THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: This is not the first time that top bureaucrats in the state have donned the role of creative writers and artists. But this time around it’s a tad different. Sakunthala, a poem by chief secretary VP Joy, is all set to be performed on stage as a kathakali on Sunday.
“The poem was written some years ago and captures Sakunthala’s perspective. Subhadra, a former district planning officer and also a kathakali artiste, happened to come across the poem on YouTube and expressed a desire to render it on stage as a kathakali performance. For the performance they have added some kathakalipadams to it,” said Joy.
The poem will be staged by a group of artists led by renowned kathakali artiste Kudamaloor Karunakaran Nair. The one-hour performance will be staged at Vyloppilli Samskrithi Bhavan at 5.30 pm on Sunday.
Noted filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan will inaugurate the event which will be presided over by V P Joy.
Vyloppilli Samskrithi Bhavan secretary P S Priyadarshan, Kerala Knowledge Economy Mission director P S Sreekala and Dr P Venugopal would be the other guest speakers. Ahead of the performance, Neena Sabareesh will present the storyline to the audience. Kudamaloor Karunakaran Nair, Rajalekshmi, Murali Krishnan and Subhadra Nair will stage the performance.
Cheif secretary V P Joy, who is also an acclaimed writer with 12 poetry collections to his credit, writes under the pen name Joy Vazhayil. Sakunthala, a work based on Kalidasan’s Abhijnana Sakunthalam, was written a couple of years ago.
Ramanuthapam, Mathruvilapam, Nimisha Jalakam, Salabhayanam, Manalvarakal, Rithubhethangal, Malayalagazal, Niramezhuthum Porul, Mukthakangal, Samasyakal, Nakshatraragam and Veenakkambikal are some of his noted poetic works while Arivazham and Bandhanasthanaya Nyayadhipan are his novels. He has also couple of translations to his credit. His latest work Kanamara was published two months ago.
He has won SK Pottekkatt award, Akshaya literary award and Pazhassi Raja Sahityapratibha Puraskaram.