Looking for another Manju
Many a future film star has been discovered at the State School Arts Festival. The dancer’s stage has been of particular interest for directors. Manju Warrier and Vineeth had shone brightly as dancers before they were picked for film roles.
Director M. Mohanan, who has made films like Katha Parayumbol and Manikyakkallu , too is hoping to get the heroine of his new film from this festival. “I need a girl who is a good dancer,” he said. “I will be watching the dance competitions closely over the next few days.”
The festival also brought him some fond memories. “I used to compete in story-writing competition,” he said. “And I had accompanied my nephew Vineeth Sreenivasan, who had won the first prize in Mappilappattu in the 2000 festival at Palakkad,” he said.
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Art more valuable than money
A small footwear shop he runs at Peravur in Kannur is Ravi Karyattupuram’s only source of income. But the shop will remain closed till the curtain comes down on the State School Arts Festival on January 22.
“Nothing is more valuable to me than watching and enjoying the cultural performances of students at the State-level event,” said the native of Patyam near Thalassery who also writes poetry occasionally. “I have closed down my shop because I cannot afford to see the State School Arts Festival when it is held in others districts very often.” “As the performances at the State-level event are all finely chiselled as they get through school, sub-district and district levels, it is a great loss in life if one misses a chance to watch them,” he says.
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Grand encouragement
When 77-year-old Carnatic vocalist Vaikom K. Vamana Prabhu turned up at the venue of western violin competition, curious heads turned to see the meeting of three generations. The retired music teacher from Poochakkal, had performed with K.J. Yesudas in a couple of concerts, was there to encourage his grandchild performing in the High School violin event. “Grandpa’s presence is encouraging,” said the boy with a smile.
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When art is supreme
Autorickshaw drivers have been badly hit by demonetisation. They hope the festival would help them revive their business.
“But, I also want to watch the performances, especially that of Folk Music,” said Balakrishnan. “The quality at all the stages are so good that you do not realise hours have passed, forgetting your work, as it happened to me in 2007 when we last had the State festival here.”
(Contributed by P.K. Ajith Kumar, Mohamed Nazeer and Abdul Latheef Naha)
