KOCHI: He was an advocate by profession. Theatre was his passion and in politics he used it as a weapon for social change. The life of Advocate G Janardhana Kurup who passed away in Kochi on Friday revolved around these three spheres.
It was in 1950 that Janardhana Kurup and Punalur Rajagopalan Nair, fresh law graduates from Thiruvanathapuram Law College, came up with the drama ‘Poruthunna Korea’. Moved by the Communist ideology, the duo found it as way to protest against the colonialists who tried to invade Korea. “After the success of the drama, they thought it would be better to float a permanent theatre to take up social issues and named it Kerala People’s Arts Club (KPAC),” says A Shajahan, secretary, KPCC.
The first drama staged by KPAC was ‘Ente Makananu Sari’ written and directed by the duo. After seeing the drama Thoppil Bhasi informed them that he has written a story that could be staged by KPAC. Thus started an era which saw the golden years of Malayalam theatre. “Deverajan, Vayalar, Kambissery Karunakaran, K Raghavan and K P Ummer were introduced to KPAC by Janardhana Kurup. And he was the president of KPAC from 1951 to 1962,” Shajahan said. The wave created by the plays such as ‘Mudiyanayaputhran’, ‘Surveykkallu’, ‘Ningalenne Communistakki’, Puthiya Akasam Puthiya Bhoomi’ had played a key role in taking the Communist party to power.
He left an indelible mark on the freedom struggle in Travancore and was a hardcore left wing politician. Kurup plotted against Sir C P Ramaswamy Iyer. He was influenced by P Krishna Pillai and M N Govindan Nair and became a Communist.
Kurup started his career as an advocate in Kollam in 1957. In 1970, he contested in the Parliament elections as CPM candidate, but couldn’t win. Then he shifted to Kochi and started practice in Kerala High Court in 1977. “He was a good orator and actor. His autobiography (Ente Jeevitham) proved that he was an excellent litterateur as well,” Justice V R Krishna Iyer said. “He was a success as an advocate also,’’ he said.
Janardhana Kurup was born to Karimbaloor Kochunnithan and Appiyamma at Kalluvathukkal in Kollam in 1920. He had been bedridden for the last two months due to age-related ailments. When he breathed his last, his grandson Vinod and companian Antony were near him at his residence in Kaloor. He is survived by daughters Leela, Ambika, Sarada, Ambujam and Pankajam. The cremation will be held in Kochi on Saturday.
