Emotional journey of a woman portrayed in household draws applause at Tamil Isai Vizha in Madurai

The sixth and final day of the Tamil Isai Vizha at Tamil Isai Sangam witnessed a melodrama, ‘Un Kannil Neer Vazhindal,’ (a famous song line in Kapi Raga by Kavingnar Kannadasan from the film Vietnam Veedu), by Fabs Theatre actor and news anchor Fathima Babu.

The story and dialogues are by T.V. Radhakrishnan and Fathima Babu has directed the play.

The story is about a middle class family with two sons, Anand and Narayanan, and a daughter, Anuja, aspiring to earn well and hold the parents in high esteem. The story undergoes twists and turns immediately after the elder son, Narayanan, goes to Noida for employment and settled there with his live-in partner Malathy without caring for his parents.

A family friend, Chicago Chidambaram, returns from the US to give his son and daughter in marriage to the family of Sabesan and Vanaja considering their condition. The banyan tree (the parents Sabesan and Vanaja) understands the new trunks (the money-minded children), when the father becomes sick, hospitalised and falls into coma. The mother tries to pacify the trunks to sell the hereditary property to save the father but in vain, and the parents collapse together.

The cast include Suganthan as husband/ father Sabesan; Karthick Sennimalai as Anand; Priya as Anuja; Suresh Seenu as Chicago Chidambaram; Krish as Narayanan; Fatima Babu as mother and wife Vanaja, Vijayashree as doctor Vasanthi.

The effective screen play with strong dialogues was lively. The drama portrays the parents’ silent suffering, quiet resilience and eventual confrontation with the reality of life.

Though the entire team performed well, special mention is to be made to Fathima, who has beautifully depicted the emotional journey of a woman in a traditional yet evolving household; Suresh Seenu — though adds humour in the character, becomes a character as a friend — and Vijayashree as Dr. Vasanthi.