“I wasn’t even nominated,” exclaims Dharanidharan, when congratulated on his winning the Best Actor in a Supporting Role at the Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards (META) last month. Ironically, Dharani won the Best Actor award for playing a female role. The play was Chandala, Impure , Koumarane Valavane’s adaptation of Romeo and Juliet . The Indianostrum Theatre production sets the Bard’s love story in Tamil Nadu and fills it with a mix of caste, cinema and politics.
Dharanidharan
When it premièred in October last year, a French girl had played the role, “but her visa ran out and she returned to her country,” Dharani explains how he landed the award. “By this time, however, the play had been entered at various categories at META and, since the actor changed, Koumarane withdrew the nomination.
However, the jury liked what they saw and asked him to enter my name.” Dharani’s eyes sparkle as he recalls this moment. He didn’t expect to win even then, he smiles. “There were so many other fabulous actors who had also been nominated,” his voice trails off...
Dharani’s role was that of Juliet’s — or rather her Indian counterpart Janani’s — nurse. How did he manage to pull off a female role? “It was tough initially,” he admits. “I wasn’t sure if I could pull it off. I was talking in a high-pitched voice and trying very hard to sound female .” But a few words of advice from Koumarane and the veteran koothu artiste Purisai Sambandam saw him settle down. “It was Sambandam sir who told me not to worry about aping a female voice. ‘Talk normally,’ he advised, ‘and pay attention to your movements’.”
Dharanidharan as the nurse in Chandala, Impure
As he settled into the role, Dharani began to add his own touches. “I had observed elderly women in my family and in villages and I decided to bring in some of their mannerisms.” Ask him to elaborate, he thinks for a while and then, “Like the way they chew betel leaves and nuts and the way they squat.” For the scene in which Janani’s brother is killed and the body brought home, Dharani decided to use the oppari or the traditional lament to add verisimilitude. “All this set the play in our context,” he emphasises.
- Actors: Sivaji Ganesan, Tom Hanks, Toshiro Mifune
- Directors (Stage): Shankardass Swamy, Peter Brooks, Jerzy Grotowski, Om Muthumaari
- Directors (film): Rudhraiyya, Balu Mahendra, Steven Soderbergh, James Cameron, Lars von Trier, Akira Kurosawa, Kim ki Duk
- Dream roles: Pattinatthar, Karaikal Ammaiyar, traditional and mythical characters
- Plays: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, All kinds of koothu, plays based on Tamil and Greek myths
Dharani waxes eloquent about the play, which he hopes to bring to Coimbatore soon. “It’s not just a play; it is a multi-media presentation that portrays the pernicious hold of caste in the state,” he says echoing Koumarane’s words: “It seemed as if the caste system is a shape-shifting monster which keeps adapting itself to situations in our time, even as laws are being put in place to eradicate this evil.” The play references the tragic inter-caste love stories that have made recent headlines and the Tamil love for cinema. “Jack and Janani meet in a cinema hall,” laughs Dharani, “and the film is Shakeela’s, an adult film.”
What’s next? Dharani is full of plans. Under his Udalveli banner, he wants to have at least one show a month. He has been conducting a series of Body(E)scape workshops over the past few months that look at different aspects of theatre. “A core group of actors is being formed from those who attend all the workshops,” he elaborates. “We will then have a production as a finale.”
- Udalveli Arts Foundation will conduct a a six-day workshop on theatre for kids. Apart from the basics of theatre and acting, the workshop conducted by Dharanidharan will also include games that will not just keep the children active but also teach them to work with others and concentrate on their body and space. The finale will be a performance by the participants.
- When: May 6 to 11; 9.00 am to 1.00 pm
- Where: Clusters Media Institute, 439, Kamarajar Road, Near Hope College, Peelamedu
- Eligibility: Children above 10 years
- Registration fee: ₹3000 inclusive of refreshments and certificate
- Contact: 9894350810 or 6374459654 to register and for details
In May, he is planning a week-long workshop for children, which will end with a public performance. He is also hosting paid performances of Theatre Akku’s Adavu, the therukoothu-based play. He wants to bring more theatre groups from other cities to perform in Coimbatore.... all of which, he admits, will happen if he is able to raise funds and find support.
