NA Muthuswamy, the self effacing, leading playwright of Tamil Nadu, cofounder and director of the only professional Tamil theatre group Koothup- Pattarai (KP founded in 1977), winner of the 1999 Sangeet Natak Acadami Award (the apex institution of the performing arts) and the 2009 Kalaimamani Award of the Tamil Nadu Iyal Isai Nadaga Manram, sprung into prominence with his first play Kalam Kalamaga (Time After Time) in 1968. The play went down in the theatre annals as the first modern Tamil play. Since founding KP he has written plays such as England, Narkalikkarar and Suvarottigal, all of which were pathbreaking and covered political, social and gender issues. A prolific short story writer, he mostly covered the life and times of his native village Punji in Thanjavur. His collection of short stories Waterness translated by Lakshmi Holmostrom (The Inner Courtyard) was described as ‘the mythologizing of memory and paralleling memory and dreams’. Fortune has not found its way to Na Muthuswamy. Fame, though, that brought him many kudos from around the world, sits lightly and humbly on his shoulders.
I drop in at Koothu-P-Pattarai’s performance space in Chinmaya Nagar and I’m greeted by barks and growls from 'USA' – the canine mascot of the group, who once assured that I came in peace, flops down, rolls over on his back and plays dead! Muthuswamy Sir is seated in his favorite chair looking young and dapper belying his 73 years. There is a slight look of worry on his face. I ask what’s the matter? “We have been asked to vacate this space. The landlord wants it back for a godown. Anyway we were cheated by him as he has cooly encroached on PWD land and even partly constructed over a storm water drain! My next play Twelve Angry Men translated from the English is ready but we don’t have the space to perform it in.” Has he approached the State Government? “Yes, but there has been no response so far, so we are still looking.” There is no trace of anger or remorse in his voice. Such is the man (If anybody out there can help, please contact him). We reminisce a bit about performance spaces that have long since vanished like Sitrarangam at Island Grounds (home to many of KP’s early plays.) and the lawns of MMB.
Several actors have trained with KP and left for the glitz of Kollywood like Pashupati and Kalairani to name two.
How does he feel about that? “I have no objection whatsoever. We pay our actors but it’s not enough .You should know. Would you be able to run a full time professional English Theatre Group just paying Rs 6000 per month?” I change track and ask what the influences in his writing were? He replies, “The richness of new Tamil poetry and its vocabulary, Theru-K-Koothu and the freedom of thought of Ionesco allowed me to traverse my personal universe”.
What is his advice for aspiring actors? “Tell them that they must be constantly involved and participating in the training and learning process. The learning curve never ends for a good actor.” ‘USA’ interrupts us with loud barks –the photographer has arrived, the flow of words dry up as the camera clicks away. Slow to critique, but generous with praise and encouragement Na Muthuswamy is definitely amongst the living legends of Chennai.
