Back to mythology

April 11, 2013 06:37 pm | Updated 06:37 pm IST

A still from Soorasamharam. Photo: K.V.Srinivasan

A still from Soorasamharam. Photo: K.V.Srinivasan

It was a treat to watch the Tamil mythological play, ‘Soorasamhaaran,’ which was presented decades after theatre legend R.S. Manohar staged it. Directed by Thamizharasan, the play, written (story and screenplay) by K.P. Arivanandam, was staged under the auspices of Kartik Fine Arts. The play sizzled with Arivannadam’s lines delivered well by the actors.

It dealt with the legend of the two Sivaganas, Sooran and Padman. Cursed by Nandi to take seven births as asuras, the two do penance to seek a boon from Lord Siva. He grants them their wish. They will be born as a peacock and a rooster and serve Lord Muruga, the son of Siva.

On Narada’s advice, Sooran and Padman merge and enter fire and are born as Soorapadman in their seventh birth and attain salvation.

One of the highlights of the play was the apt cast. Master Madesh as Bala Murugan stole the show. Whether it was questioning Brahma on the meaning of ‘Om’ or arguing with his father when Siva bails Brahma out, Madesh was a treat to watch. Muthukumar as Lord Siva was impressive. The others including Parimalam, Jayanthi, Rajasri and Jayaseelan played their part with conviction. Special mention must be made of Arivanandam, who as Narada, added to the overall impact. And it is hard to believe the man is into his 70s!

The music by Alex was pleasant. Sets by Rajan (Kanchi Rengamani) were grand and Mano’s lighting complemented them.

Thamizharasan needs to be lauded for his effort, be it his acting or his skill as a director. More important, he has invested his time and money to stage a play close to his heart. Well done, indeed!

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.