THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: At the far end of the hall of the Press Club, there is a cartoon of a Pied Piper, in the figure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, leading a group of docile people (similar, to the famed fable where the Piper lured rats into the river). For the viewer, this is an obvious dig at the demontisation issue that has created havoc in the lives of people.
At the other end, there is another image where Modi opens the head of a layman to find nothing inside. The accompanying dialogue reads, ‘Just like I thought’.
Humour is at its best at the two-day all women’s cartoon exhibition, ‘Pink Toons’, organised by the Kerala Cartoon Academy and the Kochi Press Club.
According to Rachana Rejith, a 2D cartoonist, whose works are also on display, women in India are only just coming out of their shells, and making a mark in creating humourous cartoons. “Women cartoonists, like the late Maya Kamath (whose works are on display) had been bold. She was unafraid of being silenced by society, even as she commented on social issues through great satire.
However, in Kerala, women cartoonists are scared to explore their humourous side. They have it in them, but they are unsure whether society will accept it,” says Rachana, whose depiction of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s electoral pitch, at the 2008 elections, is an eye-grabber.
“Women animators are creating a niche today. The opportunities are many. For those who feel they have the talent, this is the right time to explore it,” she adds.
Children’s book illustrator Remadevi’s depiction of a large silhouette of a man preying on a hapless young child has the ability to shock. “I drew it two days ago. The image was so shocking that I felt that it was the need of the hour,” says Rema.
Most of the cartoons focus on the themes of sexual exploitation, security of women, and social issues, such as corruption. The more humourous ones, like the comic script illustrator Manjula Padmanabhan’s work focuses on the daily events in life, like a child making a plane with Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes.
Ayesha Haseen, a Kozhikode-based art teacher, is not one who shies away from taking a dig at politicians and leaders. A powerful image shows Gandhiji being shown the way out of the Khadi board, where he is asked to get a makeover.
Similar yet unique illustrations of a yogi in the Himalayas, which is burning hot, has been done by the Thalassery-based Salviya Raj. The Shornur-based Mini V S also makes powerful statements through her works.
Two students, Surya Mariya Kurian, a first year LLB student and Sera Mariyam Binny, who won the first prize at the State School Arts Fest for her cartoons, were honoured during the event.