A drama becomes more than a play when special people shape it around a meaningful theme. It finds its true soul. That soul came alive in the capital city at Savisesha, the art festival of people with disabilities at Tagore Centenary Hall, where members of the Association for Mentally Handicapped Adults (AMHA), Karyattukara, presented the play ‘Appa… Amma.’
Bala Sahitya Institute Award winner K V Ganesh, artistic director of Rangachethana, Thrissur, and the writer-director of the play, drew inspiration from Manu, a member of the organisation. An abandoned child found on the streets and brought to AMHA by the police, Manu was unable to speak except for two words — ‘Appa’ and ‘Amma’.
For over three decades, Rangachethana has been actively engaged in theatre practices involving people with intellectual challenges. Over the years, many children requiring special care have enriched Rangachethana’s stage with their performances. ‘Appa… Amma.’ is the organisation’s tenth performance.
The play opens with the pecking sounds of hens, gradually drawing the audience into its world as other characters emerge. A mirror is used as a metaphor, reflecting society itself while amplifying the inner talents of each performer. In this play, 15 members of AMHA appear on stage as characters, reclaiming space, voice, and visibility.
“The narrative revolves around the effort to trace the parents of a child found on the streets,” says Ganesh, whose association with AMHA spans nearly two decades. “This is not an isolated incident. Children discovered on the streets have been brought to AMHA before. When Manu, unable even to say his own name, asks everyone he encounters the same haunting question about his parents, it becomes a mirror to society.”
The story begins with a forsaken cat symbolising an abandoned child. To protect himself, the cat imagines transforming into a tiger, attempting to prove his strength and bravery against predator dogs. However, the illusion collapses when he realises he cannot truly become the tiger. Beaten down and cornered by the world around him, he reaches a moment of helplessness that leads to the emotional climax with the arrival of Manu himself on stage, raising questions:
“Who is a father? Who is a mother?
We are not stray cats to be thrown onto the streets.
We are not crows or hens to be chased away.
We are human beings with flesh and bones.”
Placing hope in society’s conscience, the performers ask to be seen, heard, and embraced.
“There are many talented members here, and I see this as a learning opportunity. It is a chance to hold their lives and help redirect them toward a better flow, where theatre therapy becomes a powerful tool,” says actor Sunil Sukhada, who has been part of production and the organisation for a long time.
Ganesh highlights the positive changes he has witnessed among the children. “Theatre is not merely about grand displays or visual spectacle. It is a medium to reflect, to hold close those pushed into the corners of life, and to give them strength and energy. This is such an initiative,” Ganesh concludes.