Stellar play draws applause at Tamil Isai festival in Madurai

The second day of the 51st anniversary of Tamil Isai Sangam witnessed a unique dance drama by Kalai Ilamani S. Sruthi’s (granddaughter of R. S. Manohar) Natya Natha Nataka Sangamam‘ Agni pravesham (Agnipariksha/trial by fire, a mythical Hindu practice).

The story was penned by Karaikudi Narayanan and directed by S. Sruthi. It is about an eight-year-old boy born and raised abroad, Dilip (Param Veer Singh), coming to Tamil Nadu with his father. During the stay, he is awakened as to his previous birth as Narayanan (Swaroop) and speaks in fluent Tamil. He wants to go to his wife (in his previous birth) Janaki’s (Sruthi) house in Nageswaram, Kumbakonam.

Upon going there, he finds Janaki with her father Shankaraiyar (S. Shivpprasadh) and family, facing lot of issues. He speaks and interacts with them intimately and solves all their problems with the help of his father viz Muthuraj (Ganesa Kaliyamoorthy).

When asked who he is, he says, he is Narayanan, who had no income and lived solely for music. At one point, due to mental distress, he had died by suicide. Everyone slowly realises that Narayanan (Janaki’s husband) has been reborn as Dileep. As they were trying to atone for their actions, the boy transforms back into Dileep, asks in English, “Yes, where am I?”, and immediately leaves for America.

Sruthi displayed her dancing talent as the protagonist as she returns in her sister’s (Shobana) character to perform a dance for jaya jaya shankara, (song from the film Damarukam on Lord Shiva).

The acting of Paramveer Singh as Dileep, Sruthi as Janaki and Shobana was well applauded by audience. The screen play with mind boggling dialogues like “don’t insult art and artist, it is not “ahangaram” but getting “angeeharam,” Saraswati and Lakshmi will not be together, all can wear Sathangai but only wife can wear Thali, money is everything, adjustment is more important made the play very unique.

S. Padmanabhan