A visual tribute to women in Koodiyattam.
Studies on the role of women in Koodiyattam have appeared in print, noteworthy among them being “Women’s Role in Koodiyattam” authoured by the late scholar L S Rajagopalan and “Koodiyattam – Evolution of Its Female Tradition” by Dr V G Salini, to mention the latest. But ‘Penmudra’, a 37-minute documentary scripted and directed by A. Jishnu Krishnan is the only one that addresses this issue through a visual medium.
Jishnu has been successful in digging deep into this topic by roping in seven performing artistes who belong to different schools. For the same reason, a holistic picture of the subject emerges. The artistes featured are Usha Nangiar, Kalamandalam Girija, Dr G Indu, Dr Aparna Nangiar, Dr Kalamandalam Krishnendu and Kalamandalam Prasanthi.
Women on stage
The intro of the documentary gives a synopsis of the Sanskrit theatre bringing out its relevant features through titles, explanations and demonstrations of the artistes. Interestingly a short feat of ‘Mizhavu ochappeduthal’ (sounding of the mizhavu) that is customary for the beginning of the play is befitting. In her introductory remarks, Usha explains that the history of evolution of Koodiyattam could be divided into three periods. And the documentarian has anchored mainly on this division.
An alumnus of Ammannur Chachu Chakyar Smaraka Gurukulam, Usha avers that during her days as a student in the 1980s, only two main female characters were on the stage – Subhadra in Subhadradhanajjayam and Lalitha in Soorpanangham. Even in the new choreographies, female characters had a limited role.
Girija, the first non-Nangiar to learn Koodiyattam, dwells at length on the efforts of Guru Painkulam Rama Chakyar in Kalamandalam to teach her different sthree veshams in different plays. Incidentally, during her demonstrations, Kalamandalam Shyalja also appears though no reference is made about her.
Shots of performances especially before the advent of temples when Koodiyattam was staged outside temples are really valuable. The primitive style of aaharya(costumes) is especially noteworthy.
Girija’s reminiscences in the auditorium of Nila Campus are replete with the contributions of her guru Painkulam Rama Chakyar. He was instrumental in bringing as many female characters as possible on the stage. Special mention is made of Udyanavarnana that had turned highly popular. Shots of ‘Chandana valli’ in this connection attract more attention.
Krishnendu stresses a moot point when she explains how Painkulam was successful in making the aaharya of female characters more attractive. Shots of the past vesham vs- a- avis the modern one once again underscores the aesthetic mindset of Painkulam.
Emphasizing the broader context
Usha’s focus is mainly on the efforts of the Ammannur Kalari to revive Nangiarkoothu. She bemoans the traditional but unrecorded oral caveat against the staging of Panchakanyakas. But it may be remembered how she was successful in presenting them a few months back. Seemingly, ’Penmudra’ was produced well before that. Experience from regular performance of Nangiarkooth gave her confidence to stage many characters like Mandodari which was a path-breaking one. ‘Karthyayani Purappad’ had won her laurels from all quarters.
Indu and Aparna also add their views about Nangiarkooth. However, Indu cautions that unless the new performers take up the new choreographies, they will gradually disappear on the stage.
Inputs of Dr Heike Oberlin, the foreigner who trained under Girija in Nangiarkooth and also Prasanthi’s comments add to the intricacies of presentation of this art form.
The finale that showcases Aparna, Girija and Indu enacting in parts ‘I am a proud woman’, epitomizes the very theme of the documentary. Sub-titles in English are lucid and beneficial to a wider class of viewers.
Needless to mention that the total picture that emerge out of the documentary is the contribution of the two maestros – Painkulam Rama Chakyar and Ammannur Madhava Chakyar.
Jishnu has a strong academic and professional background and has been a connoisseur of classical theatre forms of Kerala from very early age. His creative repertoire is diverse, including the biographical documentary Killimangalam Vazhi, which portrays the history of the institutionalization of Kerala’s classical art forms which won Best Documentary Award from Kerala Kalamandalam Deemed to be University of Art and Culture.
As for Penmudra, it was screened at several national and international film festivals and won the Best Documentary Award at the Paridrishya Film Festival in Mysore.
