Second Edition of Malayala Nadaka Sthree Charithram Coming soon!!!

HIRUVANATHAPURAM: A unique book studying the presence of women in Malayalam theatre, ‘Malayala Nadaka Sthree Charithram’ written by renowned theatre personality Sajitha Madathil, and published by Mathrubhumi, will be released by Margi Sathi on Friday. The silence of the mainstream histories on this, despite women being active in the area for over a century, was the immediate provocation for writing the book. The studies in this book are a part of studies and researches that were carried out for many years with support from the School of Letters, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy, Jawaharlal Nehru University and Kendra Sangeetha Nataka Academy. Sajitha, in the book, cites many famous plays like ‘Akjaathavaasam’ by Kuttikkunju Thangachi, ‘Saavithri Athavaa Vidhavaavivaaham’ by Lalithambika Antharjanam, ‘Devadoothi’ by B Saraswthiyamma or ‘Madhavivarma’ by Madhavikkutti, which were published, but were not featured, in Malayalam theatre history. ‘’This absence clearly points to the fact that the present methodologies are insufficient to write a history of women in the Malayalam theatre. To evaluate the written histories in a critical perspective and second, we have to write another history of the participation of women that is concealed in the same history. This book travels in both these directions,’’ said Sajitha. This journey starts with an enquiry into the early women-performing arts which preceded the emergence of Malayalam theatre. Women have been important participants of folk, classical and ritual art forms in diverse forms in Kerala. The ways in which women were later excluded from these art forms and the ways in which the participation of women is still being avoided in many art forms are also discussed. The book also contains an analysis of one of the most important parts of women’s interventions in the public space, performing on stage, done by women like Akkamma Cheriyan in that period. The ‘reform plays’ of the first half of the twentieth century are considered as the ones which foregrounded the ‘women’s agenda’ for the first time. The book is a re-reading of these plays for understanding the limitations of this agenda. It discusses two plays written by women contemporaries which were forgotten by history.

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)

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
സജിത മഠത്തില്‍

വേറിട്ട നാടകവഴികള്‍ -കെ.ശ്രീകുമാര്‍

നാടകത്തിന്റെ പറഞ്ഞുവെച്ച ചരിത്രവഴികള്‍ക്ക് ഒരു തിരുത്തും അനുബന്ധവും. നേരും നുണയും വേര്‍തിരിച്ച്, അര്‍ഹരെ അസ്ഥാനങ്ങളില്‍ നിന്നും സ്ഥാനങ്ങളിലേക്ക് മാറ്റി പ്രതിഷ്ഠിച്ച് മലയാളത്തില്‍ ഇന്നോളം കാണാത്ത ഒരു ചരിത്ര നിര്‍മാണം. അരങ്ങിലും അണിയറയിലും പെണ്ണിന്റെ കരുത്തും പ്രസക്തിയും എത്രത്തോളമെന്ന് കേട്ടല്ല, അനുഭവിച്ചറിഞ്ഞ, നാടകത്തെ ജീവിതമായി കാണുന്ന നാടക പ്രവര്‍ത്തകയുടെ ഹൃദയമിടിപ്പുകള്‍ വ്യക്തമായി കേള്‍ക്കാനാവുന്ന ഒരു സംരംഭം. ഇതിലപ്പുറം പോകേണ്ടതില്ല ഈ പുസ്തകം അനുഷ്ഠിക്കുന്ന മഹത്ത്വമന്വേഷിച്ച്.

മലയാള നാടകത്തിന്റെ വരണ്ട ചരിത്രമോ നാടകത്തിലെ സ്ത്രീകള്‍ക്കായി ഒരു വക്കാലത്തോ അല്ല സജിത മഠത്തിലിന്റെ ലക്ഷ്യം. എന്തുകൊണ്ട് നടപ്പുനാടക ചരിത്രങ്ങളില്‍ സ്ത്രീയില്ല? നടിയില്‍ നിന്ന് നാടക പ്രവര്‍ത്തകയിലേക്ക് വളര്‍ന്നു കഴിഞ്ഞ അവളെ ആ രീതിയില്‍ അംഗീകരിക്കാന്‍ എന്തുകൊണ്ട് ചരിത്രമെഴുത്തുകാര്‍ തയ്യാറാവുന്നില്ല? അരങ്ങിലെ സ്ത്രീയെ കണ്ടെന്നു നടിച്ചവര്‍പോലും ക്ഷമയര്‍ഹിക്കാത്ത അലസത അവരോട് കാട്ടുന്നതെന്തേ? 'മലയാള നാടക സ്ത്രീ ചരിത്രം' ഉദയം ചെയ്തത് ഈവിധ സന്ദേഹങ്ങളില്‍ നിന്നാണെന്ന് സജിത.

ഒമ്പത് അധ്യായങ്ങളില്‍ ഇരുനൂറിലേറെ പുറങ്ങളിലായി ഇതള്‍ വിരിയുന്നു സജിതയുടെ ശ്രദ്ധാപൂര്‍വമുള്ള നിരീക്ഷണങ്ങള്‍. സെബാസ്റ്റ്യന്‍ കുഞ്ഞുകുഞ്ഞു ഭാഗവതരുടെ ആത്മകഥയില്‍ നിന്ന് മലയാള നാടകത്തില്‍ സ്ത്രീയുണ്ടായിരുന്നുവെന്ന തിരിച്ചറിവ്, നിരന്തരമായ അന്വേഷണങ്ങള്‍, ആയിരത്തിലേറെ നാടക പ്രവര്‍ത്തകരായ സ്ത്രീകളോട് സംസാരിച്ചുള്ള അനുഭവം. സ്ത്രീപക്ഷത്തുനിന്ന് ആരോഗ്യകരമായ നോക്കിക്കാണല്‍- പുസ്തകം പൂര്‍ത്തിയായപ്പോള്‍ അത് സമര്‍പ്പിച്ചതും നാടകപാതയിലെ മുന്‍ഗാമികള്‍ക്ക്. ''അരങ്ങിനെ വിശ്വാസമാക്കിയ വര്‍ക്കല അമ്മുക്കുട്ടിയുടെയും അനാര്‍ക്കലിയായി മണ്ണിലലിഞ്ഞ പള്ളുരുത്തി ലക്ഷ്മിയുടെയും തുടര്‍ച്ചക്കാരികള്‍ക്ക്''- സമര്‍പ്പണം ഇങ്ങനെ. ആരാണ് വര്‍ക്കല അമ്മുക്കുട്ടിയും പള്ളുരുത്തി ലക്ഷ്മിയും? സജിതയുടെ ഈ പുസ്തകം എന്തിനെന്ന് നെറ്റിചുളിക്കുന്നവര്‍ക്ക് ചോദ്യത്തിന് മുന്നിലെ അജ്ഞത സ്വയം ഉത്തരമാവുന്നു.

മലയാള നാടകത്തിന് ചരിത്രമുണ്ടാവുന്നതിന്റെ പിറ്റേവര്‍ഷം തോട്ടക്കാട്ട് ഇക്കാവമ്മ, കുഞ്ഞിക്കുട്ടി തങ്കച്ചി എന്നീ പ്രതിഭാശാലികളായ സ്ത്രീകള്‍ യഥാക്രമം 'സുഭദ്രാര്‍ജുന'മെന്നും 'അജ്ഞാതവാസ'മെന്നും പേരായ നാടകമെഴുതിയെന്ന് ഏതു ചരിത്രത്തിലാണുള്ളത്? സ്ത്രീയെ തോല്പിക്കുന്ന സൗന്ദര്യത്തോടെ അരങ്ങില്‍ സ്ത്രീയായി വാണ ഓച്ചിറ ശിവപ്രസാദ് വേലുക്കുട്ടിയെ സജിത നോക്കിക്കാണുന്നത് ഒളിഞ്ഞുനോട്ടവും അശ്ലീലഭാഷണവുമടക്കം ഒരു നടി നേരിടുന്ന എല്ലാ തിരസ്‌കാരങ്ങളുടെയും പ്രതിനിധിയായാണ്. ആ ശൈലി അനുകരിക്കുമ്പോഴും സ്വന്തം ഇടം കണ്ടെത്തി മാവേലിക്കര പൊന്നമ്മയെപ്പോലുള്ള പിന്‍ഗാമികള്‍.

സ്ത്രീവാദത്തിന്റെ കരുത്ത് തെളിഞ്ഞു നിന്ന മുപ്പതുകള്‍ നല്ല നാടകങ്ങള്‍ രചിക്കാന്‍ നാടക കൃത്തുക്കളെ പ്രേരിപ്പിച്ച സ്ത്രീകളാല്‍ സമൃദ്ധമെന്ന് ഗ്രന്ഥകാരി. 'സ്ത്രീ'യും 'യാചകി'യും 'സുപ്രഭ'യും ഉണ്ടാവുന്നത് അങ്ങനെയാണ്. ഒരു തലമുറയെ ആഴത്തില്‍ സ്വാധീനിച്ചിട്ടും മേല്‍വിലാസമില്ലാതെ പോയ ഒരുകൂട്ടം നടികളെ സംഗീത നാടക മേഖലയെ അപഗ്രഥിച്ച് ഗ്രന്ഥകാരി വെള്ളിവെളിച്ചത്തിലേക്ക് കൊണ്ടുവരുന്നതും സ്വാഗതാര്‍ഹമാണ്. നമ്പൂതിരി നവോത്ഥാന ശ്രമങ്ങളുമായി ബന്ധപ്പെട്ടുണ്ടായ നാടകങ്ങളില്‍ ലളിതാംബിക അന്തര്‍ജനമടക്കമുള്ളവര്‍ മുന്നോട്ടുവെച്ചപരിചിതമായ അജന്‍ഡയെന്തെന്നാണ് തുടര്‍ന്നു പരിശോധിക്കുന്നത്. എന്നാല്‍, രാഷ്ട്രീയ നാടകങ്ങളുടെ കുത്തൊഴുക്കില്‍ സ്ത്രീ പ്രധാനിയല്ലാതെ പ്രണയത്തിന്റെ ലോല ഭാവങ്ങളിലേക്കൊതുങ്ങുന്നു. അതിനിടയിലും കെ.പി.എ.സി. സുലോചനയെയോ, മേദിനിയെയോ, നിലമ്പൂര്‍ അയിഷയെയോ പോലെ പ്രതിസന്ധികളിലൂടെയും ആത്മഹര്‍ഷങ്ങളിലൂടെയും പിടിച്ചു നിന്നവരെയും സജിത കാണാതെ പോകുന്നില്ല. അതിന്റെ അനുബന്ധം തന്നെ ഇരുനൂറിലേറെ നടികളെ നേരില്‍ക്കണ്ട് എത്തിച്ചേരുന്ന നൂതന നിരീക്ഷണങ്ങളും.

സ്ത്രീയെ നാടകഭാഷയും നാടക സങ്കേതങ്ങളും പഠിപ്പിച്ച നാടകക്കളരി പ്രസ്ഥാനത്തെയും കാവാലത്തിന്റെ നാടക മുന്നേറ്റത്തെയും സജിത ആദരവോടെയും അതേസമയം നിഷ്പക്ഷമായും നോക്കിക്കാണുകയാണ്. പ്രതികരണ നാടകവേദി, കാമ്പസ് തിയേറ്റര്‍, സമത, പരിഷത്ത്, 1991-ലെ കൂത്താട്ടുകുളം നാടക ക്യാമ്പിനെ തുടര്‍ന്ന് സജീവമായ സ്ത്രീനാടകവേദി എന്നിങ്ങനെ വര്‍ത്തമാനകാല അരങ്ങില്‍ വരെയെത്തുന്നു ഈ അന്വേഷണം.

''ഇതൊരു തുടക്കം മാത്രം. യോജിക്കാനും വിയോജിക്കാനും സംവദിക്കാനും തുടരന്വേഷണത്തിനും വഴിയൊരുക്കുന്ന എളിയ തുടക്കം'' -സജിത സ്വന്തം പുസ്തകത്തെ അവതരിപ്പിക്കുന്നത്ഇങ്ങനെ

Breaking the silence on women stage artists-Reema Narendran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Where did all the women stage artists of over a century disappear, was a question that haunted theatre artist Sajitha Madathil. She meandered through the labyrinths of written and unwritten Malayalam theatre history, upturned every possible ‘milestone’ looking for little clues that may help her get a bigger picture of the theatre movement, especially the women’s role in it. The outcome has been an extensive book, ‘Malayalanatakasthricharithram’ being published by Mathrubhoomi.


‘‘Theatre is my passion and I always loved history. Together with this was the absolute eerie silence on women in Malayalam theatre history. Quite naturally this disturbed me and I knew I had to find the truth,’’ said Sajitha, deputy director (programmes), Chalachitra Academy.

And in her quest, Sajitha did not forget the professional theatres and the large chunk of women who were part of it. ‘‘Just as popular cinema was little discussed in academic circles, theatre history was not serious about commercial theatres. I consider women in commercial theatre as a strong part of my history and I felt that without narrating their experiences, the story would be incomplete,’’ she said.

Note that Sajitha used the words ‘my history’. You could almost feel in her the excitement as anyone tracking their roots would exude. The bits of information that Sajitha gathered over many years helped her put the quaint pieces of the puzzle together.

The pictures that eventually took shape led her to reason that the non-visibility of the women artists was mostly because of a careless or twisted narration of history, by a male-dominated society and at a time when women had no right to public space.

‘‘You won’t believe the kind of mistakes that’s doing the rounds on theatre history. In many books, the first contribution by a woman to theatre is said to be Thottakatt Madhaviamma’s ‘Subadradhananjayam’, but what they are actually talking about is Thottakkatt Ikkavamma’s ‘Subradarjunam’,’’ pointed out Sajitha, who felt that there was an urgent need to have a relook at the total history.

She started from the 1880s, placing the theatre movement and women’s role against the social backdrop of women’s identity in the society, level of education, costumes, utilisation of public space and so on. The book also takes a comprehensive look at the construction of women characters in political dramas, ‘Ningalenne Communistakki’ for example, that played a major role in the Communist movement, and the actual life of the women who portrayed these roles.

Sajitha, who loves to chat with women from the theatre world, discovered to her horror that there were times when women who took to stage were hunted out, both on the stage as well as backstage.

Many women artists recalled instances when trouble-makers among the audience would air nasty comments at them to distract and how they were hunted in the green rooms. ‘‘What is more, even female impersoniser like Velukkutty Asan were subjected to the same harassment as women artists,’’ observed Sajitha.

When Ikkavamma, one of the first woman artists to take stage in Malayalam theatre, decided to don the male role of Nalan, was she trying to protect herself? ‘‘For a woman stage artist, her feminine body can be a major barrier with the audience viewing the character secondary to the female body in front of them. This, even in the 21st century. Is there any wonder that Ikkavamma chose to depict male characters?’’ asked Sajitha.

The book also takes a long look at the first phase of women’s movement when Anna Chandy tried to define public space. With Anna Chandy’s arrival, a lot of women took to theatre and the book has interesting list of women artists whose names go J Madhaviamma BA, LT; L Omanakumari BA BL; K Anandavalliamma MA, Susy Mathew BSc Honours and so on.

‘‘But comb through theatre history and you will find that there were incidents like a group of Brahmin women who collectively wrote and staged the drama ‘Thozhilkendrathilekku’ as early as 1948 and Lalithambika Antharjanam who never published a work on a topic as revolutionary as widow remarriage,’’ Sajitha recalled.

Once she started her search, details and anecdotes kept pouring in on as many as a thousand women artists. ‘‘But I have to put a stop somewhere,’’ she laughed. The book is due for release in August.

reema_narendran@expressbuzz.com

Being the change--By Saraswathy Nagarajan

Sajitha Madathil says the stage is her world. She talks about her role in the theatre scene in Kerala, and her book that deals with women in the theatre history of the State

As the curtain goes up and the lights dim, all eyes are riveted on the stage. There, in the twilight zone of reality and illusion, is where theatre person Sajitha Madathil lives her many lives as she etches characters that have become a part of theatre lore in Kerala.

Sajitha wanted to be a dancer. But that was until she attended her first theatre camp in 1991 and discovered that the stage was where she belonged. “It felt so right to be there; I felt at home, and I knew that this would be my world from then on,” reminisces Sajitha.

Today she is one of the names to reckon with in the theatre scene in Kerala. Her feminist plays and passionate interpretations of characters have added a new dimension of gender to the theatre scenario in Kerala, which has mainly been moulded and shaped by men. Beauty Parlour, Matsyagandi, Spinal Cord and Mathilukkal saw Sajitha move centrestage with some powerful performances.

The former student activist of Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad believes that theatre is a potent tool to raise your voice against injustice and to raise awareness on an issue. It all began in the mid-nineties, when activist and feminist Mini Sukumaran organised a group of women under the auspices of ‘Sthree Padanna Kendram,' which brought together a number of young women activists. One of the camps organised by the group happened to be on theatre and it helped several volunteers to get their act together.

“That was also the first time I met Srilatha and Sudhi, both leading theatre activists today. It led to the formation of ‘ Abhinetri,' which we thought was the first women's theatre group in the State. I decided to learn drama academically and joined Rabindra Bharati University in Kolkata,” recalls Sajitha.

And did her dance help her step up the ladder in theatre? “Yes, of course; for one thing, it helps you internalise emotions and portray them. But dance, especially Indian classical dance, has a structure unlike theatre where each role and stage depends on an actor's interpretation and utilisation of space and time.”

Marriage took Sajitha to Delhi where she began working at the Sangeet Nataka Akademi. Although theatre was always there in her life, her job took her all around the country for documentation and events. In the meantime, her angst over the exploitation of women found expression in Beauty Parlour (1999); her first solo play, which was co-directed by her and its playwright K.S. Sreenath. It hit out at the “commoditisation and homogenisation of women and their physiques,” an after effect of the winds of globalisation that was beginning to blow in India.

Memorable experience

Rave reviews followed. Then, she decided to document the lives of the women of the fishing community in Kerala. Travelling through the coast of Kerala opened her eyes to the problems of the women who struggle to eke a living. That experience resulted in Matsyagandhi, another solo play, which was written for the World Earth Summit in South Africa in 2002. At Johannesburg, she interacted with actors and directors from Egypt, Brazil and the United States. “Each of us presented plays that encapsulated the lives of the women of the fishing community in our country. Those plays were put together as a single play called Guardians of the Deep,” recalls Sajitha, the excitement still lingering in her voice.

Rapturous reviews and the overwhelming response from that experience remain special to her. With a smile she adds that she felt quite lost after she returned to India. “I was back to being an employee and a homemaker. It takes time to get back to normalcy after a tour like that.”

In 2007 Sajitha returned to Kerala as a staffer of the Kuttiyattam Kendra in the city and that was when she bagged the role of Narayani in Pramod Payyannur's play based on Basheer's Mathilukkal; a role that has been immortalised by KPAC Lalitha.

“It was a challenge to play Narayani. I was told many a time that Lalitha chechi had done it in a particular way or she had spoken the dialogue that way … Finally I decided that this was Sajitha's Narayani and I had to portray the character my way. It was well received at all the venues we staged the play,” says Sajitha.

She will also soon be seen in K.P. Sasi's film Janaki. She had also acted in Adoor Gopalakrishnan's Nizhalkoothu and Sibi Jose's Thuruthu. “But more than the silver screen, it is the stage that catalyses my talent. Srilatha and I plan to do a play next year and that is something that enthuses me,” she smiles.

However she says Kerala is not a kind place for women in theatre. “Each step forward is a small victory. And what hurts me most is when people presume that actors act all the time, even in real life. The sharpest comment is to “stop acting.” Every woman has to balance so many factors. Each role and play of mine was shaped after a period of intense soul searching,” avers Sajitha.

But negative vibes or personal problems has not disrupted her romance with the stage. And now that her book has been released, she sees it as a base to begin her research to throw light on the theatre history of Kerala.

Leading ladies in theatre

It was Sajitha’s research for her doctoral thesis that motivated her to write Malayala Nataka Sthree Charithram (History of Women in Malayalam Theatre), which was released yesterday. Sajitha, who is now deputy director (programme) of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, says she was surprised to find many books on theatre in Kerala silent on the role of women in theatre. “One of the first instances of a woman’s name cropping up in the books is that of a play titled Subhadraadhananjayam, written by Thottakkaattu Maadhaviyamma. However we find that the play is actually Subhadrarjunam written by a famous woman writer, Thattakkaattu Ikkaavamma. Similarly, there are many famous plays such as Akjaathavaasam by Kuttikkunju Thangachi, Saavithri Athavaa Vidhavaavivaaham by Lalithaambika Antharjanam, Devadoothi by B. Saraswthiyamma or Madhavivarma by Madhavikkutti. However, none of them find a place in mainstream books on theatre history. Perhaps the authors did not feel they were important enough for inclusion in their books,” says Sajitha.

Her book attempts to delve into the part played or not played by women in the traditional theatrical art forms of Kerala and the evolution of theatre in the State from a woman’s perspective.

“This is just a foundation for to begin my work,” says Sajitha modestly. A strong foundation can make all the difference when one is building an edifice for others to emulate and study.

Keywords: theatre, arts, Sajitha Madathil, rave reviews