CHENNAI: Tamils have always been drama queens. The stage was never a theatre of the absurd but a solid vehicle of entertainment.
From time immemorial, Tamils have been renowned for their exceptional talents as performers, poets, and storytellers, flourishing under the patronage of kings and emperors.
Post-Sangam era classics such as Silappathigaram have been a feature of the common man’s life, be it in urban or rural areas.
Originally encompassing drama, dance and music, over the years, drama became a preeminent art form, growing at a good pace, even during the independence movement. KB Sundarambal, Madhuram and NS Krishnan were icons of this era.
Plays were interspersed with patriotic fervour, frowned upon by the British, and performers risked being arrested. Post independence, YGP, Cho, RS Manohar, K Balachander and many others were superstars offering various genres, social, political satires, among others.
Not every child could sing or dance, but every one of them aspired to play a Raja Raja Chola, a Kattabhomman, Karnan, Surapadhman or a comedian. Several drama troupes flourished, with some like MGR doing the role reversal: from being patronised by kings or the rich, they became rulers.
In the 1980s, drama became an export item, with audio cassettes if SVe Shekher and Crazy Mohan plays answering a diaspora thirst for drama. In the 21st century, there have been very small strides: drama is still around, and the troupes travel abroad to perform live.
With social media running viral, with memes and short reels all the rage, how is traditional theatre placed? SBS Raman, who has three plays running simultaneously, including Kumin Sirrippu, Operation Vijay 1971, The birth of Bangladesh, and Krishna, says Tamil theatre continues to hold its ground.
Corporate sponsorship and audience patronage continue to back this art form, he says. Directors and writers are continuing to experiment with form and content, says Raman.
He himself has brought in innovative lighting and social media tools to his plays. While actors in Operation Vijay deliver dialogues in English, Krishna is a doffing of the hat to the mythological genre of RS Manohar, with the unique SBS Raman touch.
With poster culture back on the streets of Chennai, one begins to angst for Cho, the satirist; one can even run a contest asking contenders to pen dialogues that come close to the late legend’s satire.
Cho would have intertwined the stray cattle, the civic agencies and the paper posters prominently placed wherever road expansion works are going on, and the stray dog issue.
Cho would have had a field day. SVe Shekher has always maintained to me that it makes no sense to ruin a good thing. (When I asked him a decade ago about his decades-old still being staged by him).
His old plays continue to have a following. Drama queens are still around. One only wishes there were more, newer, younger players, especially during the Margazhi season.