KANNUR: Amateur drama troupes had played a significant role in bringing about a revolution in the social and cultural scenario of Kerala right from the period of the freedom struggle.
Village theatre still continues to be the cultural fabric of rural Kerala, even as it remains a catalyst of social changes.
'Nattile Pattu', a play written by N Sasidharan and directed by Babu Annur, has become the 'talk of the town' as implied by the title.
The play tells the story of a group of people who lived in the 60's in the village of Kuttiattoor in Kannur district.
Woven around the whole play is also the love story of a feudal youth and a lowercaste woman, who is also an agricultural worker.
The repercussions caused by the love affair between them form the main theme of the play. Damu, the feudal youth, braves all adversities to live with his darling, Janu. But the uppercaste Hindus and the politicians supporting them managed to destroy the lovers. Janu put an end to her life and Damu, who lost his sense, tried to commit suicide setting fire to the house where he had decided to live with his lover.
He was rescued by the people, but he left the village and spent the rest of his life as a musician. And, this was all that happened in 'Nattile Pattu', which turned to be the song of the village.
Incidentally, the music given by Baburaj links the whole series of social developments in the story right from the beginning.
The play, which portrays a typical village in North Malabar in the 60's, has several interesting characters.
T K Govindan, a local committee secretary of the Communist party, Pulluvan Kannan, a mentally unsound seller of ayurvedic herbs, and Maniyara Chalil Kittan who wages a lone battle against the injustices in society, are some of them.
The play scripted by Karivellur Murali with V T Murali's songs has turned out to be a big draw in this part of the state.