekly column brings you the favourite read of who’s who of society)

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Kerala Theatre in the 21st century







Those who are closely watching Kerala theatre for last few years would observe interesting changes emerging. Young Malayalee directors who have good exposure to national and international art world and deep roots in Malayalam theatre have begun to distinguish themselves with wonderful productions. And they are also creating their audience who are receptive to the new language they are creating. You can see the confidence appearing in young theatre workers….Yes it’s a time for change.
Though the mainstream discussions on theatre were always loud about how the experiments in theatre have distanced the theatre goers, and how it was close to the audience at the time of social movements. It is interesting to see how this discussions are placing experiments in opposition to realism. The basic arguments that run through these discussions are that the experiments inherent in movements like Kalari, Thanathu or dramatic works influenced by academic learning have alienated the common people from theatre! The proof produced in support of this notion is that the number of viewers has reduced to their hundreds while it was in the thousands in early 1950s. Is it possible to evaluate or judge any art form going by the number of people who appreciate it or attend a show?
Yes, Modern Theatre has established itself with its secular colour. It was considered as a form which can be appreciated by the masses and theatre has always been considered a tool to influence the consciousness of society. The adoption of Kalari movements theatre in the 1960s has for the first time attempted to take Kerala Theatre out, from textual language to visual text. That was a huge change, in theatre as an art form. Thanathu Movement or the search of for native roots and creating a national theatre came as a part of Nehruvian policy. Experimentation in theatre form and developing a theatre as a continuation of our culture, happened almost simultaneously after the 1960s. It took time to conceive and shape the form. Naturally theatre changed its face. It is not any more an item for entertainment just before a public meeting or a tool for changing their politics. Theatre had begun to stand on its own as a form with its own concerns of visual text and search for connection with roots.
The !970s and 1980s were again the time for new social movements. Plays created during that period combined of both the trends. Brehtian theatre language along with Kerala folk theatre, together shaped most of the street plays along with Kalari inputs. Viewers of these plays again were restricted to the community of the region. It was not mass attendance like that of the earlier audience for drama advocating social movements. Nexalite, Feminist, Environment and Dalit movements considered theatre as a potent device for effecting communication. Again, it is important to note that the very concept and form had changed much from the days of the early social plays like Ningalenne kammunistakki or Ethu bhoomiyannu. The expectations of the audience were different now from what it was before and in that sense we can see the real shift in the taste of theatre audience.
What we provided for audiences outside Kerala is also an interesting subject to look at. What was Kerala theatre like, for a national-level audience? They were familiar with Thoppil Bhasi, G Sankara Pillai and K N Panikkar. That was the situation till the last decade. Kerala theatre scenario has begun to change over the last few years. Several directors like Abhilash Pillai, Chadrahasan, Naripatta Raju, Jyothish M J, Deepan Sivaraman, Suveeran, Shanker venkiteswaran, Shylaja, Sudhi C V, Mini I G all are well known at the national level. Actor/Directors like Sreelatha S, Raguthaman, Shaji Kariyat, the present writer, and many more have added their experience, buttressed by inputs from national and international theatre, to Kerala theatre. light designers like Sreekanth, Jose Koshy,Musicians like Chandran have enriched Kerala theatre music with their invaluable international experience. They all are dealing with the issues of a globalised world and are trying to find a new language for their medium of art. Their challenges are much tougher than before. They are always open to traditional forms and also to new media. That is the world they all are living in. That is why this generation is open in incorporating all forms of art in theatre.
Again, if we come back to the discussion of the Kerala audience, it is easy to see how warmly such nationally acclaimed productions like Sidhartha, Spinal Chord, Sahyante Makan were received by the audience. What is lacking in Kerala is good theatre space to perform all these well designed productions. Some of these productions, even though well known at the national level, are still waiting for the Kerala audience to watch them, for want of proper theatre facilities. Are these new trends happening just because our directors are always trying to establish their work on par with national or international theatre productions? There is an argument that what we are lacking is small productions which can be go around and perform all over Kerala villages, which can produce real magic of theatre. It is also interesting to see that lots of good productions are coming from villages, developed by skillful directors like Naripatta Raju, Suveeran and Promod Payyanoor. Here, the village artist who has training in theatre by practice, find resources at the local level to work with these directors. These productions are also equally competent at the national level.
Different levels of theatre works are happening in Kerala, and several full-time theatre artists are struggling for survival. What is still lacking is a meaningful support for their artistic pursuit.
Sajitha Madathil

വേദനയോടെ വിട





‍ആറമുള പൊന്നമ്മ മരികുംപോള്‍ നമുക്ക് നഷ്ടമാകുന്നത് ആദ്യകാല സ്ത്രീപക്ഷ ചിന്തയുടെ രൂപപ്പെടലിന്റെ ഭാഗമായി പൊതു ഇടങ്ങള്‍ സ്വന്തമാകിയ പഴയകാല സ്ത്രീ തലമുറയെയാണ്.ആയിരത്തി തൊള്ളായിരത്തി മുപ്പതുകള്‍ കേരളത്തിലെ സ്ത്രീകളെ സംബന്ധിച്ചിടത്തോളം സുപ്രധാനമായ ഒരു കാലഘട്ടമായിരുന്നു. ഇക്കാലത്താണ് വിദ്യാസമ്പന്നരായ സ്ത്രീകള്‍ കേരളത്തിന്റെ പൊതുമണ്ഡലങ്ങളില്‍ സാംസ്‌കാരിക പ്രവര്‍ത്തനങ്ങളുടെ ഭാഗമായി വരാന്‍ തുടങ്ങുന്നത്. പള്ളുരുത്തി ലക്ഷ്മി, സി കെ രാജം, മാവേലിക്കര പൊന്നമ്മ, അടുര്‍ പങ്കജം, അടൂര്‍ ഭവാനി തുടങ്ങിയവരില്‍ അക്കാലത്ത് പ്രമുഖയായിരുന്നു ആറന്‍മുള പൊന്നമ്മ. മലയാളഭാഷയിലെ ആദ്യകാല സംഗീത നാടകങ്ങളില്‍ അഭിനയിച്ച സ്ത്രീകളില്‍ പ്രമുഖരായവരുടെ അവസാനത്തെ കണ്ണിയാണ് ആറന്‍മുള പൊന്നമ്മയുടെ നിര്യാണത്തിലൂടെ അവസാനിച്ചത്.
മുപ്പതുകളില്‍ സംഗീതം പഠിച്ചു കൊട്ടന്ഹില്‍ സ്കൂളില്‍ അധ്യാപികയായി ചേര്ന്ന അവര്‍ ജോലിയില്‍ നിന്ന് ലീവെടുത്ത് നാടകം അഭിനയിക്കുവാന്‍ തീരുമാനിക്കുമ്പോള്‍ അത് അന്നത്തെ സമൂഹത്തില്‍ അത്ര സ്വാഭാവികമായ കാര്യമല്ല (ഒരു പക്ഷെ ഇന്നും!) മലയാള നാടകവേദി സംഗീത നാടകത്തിന്റെ മാസ്മരികതയില്‍ നിന്ന് സാമൂഹ്യ നാടകത്തിന്റെ സ്വഭാവികതയിലേക്ക് ചുവടുമാരിയതില്‍ ഈ സ്ത്രീകള്‍ക്കുള്ള പങ്കു നിര്‍ണ്ണായകമാണ്.
അക്കാലത്ത് ഇവര്‍ക്കൊന്നും തന്നെ അത്രയെളുപ്പമായിരുന്നില്ല നാടകരംഗത്ത് സജീവമായി നില്‍ക്കുക എന്നത്. സംഗീതനാടക പ്രസ്ഥാനത്തിന്റെ അവസാനകാലത്ത് കേരളത്തില്‍ സാമൂഹ്യ നാടകാവതരണങ്ങള്‍ സജീവമാകുമ്പോഴാണ് ആറന്‍മുള പൊന്നമ്മ നാടകത്തിലേയ്ക്ക് വരുന്നത്. അവരുടെ വാക്കുകളില്‍ പറഞ്ഞാല്‍ ''ദാരിദ്ര്യം കൊണ്ടുമാത്രമാണ് ഞാന്‍ നാടകത്തിലെത്തുന്നത്''.അനിയത്തി തങ്കം വാസുദേവന്‍ നായരോടൊപ്പം ആറന്‍മുള പൊന്നമ്മ കേരളത്തിലെങ്ങോളമിങ്ങോളം വിവാഹത്തിനുമുമ്പ് സംഗീതകച്ചേരികള്‍ അവതരിപ്പിച്ചഇരുന്നു . കേരളത്തില്‍ അന്നുനടക്കുന്ന പ്രധാനപ്പെട്ട പല പരിപാടികളിലും സ്ത്രീകളെ ആകര്‍ഷിക്കാന്‍വേണ്ടി ആറന്‍മുള സിസ്റ്റേഴ്‌സിന്റെ സംഗീതകച്ചേരി ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നു. സഹോദരീ ഭര്‍ത്താവ് വൈക്കം വാസുദേവന്‍ നായരുടെ സഹായത്തോടെയാണ് ആറന്‍മുള പൊന്നമ്മ നാടകവേദിയിലെത്തുന്നത്. ആദ്യ നാടകം പൊട്ടക്കനേത്ത് വേലുപിള്ളയുടെ ഭാഗ്യലക്ഷ്മിയായിരുന്നു. ഈ നാടകത്തില്‍ പൊന്നമ്മയുടെ നായകനായി അഭിനയിച്ചത് ഗായകന്‍ യേശുദാസിന്റെ പിതാവ് അഗസ്റ്റിന്‍ ജോസഫായിരുന്നു.

ആദ്യ സിനിമ ശശിധരന്‍ 1950 ലായിരുന്നു. അമ്മയായി തുടങ്ങിയ രംഗപ്രവേശം പിന്നീടു അവസാനം വരെ തുടരേണ്ടിവന്നു..കുലീനയായ നല്ല അമ്മ കഥാപാത്രങ്ങള്‍ മാത്രമേ അവര്ക് ചേരുക്കയുള്ളൂ എന്നെ സിനിമാലോകം തീരുമാനിച്ചു . സിനിമയുടെ ആണ്‍ ലോകകതിനുള്ളില്‍ സ്വയമൊരു സംരക്ഷിത കവചമൊരുക്കാന്‍ തന്റെ അമ്മ വേഷങ്ങള്‍ക്ക് കഴിഞ്ഞിരുന്നുവെന്ന് ആറന്‍മുള പൊന്നമ്മ പറഞ്ഞിട്ടുണ്ട്. പൊന്നമ്മയുടെ അഭിനയജീവിതത്തില്‍ ഒരു സ്ത്രീയെന്ന നിലയില്‍ അവര്‍ എടുത്ത ബുദ്ധിപൂര്‍വകമായൊരു തീരുമാനമായിരുന്നു ഇത്. സത്യന്റെയും നസീറിന്റെയും തിക്കുറിശ്ശിയുടെയും ഒക്കെ അമ്മയായതുകൊണ്ട് അത് സിനിമാ ലൊക്കേഷനുകളിലെ ജീവിതശൈലിയായി മാറുകയായിരുന്നു. അങ്ങനെ വെള്ളി വെളിച്ചത്തിലെ അമ്മവേഷം അഴിച്ചുമാറ്റിയാലും മാറിപ്പോകാത്തവിധം ജീവിതത്തിലൊട്ടി നിന്ന നിത്യവേഷമായി.

ഓരോ കലാകാരി എന്ന നിലയില്‍ ഗൌരവപ്പെട്ട വേഷങ്ങള്‍ അപുര്‍വമയെ തനിക്കു ലഭിച്ചിട്ടുള്ളൂ എന്നവര്‍ക്ക് നന്നായി അറിയാമായിരുന്നെങ്കിലും ലഭ്യമായ ഇടത്തെ തന്റേതാക്കി മാറ്റുന്ന കാഴ്ചയാണ് കാണാന്നവുക. മലയാളീ പുരുഷന് അമ്മയില്‍ നിന്ന് കേള്‍ക്കാന്‍ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്ന ഒരേ സ്വഭാവമുള്ള ഡയലോഗുകള് ആയിരം തവണയെങ്കിലും പറഞ്ഞു ആ അഭിനേത്രി ജീവിതവും സര്‍ഗത്മഗതയും മുറുകെപിടിച്ചു

അമ്മ നടിക്ക് കിട്ടുന്ന തുച്ചമായ പ്രതിബലത്തില്‍ ജീവിതം രണ്ടറ്റവും മുട്ടിച്ചു..ഒരിക്കല്‍ തനിക്കു ലഭിക്കുന്ന വരുമാനത്തെക്കുറിച്ച് അവര്‍ ഇങ്ങനെ പറഞ്ഞു.

''ആദ്യം കിട്ടയ പ്രതിഫലവും അവസാന സിനിമയ്ക്ക് കിട്ടിയ പ്രതിഫലവും തമ്മില്‍ വര്‍ഷങ്ങളുടെ അന്തരമല്ലാതെ മറ്റൊന്നുമുണ്ടായിട്ടില്ല.''
1950 മുതല്‍ 2003 വരെ സിനിമാ രംഗത്ത്‌ സജീവമായിരുന്ന ഈ സ്ത്രീയുടെ ചരിത്രം സിനിമ നാടക ചരിത്രത്തിന്റെ വിവിധ അധ്യായങ്ങളിലൂടെയുള്ള യാത്രയാണ്‌. ‍ കലയുടെ ലോകത്തുനിന്ന് ഒരിക്കലുമവര്‍ തെന്നിമാറിയില്ല. അനാരോഗ്യം കിഴ്പെടുതുന്നത് വരെ.... മലയാളിയുടെ അമ്മ സക്കല്പതെ ആവോലും ത്രിപ്തിപെടുതിയ ഈ കലാകാരിക്ക്... സംഗീതത്തെ...അഭിനയത്തെ.... പ്രണയിച്ച ഈ പ്രതിഭയ്ക്ക് .... വേദനയോടെ വിട
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