In the late 1970s, a few Postal Accounts employees in the capital city were on the lookout for a playwright, to write material for them to perform at an annual theatre festival. A college professor, a friend of theirs, came forward and wrote a play titled Moonnu Pramukhanmaar . That was the debut of Narendra Prasad, the playwright, one of the several hats he wore in a colourful career.
In 1979, he wrote another play Ira for the employees, which also won them several awards. By then, he was beginning to feel that he had to expand his reach, as only Postal Accounts employees could act in plays written for them. He formed his own troupe Natyagriham, with his contemporaries, including actor Murali, Aliyar, M.K. Gopalakrishnan, P.A.M. Rasheed, Gopakumar, and Leela Panicker.
Soon after, he wrote one of his most acclaimed plays, Souparnika , based on a story from Kottarathil Sankunni’s Aithihyamala . “It was a landmark. Over two years, we performed it in 36 stages across the State and in Delhi. It won the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award for the Best Director and presentation. The play’s script also won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award,” says M.K. Gopalakrishnan, who played the lead character of the naive Venmani Namboothiri in that play.
Narendra Prasad continued to write a few more acclaimed plays for Natyagriham, including one based on poet Kadammanitta Ramakrishnan’s Malayalam translation of Waiting for Godot . But by 1986, the theatre troupe slowed down and eventually stopped performing.
Revival of Natyagriham
In 2013, Gopalakrishnan and other friends of Narendra Prasad got together to revive Natyagriham. Last year, the group organised a theatre festival consisting exclusively of playwright Omchery N.N. Pillai’s plays. This year, they are paying a tribute to the man himself with a Narendra Prasad Theatre Festival to be held at Co-bank Auditorium from November 25 to 29.
One of the highlights of the festival will be the return to stage of the play Souparnika , after a gap of 25 years. On stage will be many of the old members of Natyagriham. Gopalakrishnan, who played the lead character in the original, will stay behind the curtains, directing the play. The play is replete with songs, all written by Prasad. In the original, these were sung live by Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri. Now, recordings of these songs will be played.
The other plays at the festival will be performed by troupes from other districts. Bodhi Nataka Padanakendram from Nooranad will present Murajapathinu Poya Randu Sancharikal . Natyasasthra from Palakkad will perform Velliyazhcha . Natakagramam from Kozhikode will perform Marthandavarma Engane Rekshapettu . Kanal Nataka Vedi from Thiruvananthapuram will present Swarna Simhasanam . Sunday Theatres from Kasaragod will stage Ira . Rangaprasadhana from Mavelikara will present Kumaran Vannilla . Sradha from Kozhikode will present Satheerthyan .
