The three principal characters — Nakrathundi, Lalitha and Cheriya Narakasura — in Karthika Thirunal Ramavarma’s Narakasuravadham Kathakali play are inextricably linked to the aesthetic nuances of Kalluvazhi Chitta (a school of acting/dancing in Kathakali developed in Palakkad by the 19th century).
A performance of the play at Changampuzha Park, Edappally, Kochi, proved to be a memorable experience, thanks to the consummate artistry of those who donned the three roles.
Vishnu Vellakkad, who played Nakrathundi, a demoness, successfully portrayed the sentiments of the character enamoured of Jayantha, son of Lord Indra. In the language of Natya, the character is a remarkable amalgam of stylised and free-style acting. While Vishnu consciously adhered to the precise execution of gestures and movements during the padam, he could have infused a little more lokadharmi (realism) into the character in the improvisational contexts such as the ‘therupparakkal’ (self-embellishment).
For a character like Nakrathundi, technical accuracy needs to be constantly complemented with artistic imagination. Therein lies the distinction of the late Vellinezhi Nanu Nair and his successor Nelliyode Vasudevan Namboodiri. Induja Cheruliyil donned the role of Lalitha (Nakrathundi disguising as a beautiful damsel) with a high degree of professionalism. The luminosity of her upangas (eyes, eye-brows, cheek, nose and lips) laudably articulated Lalitha’s attraction towards Jayantha in the first segment and her vexation in the latter one, as he rejects her advances summarily.
Priya Namboodiri (left) as Cheriya Narakasura and Induja Cheruliyil as Lalitha | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
A saari dance Induja executed at the outset in tune with the slow-tempo padam, ‘Yamini Chara Manini’, and her padam addressing Jayantha were gorgeous. Midhila Jayan’s performance as Jayantha was flawless.
Even for seasoned actors, a pratinayaka (villainous) character like Cheriya Narakasura is a formidable challenge. Priya Namboodiri, who has been in the field for many years, portrayed the role with remarkable ease and conviction. She did the sringara padam, ‘Baalikamaar’, laying emphasis both on angika and satwikaabhinayas. In the charanam, ‘Kekikal Udaya Nallakelikal’ (dance of the peacock) has a lot to do with the rhythmic grace and virtuosity of the actor. Priya did it vivaciously.
Switching over to veera rasa (heroism), especially during the padappurapad (equipping oneself with weapons and setting out for war), Priya concentrated more on the angika than on the satwika. As Narakasura, she confidently enacted the following scene of confrontation with Lord Indra.
Kalamandalam Sreehari, Biju Attupuram and their team energised each and every movement and expression of Narakasura with their beats on the chenda and the maddalam respectively. However, Sreehari could have paid more attention to the individuality in the movement-vocabulary of Priya. Vocals are secondary to instrumental effects in such a play. Yet, Vengeri Narayanan and Sreerag Varma rendered the slokams and the padams evocatively.
The performance was held under the auspices of the Kathakali Aswadaka Sadas.