Malavikagnimitram (BH:D183)

February 2, 2012

Kavalam Narayana Panicker's adaptation of Kalidasa classic Sanskrit play, Malavikagnimitram, opened the 'Reach-out' segment of the International Theater Festival of Kerala at the Karthika Thirunal Theater today. As our autorickshaw entered the East Fort complex, the setting sun had already reached the bottom of the central window spine that runs along the Padmanabha Swami temple's pagoda. None of the newspapers had mentioned anything about the tickets for the show, so we weren't sure about getting to see the play. Our back up plan was the free staging of old communist party oriented dramas at the VJT hall on evenings nowadays as part of the curtain raiser for the Communist Party Conference in the city. It was a relief to see "Praveshanam Soujanyam" (Entry Free) print-outs pinned to the make-shift gateway frame erected at the theater. A banner inside informed us that the official inauguration ceremony with the mayor and a minister will happen only tomorrow. That was much bigger relief because seeing those artless conwoman and conman blabbermouths were the last thing we wanted while expecting an evening of quality theater.

Kavalam Narayana Panicker is a living legend in the national theater scene. He is famous for his adaptations of Sanskrit plays. Perhaps the most famous being Bhasa's Karnabharam performed in its entirety in Sanskrit with film star Mohanlal as Karna. This evening, the tall, wiry Kavalam was standing at the entrance of the theater greeting his acquaintances among the guests, a universal preshow behavior of directors! Notable among the audience were veteran film actors, Nedumudi Venu (for the non-Malayalees, he plays the smart CBI officer in KamalHassan's Indian/Hindustani) and Revathi. While Nedumudi sat in the "reserved" first row, Revathi sat far back with a group who looked like a theater troupe. All of them were chewing constantly. I guess it is a behavior to be kept in mind if I ever become a celebrity. Chewing the cud perhaps provides an air of holiness in the land of the cow.

The play started 10 minutes late. Karthika Thirunal Theater has an impressive stage and facilities but the maintenance is abysmal. Garlanded photos of King Swati Thirunal, Queen Karthika Thirunal and King Chithira Thirunal on either side of the stage. More than two decades ago, I remember that there were no garlands of Karthika Thirunal and Chithira Thirunal. Cobwebs all over the upper walls and ceilings, more than a few seats broken, plywood panel work torn on several locations. But then proper upkeep and cleanliness are western values whose import we must vehemently oppose! Ritual baths would do for us. And the delusion that clean minds can survive among filth. I have fond memories of this theater from my primary school days. The cobwebs might remember the small boy struggling backstage with a tightly glued stubborn mustache and beard as part of his "Muslim" costume.

I have never scene a Sanskrit play in real. My familiarity with them comes mostly from videos and texts. So this was an experience I was looking forward to. The introduction announcement said that Kavalam had adapted the play into two acts instead of the original five but has ensured that the 'Sringara' (romance) that forms the essence of the play is not lost. 

The tale is primarily about the romance between King Agnimitra of Vidisha and the beautiful Malavika. It involves the war between Vidisha and Vidarbha and court intrigue. Hearing about the king's passion for Malavika, his two wives, Dharani and Irawati, imprison Malavika. In the end, she gets released as the result of a clever plan hatched by the court jester who is the king's friend. The importance of the jester cannot be over stressed in Sanskrit theater. Here, not only is he a full length character as the King's friend, but he is gifted with foresight that saves the king's romance and the kingdom. Kavalam's genius lies in making the jester speak in Malayalam so that the play stays connected to the predominantly Sanskrit-ignorant audience.

Kavalam is a music director of great repute. The live music accompanying his dramas stand out for their wonderful mix of the classical and the native traditional (desikam). Today's performance was no different. The fantastic team of musicians used a variety of percussion instruments including maddalam, mridangam, mizhavu and pakhavaj. The vocalists were excellent with the background songs and alaap. The singers also provided echoing assistance to the actors who turned out to be trained singers and dancers themselves.

The play opened with the introduction of the team that forms the 'Asoka' tree which stays the central motif of the drama. The Vidhushaka (jester) interrupts and enters from the audience. He comments that it is unfair to claim everything that is old is classic and everything new is not worth our attention. The Asoka tree flowers, fades, dries up and flowers again as the action in the drama progresses. The costume and make-up of the jester resembled a Chakyar and Ottan Thullal exponent. 

King Agnimitra enters from behind the traditional curtain carried by two footmen. The lighting was brilliant providing a larger than life shadow of the king on the curtain and the backdrop. All the characters except the Vidhushaka used Sanskrit lines from the original play. The background songs were also predominantly from the original. Scenes of war were presented symbolically close to the stage back as a passing tableau that reminded me of the Bayeux Tapestry. 

What followed that piece of action was the most impacting scene in the drama. To the background wailing of the vocalist akin to Rahat Fateh Ali Khan in Apocalypto, mural type paintings showing the gruesome death and destruction of war were carried to the stage one by one coming to full view briefly at the single central spot light. Tremendous! The use of static images for the stillness of death! 

Thinking about the performances, all the actors deserve praise for delivering Sanskrit lines with ease. To sing and dance on stage as the classical theater demands is a tough job indeed. Acting-wise the Vidushaka stood out with his comic timing. King Agnimitra sparkled in the scene where his wives catch him with Malavika in the garden. But for some reason, he overused the "far away gaze" even when objects of his attention were right there on the stage in front of him. I don't know if this has something to with the dictates of Bharatamuni on theater. The female performers except the one who played Irawati could have been livelier. Again, I don't know if classical theater insists on a certain stiffness for the actresses.

But the man who stole the show with a five minute cameo was the court physician/witch doctor. Absolutely scintillating. The audience were in splits at his antics trying to revive the Vidhushaka from a fake snake bite. In that scene, with someone on stage to play off of, the Vidhushaka also kicked up his performance a notch. His weeping and wailing with a fake injury whilst holding out his Brahmanical sacred thread to emphasis his social status was hilarious.

Kavalam Narayana Panicker has once again created a timely, wonderful adaptation of yet another Sanskrit classic. The theatrical effect of making the tree itself Malavika's prison was visionary. The play coming to us from centuries ago is glaringly politically incorrect. Fundamentally, it is simply the lusting of a king after yet another woman much to the chagrin of his current wives. But here on stage by tying the romance to the life and health of a tree, Kavalam lifts it to a higher plane. Lust, indeed, might be the origins, but it progresses into love. However that love becomes an obsession that imprisons. It extinguishes the life of the tree. Only upon release and reunion, spring returns. And along with this inner fulfillment, comes success in worldly matters like war. To quote Jiddu Krishnamurti, the individual is the society!

Like in the mythological stories of Nala-Damayanti or Anirudha-Usha, here also Agnimitra falls for Malavika after seeing her portrait and hearing about her from the jester. I wonder if all these stories draw our attention to what Daniel Kahneman encapsulated as "Perception is a choice that we have already made in our mind. We perceive what we have chosen!" The importance of prep work that goes into the first meeting that leads to a romance cannot be overstated. 

From my meagre experience in theater compared to Kavalam's, I have a few observations as a member of the audience. The costuming was great for most of the characters especially the extras, but I think the three queens deserved more enhancing costumes. Also, why not use a real emblematic ring instead of showing it using gestures?! The two dance masters were made too feminine perhaps for comic effect, even without the feminine touch their dance-battle would have come out well. These are just minor issues. Overall, Malavikagnimitram sparkles as an unforgettable theatrical experience. Hats off to the music and lights team who elevated this new lease of life Kalidasa's work has received. The Asoka tree, without sorrow, flowered on stage this evening.