As an enraged Bhima tears into Dushasanan, the beats of the chenda reach a crescendo, resonating with the characters’ anger, passion and rage on stage. After that act of violence, Bhima is struck with remorse and, later, falls at the feet of Lord Krishna, seeking forgiveness. By then the beats of the chenda are a murmur, the gentle beats in tune with the mood of the actors.
For long, the chenda has played a major role in shaping the soundscape of the Kathakali stage, providing the rhythmic background to the steps, mudras (hand gestures) and movements of the actors. As an aficionado of the art form and its storytelling, Vinu Vasudevan has been keenly following the evolution of Kathakali — its stages and performances.
Vinu Vasudevan (left) with chenda maestro Kalamandalam Unnikrishnan | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
As a discerning listener and viewer, he was struck by the innovations ushered in by percussionist Kalamandalam Unnikrishanan, former principal of the Kerala Kalamandalam Deemed University.
During the lockdown, following the outbreak of the pandemic, Unnikrishnan began teaching chenda online. “I was a regular follower of his classes. I felt that his contributions should not be confined to YouTube alone and deserved a larger canvas,” says Vinu, an art critic and documentary filmmaker.
Vinu reached out to the creative minds behind People Story Collective (Sajith Moothakurambu, Rakesh Pazhedam, and EM Rajeev) and sought their opinion on a documentary on Kalamandalam Unnikrishnan. As chroniclers keen on documenting Kerala’s traditional art forms, they were all on the same page.
However, when Vinu mooted the idea to Unnikrishnan, he did not think he would be an interesting subject for a documentary. They persuaded him by telling him that they wanted to preserve his legacy.
Work in progress during the filming of Melaprayanam, a documentary on Kalamandalam Unnikrishnan. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Filming began in March 2022, at his home in Perinthalmanna, in Malappuram district, Kerala. “We shot there for two days while he went down memory lane. The financial difficulties during his childhood, his early days as a student in Kalamandalam, his stint in Gandhi Sadanam and so on... We let him share his memories without it being a question-and-answer session,” says Vinu.
The shoot went on till December as the team was keen on shooting after the monsoon, and they had to consider Unnikrishnan’s busy schedule.
They recreated certain parts of his childhood with actors and also spoke to his contemporaries who share the same space.
The result is a one-hour documentary Melaprayanam – The Saga Of A Drummer, which zooms into the life of Kalamadalam Unnikrishnan and also his contributions to enhancing the visual and aural experience for fans of Kathakali. Kathakali’s superstar Kalamandalam Gopi, percussion maestro Mattannur Sankarankutty and art critic V Kaladharan are some of the connoisseurs who talk about the art of Unnikrishnan and the difference he has made to the Kathakali stage with his evocative drumming. The documentary also showcases the tough training and discipline that hones chenda artistes into crowd-pullers and artistes par excellence.
Kalamandalam Unnikrishnan. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Expressive beats
Unnikrishnan’s advantage is that he knows the lyrics of the padams being sung on stage, the scene and the mood of the characters. So the beats of the chenda when Nala is about to abandon his wife, Damayanthi, in the forest capture the wavering thoughts of the exiled king and his conflicting emotions. “A lot of hard work and dedication are evident in the changes he has brought into the soundscape of the chenda. Even minute expressions and movements of the actor are supported on the chenda,” Vinu points out.
As Kalamandalam Gopi points out in a scene in the documentary, Unnikrishnan recreates on his chenda the galloping of a horse, how it changes as it comes closer, to the different notes of bird song.
“His greatness is that he can transform a visual movement into an aural scene, be it a lotus blooming or the sounds of a cow being milked,” adds Vinu.
What is commendable is that Unnikrishnan believes in generously sharing what he has gleaned over several years with his students to enhance the aesthetics of the Kathakali stage.
Vinu points out that often documentaries are made on those in the limelight while maestros like Kalamandalam Unnikrishnan, who does not court publicity, are left to languish in the shadows and their contributions, taken for granted.
“The motive behind People Story Collective is to archive and document the work and lives of such greats. And this documentary is one step in that direction,” says Vinu.
The documentary was premiered on September 24. Vinu plans to send it to festivals once sub-titling is done.
