Tamil play The Meaning of Malar explores relationship and gender dynamics
A small, cozy space with minimal lighting, floor-level performance area and props thoughtfully arranged was the unpretentious yet evocative setting of Karpanai Kudirai's Tamil play, The Meaning of Malar, written and directed by Vedarun, and staged at IDAM, Kodambakkam, Chennai. There were no backdrops or curtains the space felt less like a stage and more like an extension of a living room, inviting the audience into an intimate, almost confessional atmosphere.
From the outset, the design and lighting choices set the tone for a theatrical experience that privileges emotional authenticity and psychological depth over spectacle. And that's how the viewers were drawn into the drama unfolding in Malar's life.
The play's non-linear structure eschewed chronological storytelling, instead wove together moments from Malar's childhood and late twenties, revealing how past and present coexist in a continuous emotional dialogue. This dramaturgical choice mirrored the fragmented nature of memory and trauma, compelling the audience to actively piece together the narrative while inhabiting the emotional states of the characters.
The absence of scene breaks or interval, created a temporal and spatial continuum. This uninterrupted flow functioned as a metaphor for unresolved emotions and silences that permeated Malar's relationships.
Malar, portrayed with remarkable subtlety by Snehaa Sesh, is a woman caught in the complex web of her relationships with two men, Kumar (Sadasivam Suryanarayan) and Benjamin (Rajbarath Balamurali). Through these relationships, the play probes the ambiguities of attachment. The interactions of the two men with Malar oscillate between tenderness and tension, reflecting the messy, often contradictory nature of human bonds.
The play's themes of emotional fragility, miscommunication, and the quest for freedom resonate universally, yet are deeply rooted in Tamil cultural idioms. The symbolic use of Malar (flower) evokes notions of beauty intertwined with impermanence and resilience. With subtle humour, the play speaks raw, balancing moments of levity with unflinching honesty.
Post show, Vedarun shared that he loves reading books on psychology. And one such is Amir Levine's Attached. 'I drew inspiration from it while working on the play', he said. This influence was evident in the nuanced depiction of relationship dynamics that defined The Meaning of Malar.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
30 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Thug Life box office collection day 5: Kamal Haasan's big-budget flop nosedives on Monday, earns just one-fourth of Housefull 5
Thug Life box office collection day 5: Notwithstanding the sky-high expectations surrounding its release, particularly since it marked the long-awaited reunion of director Mani Ratnam and actor Kamal Haasan nearly four decades after Nayakan (1987), the gangster drama Thug Life is tanking at the box office, owing to poor responses from all quarters. On its first Monday in theatres, the film managed to earn just about a quarter of the critically panned Housefull 5, which was released on the same weekend. On Monday, Thug Life recorded a meagre India nett collection of Rs 3.62 crore, bringing its overall domestic earnings to Rs 40.52 crore, according to early estimates by industry tracker Sacnilk. While the Tamil version contributed Rs 3.25 crore, the Telugu and Hindi versions added just Rs 29 lakh and Rs 8 lakh, respectively. In stark contrast, director Tarun Mansukhani's Housefull 5, starring Akshay Kumar, Abhishek Bachchan, Riteish Deshmukh, Jacqueline Fernandez and Sanjay Dutt, among others, earned Rs 13.76 crore the same day, despite overwhelmingly negative reviews. Thug Life's total worldwide gross now stands at Rs 75 crore. On Monday, Thug Life saw an overall occupancy of just 18.05 per cent in the Tamil market. While the morning shows began with 14.11 per cent, the rate fluctuated throughout the day with afternoon, evening and night screenings recording 19.53 per cent, 17.99 per cent and 20.57 per cent occupancy, respectively. According to the latest figures, Thug Life is faring extremely poorly compared to Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam's recent films. While Vikram, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, earned Rs 15.8 crore domestically on its first Monday after opening at Rs 32.05 crore, Kamal and Shankar's colossal misfire Indian 2, which debuted at Rs 25.6 crore, managed Rs 3 crore on its first Monday. Considering this, Thug Life is showing all signs of becoming as big a box office disaster as Indian 2 was. In the case of recent Mani Ratnam films, while Ponniyin Selvan: Part 1 (2022) registered a first Monday nett collection of Rs 19.05 crore after opening at Rs 34 crore, Ponniyin Selvan: Part 2 (2023) had earned Rs 23.25 crore on its first Monday, following a debut of Rs 24 crore. In fact, Thug Life's first Monday collection trails significantly behind Adhik Ravichandran's Ajith Kumar-starrer Good Bad Ugly (Rs 15 crore) and Ashwath Marimuthu's Pradeep Ranganathan-led Dragon (Rs 5.8 crore), which currently stand as the highest-grossing Tamil films of 2025, with global grosses of Rs 246.15 crore and Rs 150.52 crore, respectively. Meanwhile, rumours are also rife that Thug Life might premiere on OTT much earlier than the originally planned date. Although Kamal Haasan had stated prior to release that the film would maintain an eight-week window between theatrical and streaming debuts, reports now indicate it may arrive on OTT after just four weeks, since the movie is underperforming. According to M9 News, trade experts believe that the OTT release of the movie could be preponed, with the film's official streaming partner Netflix likely to stream the film sooner than expected. Also starring Silambarasan TR, Trisha Krishnan, Aishwarya Lekshmi and Abhirami in key roles, Thug Life features music by Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman, cinematography by Ravi K Chandran and editing by A Sreekar Prasad. The film was jointly bankrolled by Raaj Kamal Films International and Madras Talkies.
Time of India
33 minutes ago
- Time of India
Why Sonakshi Sinha and Jyothika replaced Kareena Kapoor Khan-Kiara Advani in Ashwiny Iyer's upcoming OTT film?
After almost two years of back-and-forth, filmmaker Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari has finally hit the ground running with her much-awaited OTT project, a courtroom drama backed by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani's Excel Entertainment, and Harman Baweja's Baweja Studios. What's making more noise than the shoot itself is the casting shuffle that saw Kareena Kapoor Khan and Kiara Advani being replaced by Sonakshi Sinha and Jyothika. What happened to Kareena and Kiara? Let's rewind. Kareena and Kiara were initially locked for the project, and fans were quite excited to see the two powerhouse performers together. But despite months of discussions and planning, things just didn't fall into place. The team was eager to kick off the shoot earlier this year, but scheduling conflicts and creative disagreements reportedly delayed the project further. A source close to the production spilt the tea to Mid-day: 'The original plan with Kapoor and Advani didn't materialise because it didn't align with [our] timelines and creative direction.' A fresh cast, a fresh take With the new draft in place and the story tightened, Ashwiny and her team began auditioning again. That's when Sonakshi Sinha stepped in. After multiple look tests and script readings, she was locked in for the lead role of a fierce, no-nonsense lawyer. According to insiders, her performance in recent roles, especially her bold avatar in Dahaad, made her a perfect fit. 'Sonakshi brings a grounded intensity to the role that impressed the creative team,' said the source. As for the second lead, Jyothika, who has already proved her courtroom chops in the 2020 Tamil film Ponmagal Vandhal, was roped in to play a strong parallel character. She's expected to start shooting mid-June. This is not your usual courtroom drama The film, which has already begun shooting in parts of Malvani, Madh Island, and Vile Parle (where courtroom sets have been specially recreated), is shaping up to be an emotionally charged legal drama. But this isn't your typical black-coat drama filled with loud objections and flying verdicts. 'The legal arguments have emotional backstories, and both female leads have equal weight. Their courtroom scenes are expected to be the highlight of the film,' the source added. The film is yet to be titled, and if everything goes as planned, the team will wrap by the end of this year, and we could be looking at a 2026 release on Amazon Prime Video.
News18
an hour ago
- News18
Chinmayi Sripada Slams Dropped Hema Committee Cases: 'There's No Difference…'
Last Updated: Singer Chinmayi Sripada spoke to News18 about her concert comeback, the toll of being a whistleblower, Hema Committee and why the system still punishes women for speaking out. Singer, voice artist, and outspoken activist Chinmayi Sripada is in the spotlight as her voice has once again gone viral, this time through AR Rahman's Thug Life song, Mutha Mazhai. But while her songs trend and her vocals cross languages, Chinmayi continues to be shadowbanned in Tamil cinema—a fallout of her bold stance during the #MeToo movement. In this candid, freewheeling interview, Chinmayi opens up about her chameleonic voice, the ongoing battle to reclaim her career, Hema Committee cases getting dropped, and why she'll never stop speaking up for survivors—even if it costs her everything. Excerpts from the interview: Q: You have done your first solo concert in Hyderabad. Are you planning something similar in Chennai? I'd love to. I definitely wish to have a concert in Chennai. I hope the stars align and make it happen. That's what people are saying, but I honestly don't understand algorithms or engagement. If I had, my life might've been better six years ago! Q: You recently joked about a concert idea titled 'You Didn't Know I Sang This Song." That sounds… kind of perfect. People are currently surprised that many popular songs are sung by you. Exactly! I feel like that's my entire discography. People are discovering that I've sung songs they've loved for years, and they're shocked. In a way, that's great. It wasn't a plan, but I think I just took the path that the song and the composition took–If it wanted a slightly different tonality or projection or a performance from me. I am glad I was able to deliver what was asked of me at that point. And therefore, I don't think they were able to connect all of these songs or from the same singer. Because after Dheivam Thandha Poove, somebody is listening to Sandipoma and then they are suddenly listening to If You Wanna Come Along, they are like: 'Okay, how can this be the same singer, right?' Q: Some singers create a vocal signature. But you've chosen versatility. Do you see it as a strength or a challenge? I think in a way, I am looking at it as a boon because I would rather surprise the listener. I like that game. I like keeping people guessing and surprising them at the end of it when somebody is like: 'Is this Chinmayi?' That's my thing. Q: What's the one song people are most shocked to learn is yours? Initially, it was Sahana. Then Sarasara Sarakathu, Mayya Mayya too. It keeps happening. Q: What would you say is the Chinmayi voice? The one that represents you? That's hard. Every song is a part of my voice. None of it is fake. If I need to sing husky, I can. If it doesn't work, I accept that. My job is to try my best and see if I can make it work. Q: Have there been songs you've walked away from? Yes. Once because the lyrics were vulgar. It was Tamil, and it felt too much. I just couldn't do it. I don't even remember the song now. And then once, when I was 18, someone was like, 'She has produced a hit too early. So let me put her in place.' I ended up crying and leaving the studio. I couldn't sing. These things happen. A lot of singers have such stories. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sony Music South India (@sonymusic_south) Q: Let's talk about Thug Life. Did you expect that kind of viral reaction to Mutha Mazhai? This isn't new. Even Dhee sang a song in Kadhalikka Neramillai, and it was performed by some other singer on a stage. It happens all the time. With Mutha Mazhai, I sang the Telugu and Hindi versions, so singing the Tamil version was natural. I already knew the tune, and I just read the lyrics and sang. I didn't think much about it. I was given a job, and I did it. Q: How do you respond to comparisons between your version and Dhee's? I don't know what to say. My entire career has been filled with many songs with multiple versions—male, female, happy, sad. I've sung sad versions, Shreya has sung happy ones. In Uyire, Harris Jayaraj had four of us singing one song! People are acting like this is new. Q: You've worked with so many legends. Who influenced your singing the most? I didn't grow up on film songs. But I loved Hariharan sir's ghazals. Asha ji's versatility. P. Susheela Amma's timbre. L. R. Eswari Amma's theatrics. Janaki Amma's ability to sing like a man, woman, and child in the same song. Yesudas sir's subtle sangathis. Chitra Amma's range. Sujatha ji's Netru Iladha Maatram—I heard it in a theatre and that was the moment I wanted to be a playback singer. And Hai Rama? That was the love of my life for years. Q: Why do you recently only get the Telugu and Hindi versions of songs, but not Tamil? How do I answer that? If I do, it becomes a speculation. Only producers and directors can answer. But that's been the story of my life for years. A sad thing. If a film is in Telugu, I would dub it in Tamil from Hyderabad. That's a different story. But, what they call a straight Tamil film… that has been few and far between. Q: Is it because of the dubbing union ban? How does that work? All the unions associated with Tamil films come under one mothership called Film Employee Federation of South India (FEFSI). They decide who should work and who shouldn't. Now, the dubbing union is headed by heavy weights like Radha Ravi, who also hold offices in other unions. That's how most heads are like–if one is a head in an union, he would hold office in others as well. When one union bans someone, it notifies FEFSI, which then sends notice to all unions to ban the person. If someone doesn't comply, they are also given ban threats. However, such actions are not taken against sexual offenders. If I do, then, they will hold it against me that I went to the police and filed a complaint. So, it is in the union by-law that I am not supposed to go to the police. So, basically, they tell me, they function as a different country. Q: But how can a union have a bylaw saying you can't go to the police? Exactly! That's what I've been asking. This is their system. It protects perpetrators and punishes complainants. Q: So what's happening with your court case fighting this ban by the dubbing union? I've gone to court asking to overturn the ban. I want my right to work back. People say it's useless, that they'll still shadow ban me. But at least I'll have a paper in hand. Q: What about the big names and stars—can't they help you out? It's not their problem to deal with. It's only the problem of the person facing it. If you're powerful, things are taken care of. If you're not, you're left to fight. Q: In an interview you said, you are numb despite all the recent praises? What has happened can't be undone. I don't think it can be reversed. It is like a severed hand that got reattached to the body. It will have scars. Q: Your thoughts on cases reported to the Hema Committee getting dropped by police… Malayalam actress Parvathy (Thiruvothu) has asked a pertinent question. The whole point of the committee was to protect the survivors, and she rightly questioned the safety in the police investigation. Why are Reema Kalingal and Parvathy's shadow banned? On the other hand, Dileep is getting promoted despite knowing he is a contract rapist. There is no difference between here and there. At least, there they had something like the Hema Committee, which initially gave me joy. Now, women there despite knowing something horrific has happened to one of their colleagues, go and rub shoulders with Dileep. Shame! Q: Do you feel any peace that you have set a precedent in calling all these men out? Do you think that changed anything? People talk about sexual abuse now. It's a drawing room conversation. I get DMs every day. Men are opening up. I saw a reel a couple of days ago of a man who was talking about being molested on a train. He had actually caught it on video. I said this is exactly what we are talking about. I've had adult men confide in me—saying they were molested by friends, colleagues. They ask if they should tell their wives. And I say yes. Women don't judge the way men often judge women. We listen. Survivors are recognising what happened to them. I think that's progress. First Published:
