Kathakali connoisseurs will be treated to an interesting Kathakali performance on August 31 . A group of children in the age group of six to 16 will stage Duryodhanavadham, which narrates the story of the Kaurava prince Duryodhana.
“Perhaps, for the first time in the recent past, most of the characters in a full-length Kathakali performance will be enacted by children. It is a big moment for us,” says Kalamandalam Balasubramanian, director of Arjuna Society of Classical Arts, Kazhakuttam.
Nine students who are presenting the play cannot stop talking about the big day. “I have been learning Kathakali for the last 12 years and have taken part in various school youth festivals as well,” says Arjun Balasubramanian, son of Kalamandalam Balasubramanian, who essays the role of Duryodhana.
“In addition to youth festivals, I regularly perform Kathakali, most of them Kathi veshams,” adds Arjun, a Plus One student of Jyothi Nilayam HSS, Thumba.
Also in the troupe is Sulthana Najeeb, a Plus One student of Al-Uthuman English Medium Higher Secondary School, Kazhakuttam. “My parents have always been supportive of my interest in dance. I joined the Society to learn dance but when I sat through the Kathakali classes I wanted to learn the dance drama too. I’ve been learning Kathakali for the last two years,” she says. She plays Roudra Bheeman in the play.
The actors in the play are Sreedhar (Dusshasanan I), Akhil Venugopal (Dharmaputrar), Amal Venugopal (Shakuni), Amal Babu (Panchali), Aswin (Sreekrishnan), Venkitesh (Dusshasanan II) and Adarsh (Mumukshu). The programme is being organised as part of ‘Katha Kaliyattam 2013’, organised by Arjuna Society of Classical Arts, Kazhakuttam. The venue is Amman Kovil Community Hall, Kazhakuttam .
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