Chennai: How could you possibly connect epic Hindu literatures to the modern world? The epics, which possess deep-rooted values, would be presented in a modified form, in order to reach the contemporary audience. Imagine Lord Hanuman narrating the epic of Ramayana to a thief now, the story that transforms the later. Welcome to the emerging theatre group in Chennai, Theatrekaran, spearheaded by a group of youngsters, belonging to various sects of society. The sketches of renowned actors like Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth occupies the mustard coloured walls at a cosy house in West Mambalam, which acts as a makeshift rehearsal place for ‘Theatrekaran’.
Every evening you can see artists gathering up to start their practice. The group of 25 people is now practicing hard for their upcoming show, Mara, on August 12 and 13. Started in October 2016, Theatrekaran is known for bringing out the modified forms of the epics, coated with a socially driven message. The crew had also performed street plays on World Hunger day and Women’s day, pulling in a lot of fans.
“We used to practise on the terraces of our crew members and at the beaches of the city, before renting out a place at Mambalam. It is the passion that mattered and was never about money,” said J Sriram, one of the founder members of Theatrekaran. Sriram, who is a scriptwriter and director for theatrekaran has scripted Mara, depicting the life of Ravanan in Hanuman’s words. Mara also speaks about the hassles of Ravananan’s wife Mandodari, a less prominent character whose unconditional love failed to change her husband.
The common thread among the members of Theatrekaran is the passion for the art and the willingness to go beyond their comfort zones. “We could have starved for days, but it is the contentment that keep us stick to theatre,” Sriram, who was an assistant director for a Tamil movie added.
Ask him the difference between cinema and theatre, the young artist said, “Cinema is like seeing the picture of food and theatre is eating it. You could completely feel the nuances.”
The group is also known for its mixture of genres, which had fetched them a unique style. Raghavendr, a 23-year-old artist portraying the Hanuman character in Mara said, “We use various forms ranging from meme shows and street theatre.”
Social media plays a vital role in arranging for the funds, says the crew, as they are now pooling in money through crowd sourcing initiative for Mara.
