KOZHIKODE: Twenty-seven years ago, at the Mananchira ground here, Sabeena was heart broken to hear that the ‘Kalathilakam’ title would be awarded to a girl who scored one point less than her. But those were only rumours which she had to dismiss when the official announcement came in. Sabeena Nadavalath, a ninth standard student of Aroli Government High School in Kannur, with sixteen points bagged the title. She shared the title with Ponnambili, who scored 15 points in individual items and one point in a group item.
“I was not hoping on winning the title, but when I came to know of the score, naturally I was expecting to be called the winner. But before the official announcement came in, I heard rumours that I would lose the title to somebody else who performed better according to them,” recalls Sabeena.
“Some people who thought it was not fair intervened and sorted out the issue. I shared the title with her. It was such a scene,” she add.
But the following year, there was no question of sharing the title. Sabeena bagged the title for the second time with 32 points at the 27th Kerala School Arts Festival, held in Kollam. Nobody had any doubts regarding who deserved it better.
To emerge as the Kalathilakam in 1987, Sabeena had secured the first position in oil painting, second places in tabla and mono acting. Her guru was none other than her father who shadowed her through all the hard times.
“Even in the second year, I took part in these three items. But this time I worked harder. I did not want my talent to be doubted,” she says.
What she feels about the Arts Festival environment today was reflected in 1987 when she acted it out in the mono-acting competition. The topic of her performance was the unhealthy competition between parents to live on their child’s name and fame. The next year, she acted out the struggles of a talented student from an economically weak background.
Married to a writer and painter Ullas Babu, this 41-year old is now working as a senior clerk in the Motor Vehicle Department in Kasargod.
Even amidst her hectic schedules and the responsibility of being the mother of two girls, she paints, conducts exhibtions and learns the tabla.
Her paintings are exhibited at the ‘Kadalolam Kazhcha’ exhibition held as part of the 55th Kerala School Arts Festival.