Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | Entertainment | Young World | Property Plus | Quest | Folio |

Both stage and screen dear to Murali

Murali Menon, theatre and film personality is back from London and is planning to involve himself in film projects

MULTIFACETED Murali Menon straddles the worlds of theatre and films with felicity PHOTO: H. VIBHU

Murali Menon is an artiste who has varied interests other than films. Acting is his passion, and the theatre has given him a lot of satisfaction. He is turning to films now and concentrating on several aspects of filmmaking.

"I had always aspired to be an actor, preferably a stage artiste and never a star", says theatre and film personality Murali Menon. "Yes an actor of calibre like Nedumani Venu, Om Puri, Naseeruddin Shah etc", he elaborates. His frequent sojourns to London to act in plays of Tara Arts, British National Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company projects at crucial moments may have hindered his career back home, he reflects. He acted in three recent releases - `Fingerprint', `Chandrotsavam' and `Ponmudipuzhayorathu'Acting was his passion right from the age of eight. Murali a native of Kozhikode, acted in plays during his school years. He also featured in Kanalattam, of K.R.Mohandas that bagged three State awards during the Grand Theatre Movement days in Kozhikode.

For his degree course he enrolled himself at the School of Drama, Trichur. Here he met Cuckoo Parameshwaran his junior whom he befriended, proposed and married a few years later.

CULT (Calicut University Little Theatre), a project of School of Drama then took up Murali's time. When Tara Arts, a British theatre company formed by South Asian expatriates in Londo, was talent hunting, they visited CULT with an open invitation for Murlai to London. Tara Arts projected the socio-political issues of immigrants who were trying to make a meaning of their lives in a new land.

London exposed him fully to the world of theatre. He came back to India after six months and landed himself a secure, pension-oriented job as a producer in Doordarshan. But much to his parents' dismay he resigned for the quest of adventure and creativity pulled him back to London. He acted in many plays and found a deep sense of fulfilment in London.

"True talent is recognised there and they come in search of you unlike here. London filled me with a greater sense of satisfaction than Kerala", he says with a hint of sadness. But he chooses to here for he feels his son, Vishak needs him now, in his formative years.

Murali's taste and aptitudes are as assorted as his experiences. He staged `The Rise and Fall of Janardhan Sreerang Bhandare,' a one-man comedy show in many corners of the globe like Italy, Amsterdam, New Zealand and London. .

"While mimicry is more popular, one-man shows that require more talent is unfortunately sidelined in India," he laments. Occasionally he goes on stage to act in plays like Padmarajan's `Kallan Pavithran'. He acts in T.V. serials occasionally. Some of them are `Chakkaravava', `M.T. Kathakal', `Ohari'.

He was the hero in `Bhavam' that bagged the National Jury Award, opposite Jyothirmaye who bagged the State Award.

Teaming up with wife Cuckoo, he had shot a documentary, `Kulambu' about the torturous way cattle are transported for slaughter.

He was also Associate Director to Adoor Gopalakrishnan and Shyama Prasad and enjoyed working behind the camera.

Therapy Theatre Workshops to beat modern day stress is another of Murali's diverse interests. Any further interests? "Yes I am an excellent cook and can churn out anything from the naadan sambar, avial to exotic continental dishes.

Right now he has a script ready, and is looking for some collaboration for the project.

HEMJIT BHARATHAN

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail