Identify indigent artistes, Kerala told

U.A. Khader, writer, inaugurating Film and drama actress late Santhadevi rememberence meeting at Kozhikode. Photo: S. Ramesh Kurup

The Kerala government should define the term ‘artiste’ and set up a commission to identify artistes who deserved assistance, Madhavan Kunnathara, State general secretary, National Association of Malayalam Artistes (Nanma), has said.

He was delivering the Santhadevi commemoration speech in Kozhikode on Thursday at a programme organised by the Kozhikode City regional unit of Nanma.

Santhadevi was a renowned actor. She was but denied State aid which she desperately needed in her last days. A statue of the actor should be placed in Kozhikode in her honour, he said.

Santhadevi was an upright woman who worked against several odds to pursue her passion, Mr. Kunnathara said.

Actor Mamukoy said the greatness of Santhadevi was that she was being commemorated by around five organisations in Kozhikode over two days, even three years after her death. She successfully portrayed a number of characters on stage but her personal life was a great tragedy. She lost her life at least seven years before she passed away, he said.

Mr. Mamukoya honoured theatre personalities Sundaran Kallai, C.V. Dev, Beegum Rabiya, musician P. Padmanabhan, dancer Clarence Simson, and artists K. Prabhakaran and Jeevan Thomas on the occasion.

Writer U.A. Khader inaugurated the commemoration meeting. Nanma district president Wilson Samuel was present.