KOCHI: It was a seemingly unevenful day. Mavoor Vijayan had just boarded a bus from the Mavoor bus stand. He had barely seated himself comfortably, when, all of a sudden, a man sitting right behind him, his face half-covered, hissed, “Your street play is doing very well, but keep in mind that you won’t do too well criticising [Prime Minister Narendra] Modi.” And the stranger promptly alighted the bus and walked away.
This was, however, much anticipated by Vijayan, who has been a street-play activist for over 45 years now. His most recent outing has been grabbing eyeballs for its intent and narration. Vijayan has brought back the acclaimed ‘Velichappadu’ (oracle), from the film ‘Nirmalyam’, on stage, in a one-act play, but, this time, there’s much more he wants to say.
‘Nirmalyam’, a cult classic, was penned and directed by Jnanpith Award winner M T Vasudevan Nair. It is a reference point for many film enthusiasts when they discuss the interlinked themes of religion, poverty and social taboos. The ‘Velichappadu’, in the film, was portrayed by P J Antony, who went on to win the National award for a career-best performance. He brought alive the subtle irony of being an oracle, who takes care of a temple, in a remote village, but ends up neglecting the needs of his family.
“I’m re-enacting the Velichappadu, who is back to take stock of the current situation in Kerala,” said Vijayan. He has placed his monologue in the context where M T Vasudevan Nair was recently slammed by the BJP for stating that demonetisation isn’t the way forward.
“They (BJP) said that M T Vasudevan Nair is no authority on the subject, so he shouldn’t share his views. So here I am, being a character created by the writer, who was an aching symbol of poverty in Kerala during the 1970s,” he said. Vijayan strongly feels that Kerala, in the 70s, was on the cusp of modernisation and nurtured a progressive outlook.
“There was poverty then, and there is poverty now. However, views are getting more regressive than ever in the state,” said Vijayan. Talking more about the play, he affirms that it is a satirical comedy. “The play, in four parts, starts with ‘What M T Vasudevan Nair said’ regarding the currency ban. Facts and figures of demonetisation are presented. I move on to bring back the oracle, who laments about his life and losses, how he couldn’t take care of his family, and then takes a closer look at the economic crisis propelled by Modi’s dictum.”
There seem to be several lines that make a mockery of Modi as well as the demonitisation drive. “The oracle used to be an authority in matters regarding society. In my play, there’s a line, ‘Now, anyone with a sword, thinks he can dictate.’ The Gandhis are standing on the street, Godses are cruising in AC cars” is another line that expands to how Modi stepped into the same RSS camp that was home to Godse 23 years ago. Vijayan, a retired bank employee, has been an artist for a long time. His previous play came into being four days after demonitisation was declared. “It was about Muhammad bin Tughluq revisiting the country along with two qawwali singers inquiring why his name was being reused!” he said.
The play ‘MTyodoppam Velichappadu’ will be staged on February 2 after the DYFI national conference at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi.