Timely message to young couples, parents

September 21, 2014 09:54 am | Updated 09:54 am IST

A scene from “Enna Porutham” at Navarathri drama festival in Madurai. Photo: S. James

A scene from “Enna Porutham” at Navarathri drama festival in Madurai. Photo: S. James

The first day of the Navarathri Nagaichuvai Nadaga Vizha 2014, hosted by Sri Sathguru Sangeetha Samajam, held at Lakshmi Sundaram Hall, began with the play “Enna Porutham,” which, as the title suggested, broached the subject of marital (dis)harmony and attempted at portraying what ailed marriages that made couples resort to divorce.

M.B. Murthy and party, from Gurukulam (Original Boys 95), enacted the roles of middle class people who are baffled by the change in family dynamics and expectations in a changing world.

The plot reveals how the marriage is arranged with a meeting between the couple, and finalised based on horoscopes. But the couple choose to live close to the boy’s parents’ house.

A few months into the marriage, the differences in their personality and living style cause unhappiness. While the girl is organised and involved in environmental activities, the boy is not. He is sociable and easy-going. The plot thickens with the arrival of a mysterious phone call from a woman, about whom the boy refuses to elaborate to his wife.

However, what actually leads to the separation of the couple is the role played by the parents. The girl confides in her mother, who takes up the issue with the boy’s mother. This interference causes further arguments among the couple and they get separated. In tune with the times, the discord is taken up with a psychiatrist, who counsels the couple as well as parents individually. This character provides the director with a good opportunity to convey his message; the main one being that parents should not intrude into the lives of young people, who should be allowed to resolve their problems by themselves.

A few tips on parenting are also mentioned with quotes from Hindu scriptures and examples from epics. Parents should provide a nurturing environment, keep their quarrels private and allow the young privacy. The play ends when the girl realises that her husband loves her, and is only trying to help a co-worker, who has requested him not to reveal her troubles to anyone.

The viewers greatly appreciated the entertainment, as it portrayed the tension within the family, and the endurance of relationships through troubling times.

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