KOCHI: Ten crowns meant for villainous characters like Duryodhana, Ravana, Keechaka, Bana and Ghatolkacha are waiting for this historic day- August 1, the day when the stage will be set for Rajasam, the first ever staging of ten katti (villain) characters.
Celebrities like Madavoor Vasudevan Nair, Kalamandalam Gopi, Kalamandalam Balasubrahmanyan and others will don the headgear to transform themselves into anti heroes of our great epics.
And Surendran is busy giving finishing touches to the headgear meant for both the northern school (vadakkan chitta) and southern school (thekkan chitta) of kathakali.
“This is the first time in the history of kathakali that ten characters from ten different stories are appearing on stage in a single night,” Surendran says.
While Kalamandalam Gopi plays the role of Duryodhana in ‘Uthraraswayamvaram’ in the vadakkan chitta style, the next story, Banayudham, will have Madavoor Vasudevan Nair in the role of Bana rooted in thekkan chitta.
“I have already completed the final work of the head gear which are all different in many ways,” Surendran says.
The feudal era in Kerala witnessed the growth of Kathakali under the patronage of the famous Namboothiri illams which spent lavishly for the promotion of this divine art form.
Most illams owned kaliyogams or troupes with all essential accessories including headgear and costumes. But post land reformation, the state witnessed the degradation of these Namboothiri Illams along with famous kaliyogams. Many films like M T Vasudevan Nair’s ‘Nirmalyam’ have portrayed this gloomy version of Kerala culture that resulted from a revolution.
Surprisingly, Sree Bhavaneeshwara Kaliyogam, Eroor, established by Surendran’s father Puthuvelil Krishnankutty, survived the test of time. Without the patronage of any Namboothiri family, Krishnankutty took up the challenge to maintain this kaliyogam even when his family was starving.
Like his father Surendran worships this kaliyogam and tries his level best to make headgear and other ornaments suitable for epic characters.
“Ours is not a rich family but my father was keen to keep the ‘kathakali koppu’(accessories meant for Kathakali) intact even when he struggled to make ends meet,” Surendran says.
“From my childhood I have been impressed by the dedicated service of my father to make stalwarts like Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair, Keezhpadam Kumaran Nair and others transform into myriad characters like Nala, Keechaka and Ravana,” he says.
It was his father’s work that helped Surendran realise that an ‘aniyarakkaran’ (green room boy) has a crucial role in a kathakali performance even though he does not have the status of an artist, “When an actor needs to have a sound knowledge of the epic and the character, we should know everything about the mannerisms of a character as well as that of the actor who play the character. Like my father I concentrate on the mannerisms of an artist first and then study the character,” he says.
Aniyara (green room) is an essential and inevitable part of this art form and stalwarts like Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair always insisted on specific green room persons for their performance. Because without a properly kept green room, an actor cannot transform easily into characters.
Whether it is making manayola (face paint) or providing ornaments meant for various characters, green room assistants play a vital role in the dazzling performance presented by an actor. Kachamurukku (winding of specially prepared cloth around the actor’s waist) and uduthukettu (adorning various ornaments and colourful costumes) are two important factors which add to the performance of an artist.
Surendran has proved his proficiency in preparing great artists like Kalamandalam Ramankutti Nair and Kalamandalam Gopi as Keecha or Nala. And Kalamandalam Gopi makes it a point to mention Surendran’s work whenever he feels the absence of a proper green room man in other kaliyogams.
Considering his sincere and dedicated work, Chalakudy Kathakali Club honoured Surendran with a gold medal. But Surendran is sad that the State Government has not done anything to recognise the work of ‘aniyara’ artists.
And institutions like the Kerala Sangeetha Natak Akademi are yet to appreciate the talent of an aniyara artist, he says.
Their hard work often lose its glow when the kalivilakku is lit on the stage to present heavenly scenes and immortal acting moments by gifted artists. But they do not have the time to brood over it. Duryodhana and Keechaka are eagerly waiting for their turn to be dressed by these experts who remain the unsung heroes of our most celebrated classical art form.
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