On January 26, 1963, Putharikandam Maidan in Thiruvananthapuram was the venue for Kalanilayam’s Kurukshethram Opera, written by eminent playwright Kavalam Narayana Panicker It was the first of its kind permanent stage for theatre, conceptualised by cultural activist Krishnan Nair, who, eventually, became known as Kalanilayam Krishnan Nair.
A scene from the play Raktharakhas when it was staged earlier | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Kalanilayam went on to enchant viewers with its massive productions in Malayalam for several years, all written by Jagathy NK Achary. Audience was treated to never-before-seen sets, sequences, innovative techniques and props as they watched tales from folklore and fables.
As the years rolled by, Kalanilayam Anandapadmanabhan, son of Krishnan Nair, and Jagathy Sreekumar, actor and son of Jagathy NK Achary, carried the legacy forward. With Jagathy Sreekumar still recuperating from a near-fatal accident in 2012, it was left to Anandapadmanabhan to keep it going.
Now, Kalanilayam is all set for a new innings. It has become a private registered company, having joined hands with Aries Group of Companies run by Sohan Roy, and is known as Aries Kalanilayam Arts and Theatre Private Ltd.
Come October 13, Thiruvanchikulam temple ground at Kodungalloor in Thrissur district will witness the first production of the company – a new take on its iconic play, Raktharakshas (Vampire), which was first staged 51 years ago in Thiruvananthapuram. “We are staging the first part of the play. It might perhaps be a first in the history of theatre in India that a play is being presented in two parts,” says Anandapadmanabhan.
Adapting to the times
He stresses that it was important for the theatre group to move with the changing times. “Kalanilayam, since its inception, has been a game-changer, especially with regard to stagecraft. My father enthralled viewers by bringing in so many unseen features on stage. They saw an airplane, cars, floods, fire, ocean, and more on stage. He gave a movie-watching experience for viewers and my task was cut out when I took over. I had to take it to the next level without compromising on the innate character of our productions. We also wanted to expand our horizons and take our plays outside Kerala. It was impossible for me to do alone. That’s when Aries group came in,” explains Anandapadmanabhan.
Anandapadmanabhan (left) with Sohan Roy, founder chairman and CEO of Aries Group of Companies | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Kalanilayam has over 50 productions to its credit, prominent ones being Raktharakshas, Kayamkulam Kochunni, Kadamattathu Kathanar, Iravikkodu Pillai, Naradan Keralathil, Taj Mahal, Sree Guruvayoorappan and Alavudinum Athbhuthavilakkum. He recounts how the troupe had actors who were in it for their love for theatre. “There was ‘Akbar’ Sankarapillai – he got that prefix after he acted as Akbar in a production — who could afford to have a personal cook when he travelled to perform. VK Aravindaksha Menon, who immortalised the role of Kayamkulam Kochunni, belonged to an aristocratic family.”
Kalanilayam also opened the door to movies for many artistes — Meena, Manavalan Joseph, Balan K Nair, KPAC Sunny, Poojappura Ravi, Oduvil Unnikrishnan etc. The latest name from the fold is Kottayam Ramesh, who was first noticed for his role in Ayyappanum Koshiyum as Kumaran, the driver of Prithviraj’s character, Koshy.
After Krishnan Nair’s death in 1980, it took some years for Kalanilayam to find its feet. On June 23, 2003, Anandapadmanabhan and Jagathy Sreekumar revived it as Kalanilayam Drama Vision, starting with the staging of Raktharakshas in Kochi. Raktharakshas was remade in Tamil as Rara Rakshasarathri and had a splendid run in Tamil Nadu.
A scene from Raktharakhas when it was staged in 1973 | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Following Jagathy Sreekumar’s accident, Anandapadmanabhan tried to keep the company going and launched Kalanilayam Stage Craft, a new division under Kalanilayam Drama Vision, in 2014. Hidimbi, a new-age production that experimented with stage craft, was its first production.
“Even as we attempted something new to draw in crowds, especially the younger generation, people kept asking for our old productions. That is the because of the trust they have in Kalanilayam and its plays. The pandemic struck and it became a question of survival. When it came to reviving Kalanilayam, Aries came on board,” says Anandapadmanabhan.
He adds the initial plan was to stage the second part of Raktharakshas. “But then several people in the current generation have not seen the original work. That’s how we decided to do it in two parts,” he says.
The first part — famous for the opening scene where an airplane arrives on stage — tells the story of the creation of Raktharakhas. Lakshmi, born to a vaidyan (traditional healer) Devanarayanan, known as Kadan vaidyar, is unhappy because she is not good-looking. After her father’s death, she stumbles upon a method of treatment that transforms her into the woman of her dreams. However, there was a flip side to the treatment and she turns into a vampire who thirsts for human blood. Finally, a sorcerer manages to stop the vampire.
While the first part was written by Jagathy NK Achary, Anandapadmanabhan has written the second part. “It is a prequel, which explains how Devanarayanan happens to find the after-effects of taking the controversial method of treatment,” he says.
Sound experiment
The new-look Raktharakshas has upped the production quality. “Our biggest investment has been in sound. It is a challenge in that the dialogues will be delivered live by the actors and that has to sync with recorded music and background score. This has to be converted into Dolby 7.1, to give an audio experience akin to the cinemas to the viewers,” he says.
Of the total 150-member crew, 60 are actors, majority of them new faces. “Stage artistes, especially in Kerala, are low in confidence mainly because they don’t enjoy the fan base as film actors and don’t have financial stability. We hope to change that by ensuring a steady income for them.”
Kalanilayam Krishnan Nair | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Work has been on on this production for the last one year. “We decided to start from Kodungalloor because that is my mother’s (Kodungalloor Ammini Amma) home town. An actor herself, she has been my father’s biggest support system. She started theatre when she was just 16, that too at a time when a woman entering this field was frowned upon. Her house has been converted into Kalanilayam’s office,” Anandapadmanabhan says.
An AC auditorium with pushback seats has come up on the 1.5 acres with the stage alone covering 10,000 square feet. “People will come in only if we give them a comfortable viewing experience,” he says.
While the core scenes from the original have been retained, a few comedy scenes have been scrapped. “We know that those scenes will not work with present-day audience. Instead, we have scenes that create the build-up for the horror in the narrative. There will also be situations that set up the second part.” The production’s duration is of two hours and 20 minutes.
Rehearsal of Raktharakhas Chapter 1 in progress at Kodungalloor | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Anandapadmanabhan also plans to fulfill his father’s dream of setting up a permanent stage for theatre. “Before he passed away, my father had taken a plot in Kochi on lease for 100 years with plans to construct a stage, a shopping complex and other facilities. But that plan had to be dropped due to unforeseen circumstances. Now our plan is to set up stages in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Thrissur and Kozhikode in that order.”
Raktharakshas will play at Kodungalloor from October 13 for 25 days before moving to Thodupuzha and Ernakulam. There will be daily shows at 6pm and 9pm. Tickets are priced ₹300, ₹500 and ₹700. For details, contact: 8714088850
Published - October 08, 2024 11:30 am IST
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