Thai mission with a modern touch
TIRUVANANTHAPURAM : When 12 Thai school boys and their soccer coach got trapped inside a flooded cave in Thailand, it was with bated breaths that the world witnessed their rescue mission. When the very incident’s thread was used in a drama Guhamukhathu Ninnum Cameramanodoppam, directed by Dr Thomas Mathew, it became an enthralling experience. As he mixed the incident and the rescue mission with some contemporary issues including that of the needless sensationalism by the media, the audience was all smiles.
The drama was staged as part of the silver jubilee celebrations of Narma Kairali Plays.
“The play while trying to portray the mental and physical agony of the boys as well as the coach also tries to portray several issues we face today. While presenting the incidents that unravels inside and outside the cave, it also takes a dig at the media as a news channel reporter who arrived at the spot erroneously and reported the incident,” said an organiser.
Towards the end of the play, after several years the team came out of the cave and as soon as they came to know about the realities of the contemporary society they ran back to the cave, by declaring ‘cave is better than the outside world’. While the art direction of the play was done by Pradeep Ayiroorpara, the costume and sound mixing was done by Sasi Poojapura and Vinu J Nair respectively. The actors of the play include A S Joby, Karamana Gracy, Dileep Kumar Dev, Dr Sajeesh, Mangalathara, Rajanand, Sreena Sreekumar, Anjana Sreekumar, Eshwaran Potty, Gayatri Eshwar, Vaiga Vinu and others.
Before the presentation of the play, a book titled Filelukal Bhalithangal Alla penned by V Sureshan was released. The organisers also felicitated Dr Thomas Mathew who completed 25 years with the Narma Kairali. Though Narma Kairali was formed more than three decades ago, its popular dramas were launched in 1993. Established in 1987, Narma Kairali has presented more than 700 Chiriyararangu in India and abroad. Cartoonist Sukumar remained as its president for many years.