A solo, timeless play that surveys the past and present of Kerala through the eyes of the mother of one of the iconic martyrs of the State’s epic pre-Independence peasant strife at Kayyur is making its way to the Guinness Book of World records.
Aboobackerinte Umma Parayunnu — written and directed by Karivelloor Murali in 2002 and revised a year later as a solo piece — was awarded a certificate and a medal for clinching an ‘Asian record’ of maximum stages in a solo theatre performance.
Enacted by Rajitha Madhu, who has come to be identified with the ‘umma’ [mother] of the play in real life as well, the performance has had 1,681 stages so far.
Records collected
“A team from the Universal Records Forum visited us, collected records of old performances, watched clippings, and watched the play before conferring it with the honour, which also mentions it as a world record from the Asiatic region. They are the ones making recommendations for the Guinness records. It will take some more time to come,” Mr. Murali told The Hindu.
The Kayyur struggle was a landmark episode in the pre-Independence era that inspired a class struggle by peasants across the State. A peasants’ outfit, the Karshaka Sangham of Kayyur, decided to take out a march to Neeleswaram to protest British oppression. But two days before it was to happen, the police raided the village, going berserk.
Retaliation
In retaliation, a few villagers attack a police constable, who drowns in a river. The police go on a rampage after this and arrest Madathil Appu, Koyithattil Chirukantan, Podera Kunhambu, and Pallikkal Aboobacker, who are pronounced guilty and executed by hanging on March 29, 1943.
In the play, Ms. Madhu appears as the mother of Aboobacker and takes the audience through various social and political movements, the formation of the first Communist government, the land distribution and the grim social and communal scenario of contemporary times.
“Initially, we presented the play with 30 actors. The mother of Aboobacker in that version would come and go, but the impact the character made was stunning. It was then Ms. Madhu told me that she was not able to get away from the character. So, I rewrote the entire play as a solo piece, peppering it with actual voices of stalwarts like EMS,” says Mr. Murali.
Enacted by Rajitha Madhu, Aboobackerinte Umma Parayunnu has had 1,681 stages so far
