KOCHI: Ten villainous characters from noted plays like Uthara Swayamvaram, Bana Yudham and Ravanothbhavam are gearing up for a grand performance at Tripunithura Kalikotta Palace on August 1.
Connoisseurs of Kathakali will get a golden opportunity to witness all leading Kathakali actors, specialised in portraying the anti hero (katti), sharing the stage.
If Swathika Bhavam (gentleness) is portrayed in Kathakali by the character Pacha, the anti hero portrays the Rajasa Bhavam (rude) . With ten villain characters on stage, the organisers have given the title Rajasam to this unique programme. It’s the first time in the history of Kathakali that ten different Katti characters from ten different plays will be presented.
The twelve-hour full night event is being organised jointly by the View Finder Cultural Group and Tripunithura Kathakali Club. Unlike other theatrical art forms, in Kathakatli the anti-hero element dominates a performance as it provides ample possibilities to showcase the talent of an actor.
Moreover the tradition of Kathakali suggests many intricate techniques exclusively meant for the Katti characters.
Ekalochanam in Uthara Swayamvaram, Kamaladalam in Kartha Veeryarjuna Vijayam, Thapassaattam in Ravnothbhavam and Kailasodharanam in Balivijayam are some among them.
With their specially designed acting moments and improvised performing skills, stalwarts like Guru Chengannoor Raman Pillai, Kavungal Sankara Panicker and Keezhpadathil Kumaran Nair attained supreme position in the history of Kerala’s classic art form. The beauty of Keechaka and other villain characters donned by Kavungal Sankara Panicker are etched in the minds of Kathakali lovers. It’s rumoured that attracted by the Keechaka of Kavungal Sankara Panicker, a Nampoothiri woman asked him to meet her in her bedroom, without removing the costumes of Keechaka.
Sringaaram, the epitome in Rasaabhinaya (expressive acting), is designed in Kathakali to add the beauty of the Katti characters. Vipralambha Sringaaram (lustful romance) of Ravana in Rambha Pravesham and of Keechaka in Keechaka Vadham deserve special mention.
Kathakali Sangeetham also plays a major role in highlighting the Srungara Rasaabhinayam of anti heroes.
An apt example is the entry of the character Jarasandhan with his wife in Raja Sooyam which is accompanied by soul stirring musical waves rooted in the traditional romantic raga, Paadi, The greatest living exponent of Katti characters, Kalamandalam Ramankutti Nair, will inaugurate this sumptuous feast that will begin at 7.00 pm on Saturday and go on till 5,00 am on Sunday.
Mythological characters like Duryodhana, Bana, Ravana, Keechaka, Narakasura and Ghatolkacha will come alive before the connoisseurs to take them from this mundane world to an era of epics.
The night will get a glittery start with the performance of Kalamandalam Gopi as Duryodhana in Uthara Swayamvaram. The scene in which Duryodhana enters the well decked stage along with his wife Bhanumathi is considered one with romantic overtones. After comparing the face of Bhanumathi to the moon, Duryodhana furiously looks at the moon for trying to imitate the beauty of his wife.
The scene demands a unique but strenuous acting technique known as Ekalochanam in which the actor in the role of Duryodhana , should take it as a challenge to portray two entirely different emotions in his two eyes.
The actor should reveal love and affection towards Bhanumathi and anger towards the moon at the same time. After Duryodhana comes the next villainous character Bana which will be depicted by Madavoor Vasudevan Nair, an exponent in anti hero characters rooted in Kapplingadan school(Thekkan Chitta).
After the extravagant entry of these stalwarts, actors like Kalamandalam Balasubrahmaynan (as Ravana in Ravanothbhavam), Kalamandalam Sreekumar (as Ravanan in Karthaveeryarjuna Vijayam), Kottakkal Chandrasekharan (as Ravana in Toranayudham) and others will present sparkling performances.
Pathiyur Sankaran Kutty, Kalamandalam Babu Namboothiri and Kalamandalam Gopalakrishnan will assist these stalwarts in play back singing along with Kalamandalam Unnikrishnan, Kalamandalam Raman Namboothiri and Kalamandalam Krishnadas on chenda and Kalamandalam Sasi and Kalamandalam Prakashan on maddalam.
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