The past two decades have not produced any Malayalam drama that could match the classics of yesteryears, actor and dubbing artiste Aliyar has said.
He was speaking at interactive session organised by the Sahitya Akademi with playwrights and actors on their experiences in the field of drama.
Away from literature
“When we look for the dramas every year for the various awards, we get numerous entries. But there are hardly a handful which are even worth considering. So we end up awarding the better among the available lot. Even in dramas across the world, there has been a moving away from literature since the 1950s. The kind of plays which can be read and enjoyed have reduced in number, as the focus is on the visualisation and presentation,” he said.
He recounted his experiences on the stage, from his beginnings as someone who would prompt dialogues to the actors to the many roles he played in Narendra Prasad’s plays.
N. Ajithkumar, Sahitya Akademi general council member, and head of the Malayalam department at the Central University of Kerala, said that Malayalis could be proud that they have been able to preserve their traditional art forms like Koodiyattam and Mudiyettu for centuries in their true artistic and creative format.
