Malayalam drama, known asNatakam (നാടകം) inMalayalam, is an important genre ofMalayalam literature. The origin of Malayalam drama can be traced back to various performing arts of Kerala such asKathakali.Drama, as is understood now, is a borrowed art form inKerala and started with the publication of the Malayalam translation ofAbhijnana Shakuntalam in 1882. The field of Malayalam theatre and drama became active by the end of the 19th century. It played an active role in the early-20th-century Kerala reform movement.
The elements of drama can be found in various performing arts of Kerala such asKathakali andThullal. Drama, as is understood now, is a borrowed art form in Kerala.[1] The Portuguese who came to Kerala in the sixteenth century, had popularisedChavittu Natakam, a type of play similar to the miracle plays of the west. The earliest examples of this type areGenoa,Caralman (Charlemagne) andNapolean. These plays however did not influenceMalayalam literature in any way.[2] The influence of Sanskrit is evident in the early Malayalam plays. In 1882,Kerala Varma Valiya Koil Thampuran translated the Sanskrit dramaAbhijnana Shakuntalam into Malayalam. Although it was written in a highly SanskritisedManipravalam style, it is regarded as the first literary work in Malayalam that fits into the modern definition of drama.[3] The success of this work influenced several translations of Sanskrit plays in quick succession. Many Sanskrit dramas likeJanaki Parinayam (1889)Mālavikāgnimitram (1890),Vikramōrvaśīyam,Uttararamacarita (1892),Ascharya Choodamani (1893),Svapnavasavadattam andMadhyamavyayoga had translations in Malayalam.[4]Abhijnana Shakuntalam was the most successful among all, having come out in nearly two dozen translations.[5] The most important translators includedKerala Varma Valiya Koil Thampuran,A. R. Raja Raja Varma,Attoor Krishna Pisharody andVallathol Narayana Menon.[4] In addition to renderings of works by Sanskrit dramatists, several writers attempted original plays in Sanskrit. There are over 100 Sanskrit plays credited to authors from Kerala.[6]
The interest in Sanskrit dramas did not last long. The musical dramas were getting popular in Tamil Nadu and made its way into Kerala too. Some of the earliest notable work of this type in Malayalam during the 19 th century was "Saranjiniparinayam" the musical drama written and published in Malayalam in 1899 by Dr.Ayyathan Gopalan, he is the Pioneer of Musical drama in Malabar and was also a great renaissance leader and social reformer. Dr.Ayyathan Gopalan also wrote another musical drama named "Susheeladukham" in 1903.Gopalan's musical dramas got great appreciation from the masses and it was taken by P.S.Varier Natya Sangam and played throughout Kerala for many years.Sangeeta Naishidham by T. C. Achutha Menon,Sadarama by K. C. Kesava Pillai andBalagopalan by Kuttamath.[7] The music dramas of Malayalam were essentially modelled on the Tamil prototype. The Tamil musical dramas were mostly filled with long drawn-out songs and had little importance for prose dialogue. Malayalam musical dramas deviated in style and tried to conserve some measure of dramatic propriety.[8] The interest in musical dramas did not sustain for long as people demanded something more realistic.[7] Nevertheless, the tradition survives even now in a masked form, in the liberal use of songs in popular types of theatrical production.[8] Manomohanam Company (Thiruvattar Narayana Pillai) and Rasikaranjini (Chambathil Chathukutty Mannadiyar) were famous theatre groups in Kerala.[9]
The first translation of a Shakespearian play to appear in Malayalam wasAlmarattam (1866) byKalloor Oommen Philippose.[10] A free translation ofThe Comedy of Errors, it was also the first Malayalam play to be published as a book.[11] During the last quarter of the 19th century and the early decades of the 20th century, many Western plays were translated into Malayalam. Shakespeare's plays were widely translated. Examples areAlmarattam,Portsiaswayamvaram (Chembakaraman Velayudhan –The Merchant of Venice),Kalahinidamanakam (Kandathil Varghese Mappillai –The Taming of the Shrew),Hamlet (Kodungallur Kunjikkuttan Thampuran) andOthello (Sanjayan). InKalahinidamanakam, the translator Indianises the incidents and the names of characters and places. Petruchio is Parthasarathy, Tranio is Tranakan, Biondello is Pandunki, Grumio is Kumaran and Curtis is Kattari. Similarly, the places Padua becomes Patalipuram and Verona becomes Varanadesham.[12] The other works that were translated during the 19th century includeGhosts,Rosmersholm, (Henrik Ibsen),A Marriage Proposal (Anton Chekhov),The Power of Darkness (Leo Tolstoy),The Rivals (Richard Brinsley Sheridan) andOedipus Rex (Sophocles).[7]
A few original plays were written in Malayalam during the last quarter of the 19th century. This includesKodungallur Kunjikkuttan Thampuran'sLakshanasangam, Naduvath Achan Nambuthiri'sBhagavadduth (1892), Polachirakkal Kocheeppan Tharakan'sMariamma Natakam and Kochunni Thampuran'sKalyani Natakam (1889). Munshi Ramakurup wroteChakkichankaram in mockery of the rise of vernacular plays in Malayalam. Sarasakavi K. C. Narayanan Nambiar composed another satirical play in Malabar also titledChakkichankaram.[11]
C. V. Raman Pillai was the first to write farces in Malayalam. Examples includePandathe Pachan,Butler Pappan,Doctorkk Kittiya Mitcham,Kuripinte Thiripppu,Kurupillakalari andKaimalassante Kadassikai.[13]E. V. Krishna Pillai,N. P. Chellappan Nair, M. G. Kesava Pillai,T. N. Gopinathan Nair and others further developed farce literature.[13]Kainikkara Padmanabha Pillai gave a new light to the world of theatre with his works likeKalvariyile Kalpa Padapam,Velu Thampy Dalava andAgnipanjaram etc.,[1],Edasseri Govindan Nair's socio-political play "Kootu Krishi" (1940), "Thirichhethhal", "Njetiyil Patarathha Mulla", "Njangal Dayaye Thookkikkonnu",Kainikkara Kumara Pillai'sHarishchandran,Mohavum Muktiyum,Veshangal etc. are also notable works.[13]V. T. Bhattathiripad wroteAdukkalayail Ninnu Arangathekku which strongly reacted against the decadence of theNambudiri community and was an important event in the social reform calendar of Kerala.M. P. Bhattathiripad'sRitumati was another important social play.[13]K. Damodaran'sPattabaki which tells the story of a poor tenant in Malabar evicted by a cruel landlord, is the first political play in Malayalam.[14] Another notable work is (. Important political dramas of the period includeP. Kesavadev'sMunnottu,Madyapani,Pradhana Mantri,Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai'sThotilla,Ponkunnam Varkey'sJethakkal andVisarikku Katu Venda,Thoppil Bhasi'sNingalenne Communistaaki andMudiyanaya Puthran.K. T. Muhammed's plays likeKaravatta Pasu andIthu Bhoomiyanu are also noteworthy.N. Krishna Pillai, who is known as Ibsen of Malayalam, wrote plays that took Malayalam drama forward in different directions. His works includeBhagna Bhavanam,Kanyaka,Balabalam,Anuranjanam' andAzhimughathekku.[13]
Pulimana Parameswaran Pillai'sSamatvavadi written in an expressionist style can be said to be the harbinger of a change in Malayalam drama.[13]C. J. Thomas andC. N. Sreekantan Nair, who can be called the pioneers of modern Malayalam drama, came to the scene after Parameswaran Pillai. Thomas'sAvan Veendum Varunnu,1128-il Crime 27 andAa Manushyan Nee Thanne, and Nair'sRamayana trilogy—Kanchana Sita,Saketham andLankalakshmi—clearly reoriented the Malayalam theatre world.G. Sankara Pillai,N. N. Pillai etc. further developed this stream.[13] One-act plays and radio plays emerged in the 1940s. K. Ramakrishna Pillai andN. N. Pillai were the pioneers of one-act plays. Important writers of radio play include S. K. Nair, Ananda Kuttan,P. Bhaskaran, Vira Raghavan Nair,C. N. Sreekantan Nair,Nagavally R. S. Kurup,Jagathy N. K. Achary andEdasseri Govindan Nair.[16]
As part of introducing the new experiments in western theatre to Malayalam, severalancient Greek plays were translated into Malayalam. C. J. Thomas is the most important of the translators. Renowned as a playwright, dramatist and critic, he translatedSophocles'Oedipus Rex andAntigone, andAristophanes'Lysistrata into Malayalam.Euripides'Alcestis was translated by S. K. Nair asPati Devata andMedea was translated byPuthussery Ramachandran. Aristophanes'The Frogs was translated by E. M. J. Venniyoor asThavalakal. Greek drama translations have crucial importance in the history of Malayalam drama.[17]
Although indigenous drama (Thanathu Nataka Vedi) was formed during the days of C. N. Sreekantan Nair,Kavalam Narayana Panicker's works widened its scope. Dramas likeKarinkutti,Kalathini,Avanavan Kadamba,Daivathar andKaikutappadu belong to this trend.[13]Vayala Vasudevan Pillai (Kuchelagatha,Varavelppu,Kalapporu,Yatra),P. M. Taj (Ravunni,Kudukka,Mary Lawrence,Rajavinte Chenda),P. J. Antony (Inquilabinte Makkal,Nilaykatha Ganam),Thikkodiyan (Jivitam,Punyatheertham,Pushpavrishti,Theepori),P. Balachandran (Pavam Usman,Samarayilekk),Narendra Prasad (Ira,Souparnika,Marthandavarma Engane Rakshapettu), Vasu Pradeep(Smarakam,Kannadi Kashanangal,Thazhum Thakkolum),Civic Chandran (Kurisu Yuddham Thudangunnavar,Ningal Aare Communist Akki), Jayaprakash Kuloor (Appunnikalude Radio,Nayattu,Velichenna), K. V. Sreeja (Ororo Kalathilum,Kalyana Saree), M . Sajita (Matsyagandhi,Beauty Parlour) and N. Sasidharan (Charitragatha,Udampadi Kalam (co-written with E. P. Rajagopalan),Kelu (co-written with E. P. Rajagopalan),Ravanan Kota) are some important playwrights of the later period.[13]
Manomohanam Company (Thiruvattar Narayana Pillai) and Rasikaranjini (Chambathil Chathukutty Mannadiyar) were famous theatre groups in Kerala during the early period of Malayalam drama.[11]Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA) was formed in 1942 inBombay and was committed to the Indian independence movement. The association was linked with the communist movement and it influenced leftist theatrical productions in Kerala.[18] Malabar Kala Samithi was established inMalabar in 1948 to promote amateur drama. It later became Kendra Kala Samithi.Edasseri Govindan Nair,M. Govindan,V. T. Bhattathiripad andUroob were associated with this organisation. Kendra Kala Samithi became Kerala Kendra Kala Samithi in 1957 and closed down whenKerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi was established in 1958.[19] Influenced by the Indian People's Theatre Association, the progressive writers of Kerala linked with theCommunist Party of India founded theKerala People's Arts Club (KPAC) in 1950. Its founders include G. Janardhana Kurup, N. Rajagopalan Nair, K. S. Rajamani, Poojappura Krishnan Nair,Kambisseri Karunakaran, Narayana Pillai andO. N. V. Kurup. Their first dramaEnte Makananu Sari was not a success. KPAC screenedThoppil Bhasi'sNingalenne Communistakki in 1952, was a path-breaking play in the history of Malayalam theatre.[20]
Navasamskara Samithi was formed inTrivandrum in 1950 with the aim of reforming Malayalam theatre. Its founders include N . Krishnapilla, P. K. Vikraman Nair,S. Guptan Nair, Ananda Kuttan andC. J. Thomas. The Samithi presented Krishna Pillai'sAnuranjanam andBhagnabhavanam, and C. J. Thomas'sAvan Veendum Varunnu but closed down soon afterward.[21]Kainikkara Padmanabha Pillai's Dramatic Bureau andC. N. Sreekantan Nair'sKalakerala were also short-lived.[21]
In 1956, a theatre group called Kalavedi was formed with N. Krishna Pillai as president andC. N. Sreekantan Nair as Secretary. Most of the prominent figures in Malayalam drama have worked in connection with Kalavedi. Vikraman Nair,T. N. Gopinathan Nair andAdoor Bhasi are some of them. Kalavedi presented dramas such asNashta Kachavadam,Kunhali Marakkar,Kanchana Sita etc.[21]Nataka Kalari was established byK. Ayyappa Panicker,G. Sankara Pillai andC. N. Sreekantan Nair and was instrumental in the growth of indigenous theatre in Kerala.[21] Other theatre groups include Brothers Music Club (Calicut–K. T. Muhammed), Navatarangam (Kottayam–G. Sankara Pillai), Pratibha Arts (Cochin-P. J. Antony), Sopanam Theatre (Trivandrum–Kavalam Narayana Panicker),Kalidasa Kalakendram (Kollam–O. Madhavan) and Kalanilayam (Trivandrum–Kalanilayam Krishnan Nair).[21]
The following is a list of dramatists and playwrights in Malayalam.
Some of the important plays in Malayalam drama include:[22][23]
