CHENNAI: In its endeavour to promote Tamil stage plays and dance dramas, State government has earmarked a fund every year. On those lines, Eyal Isai Nataka Manram set up a platform for the new kid on the block, Chennai Dramas formed by AP Vaitheeswaran of Yogasram Trust. The inaugural play Mummudi Cholan was an enriching experience for the packed gathering at Raja Annamalai Manram Hall last weekend.
Raja Raja Cholan was considered as the greatest king of the Chozha Empire. History has it that he ruled between 985 and 1014 century, having laid the foundation for the growth of the Chozha Kingdom into an empire. By conquering the kingdoms of southern India and the Chozha Empire, the expansion was as far as Sri Lanka and till Kalinga in the Northeast.
Writer Thanjai Radhakrishnan, also credited with the dialogues, has stuck to the main theme where the King had been remembered for reinstating the Chozha influence and ensuring its supremacy across the Indian ocean.
Imaginative scene setting backed by razor-sharp dialogues bringing to light the richness of a King, who had no peers in his time, set the early tempo. When the line-up has seasoned artiste Nanjil Revathy (as Kundavai Nachiar); Sujatha Babu (Panjavam Madevi) and the man-of-the-moment K Muthukumar (as Raja Raja Cholan), the ambience had to be electrifying.
Playing the part
A historical play of such a magnitude needed a LED as the backdrop to reveal the poignant moments. Expectedly, it was not in short supply with the audience feasted to an array of visual delights. The visuals played a huge part in conveying the message. That was in keeping with the reputation of the King, a man of few words, who had believed in his work to speak for him.
Easily the highlight was the song picturisation on the pair of Vijay TV-fame Naveen Muralidhara and Shamin, a regular in Sun TV serials. The solo rendered by Surmukhi Raman had a breathtaking visual, something not seen in Tamil stage plays. Film musician Tajnoor does justice to his reputation with the idea conceptualised by Radhakrishnan and to the enchanting lyrics of Nellai Jayantha.
Director AS Mani does well sticking to the facts instead of touching on the controversial areas. Music is the vital cog of the play, handled with a touch of finesse by NA Alex. The moments in the play where Kundavai giving a piece of her mind to the King get enhanced by the dexterous musical score.
Successful team effort
The two-hour play needed a battery of characters, everyone passing the test at the end of it. Six months of hard work was all too evident in the way the star cast responded to the need of the hour.
Hurried change of sets had that anxiety written all over it from the production house. There was the urgency to showcase all the productive output of an individual. Such being the enormous contribution of the King, credited with building the famous Brihadiswara Temple in Thanjavur leading to the worship of Lord Shiva. The minutest details backed with facts was quickly lapped up by the seasoned hands in the audience.
The possibility of a sequel looms large going by the audience response. Before that, there is the job for the production house to take the output to the nook and corners of Tamil Nadu. As Radhakrishnan best summed it up, “The fruits of the labour is best reflected in the reach of the play. The happy augury is in getting the calls from sabhas in Tamil Nadu. When a huge investment is made in the settings, it pays to spread the joy.”