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The Hindu
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
‘Malai koothu' has evolved, but there's not much in the art form for ‘koothadi'
In the sprawling landscaped compound of the Kadavu Nachiamman Temple of Nilavur in the Yelagiri Hills, a 'malai koothu' on Haribalan-Sivabalan Sandai was about to open. On that new moon night, the audience had arrived for the temple festival from as far as Jolarpet. They would stay up till dawn. 'Here comes 'Boppan' for the opening Act.' 'Boppan', the buffoon, makes an entry in a jazzy orange outfit, prancing up and down to the blaring but often indiscernible vocals. The buffoon jumps, gets whipped, pretends to scare children seated on the ground, gets whipped again. As the night advanced, a section of the audience dozes off with banners for blankets, while a few elders keep themselves warm, crouched beneath woollen blankets. An artist hurls profanities at Maradhanda Asuran, causing giggles, and falls on the lap of an old woman in the audience after a pretence-chase by Maradhanda Asuran. A ploy to keep the audience awake on that chilly night. Tearful monologue Haribalan-Sivabalan Sandai opens with Maradhanda Asuran and his daughter Sillingi, and Sillingi's sons Haribalan and Sivabalan conceived of a boon from Lord Siva, according to mythology. Sillingi, played by an old man draped in a sari and a wig, comes out to narrate her story. Sillingi's tearful monologue is interrupted when a visibly moved old woman, gets up and pins a currency note to Sillingi's sari at the shoulder. This would be the last act for this season from the Tamil month of Thai to Aadi. 'Malai koothu', a form of 'therukoothu' (street play), a seemingly plebeian art, is culturally moored in the lives of the inhabitants of the hills — the Malaiyali tribes of Dharmapuri and the Javadhu and Yelagiri Hills in Tirupathur. It is also an expression of social cohesion and is primarily performed as a temple dance form in the hills. 'We perform 'koothu' for temple festivals, births and deaths, and marriages,' says K. Govindasamy, former president of the Adhanur panchayat comprising 14 villages of the Yelagiri Hills. The 75-year-old is a veteran 'koothu' artist. He runs the Kadhavu Nachiamman Koothu Kuzhu that trains artists at Nilavur village. 'We did not allow film songs to contaminate the form,' he says. In the hills, the performers are high pitched so as to reach a larger assembly of audience while performing with no mikes, something that the artists from the plains find hard to emulate, says A. Thirumalaisami, an artist and researcher from the family of 'therukoothu' artists in the plains in Krishnagiri. The 'koothu' centres around The Mahabharata and the Puranas. The story-telling revolves around Draupathi. The art form is closely associated with the regions that worship Draupathiamman in a dedicated temple, with a puritan style of performance seen in Krishnagiri, Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram, and Cuddalore districts. 'The Therkathiya Bani (the southern style) is different from the Vadakathiya Bani (the northern style) seen in Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu districts. 'Vanniya Puranam can be performed by anyone here; but in Tiruvannamalai, troupes comprising only Vanniyars perform it,' he explains. Starting out as a dancing girl 'I learnt to read and write because of the 'koothu',' says Siriran, a septuagenarian artist and 'koothu' teacher in the Javadhu Hills. He dropped out of school in Class 1 to graze cattle. 'When I was 13, I joined a 'koothu' troupe as a dancing girl. That was my first role.' Soon, he learnt to read and write by reading dialogues during the act. Today, he runs the Adiparasakthi Nadaga Kuzhu in the Pungampathunadu panchayat in the Javadhu Hills. Mr. Siriran never dons the role of 'asuran '. 'I did it twice, but I don't feel good opposing the gods. I have donned the roles of Krishna, Siva, Arjunan, and Dharmar.' The epical roles are seen as self-fulfilling and expression of the righteousness of the performing artists. 'You want to learn the art, when you see someone don the paint and mouth a dialogue to win over the audience. The young boys always want to perform a 'woman's act',' says Mr. Siriran. Value in attire 'Malai koothu' artists do not see themselves as commercial artists, unless they are called to perform. Unlike the 'therukoothu' artists, 'malai koothu' artists see value in the perfect attire that wins over the audience. 'We spend about ₹15,000 for stitching our costumes. If we keep it safe, it can last 3-4 years. In the hills, we cannot rent clothes as the artists do in the towns. We do our own make-up, and we pay a value for our costumes since our art is in our costumes,' he says. In the Yelagiri Hills dotted by high-end resorts, the employment for the artists often come from the ever-growing hospitality construction projects, when 'koothu' falls silent during the lean season that begins with the monsoon. But, in the remote villages of the Javadhu Hills with its marginal landholdings, the adult population is largely away in cities for construction work. 'When there is a festival, we send word and the artists return,' says Mr. Siriran. A troupe of 15 may get paid ₹25,000-₹30,000. Good artists are called by 'troupe companies' in the plains. If 'koothu' and 'koothadi' are invoked as pejorative terms for those outside its experience, the art form is sacred for its practitioners. 'Malai koothu' has come a long way, but not the 'koothadi'. 'Back then, a burning log propped up in between a splintered bamboo held up on two sides would light up the 'koothu' all through the night. Then came the kerosene torch and the Petromax lamps,' says Mr. Govindasamy. For the artist, the precarity remains. There is the constant struggle to keep the audience engaged and strike a balance between the pleasure of pursuit of an art form that caters to an already struggling people and making a living by other gainful jobs.
The Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Coronation Street star breaks silence on co-star's impending exit as she opens up on ‘emotional' final scenes
CORONATION Street actress Tanisha Gorey has broken her silence on her co-star's impending exit. Fans of the ITV soap opera will know that Tanisha's character Asha's on-screen twin brother, Aadi, played by Adam Hussain, is soon to depart the programme for good. 4 4 Now, speaking exclusively to The Sun at this year's British Soap Awards, Tanisha has admitted Aadi's exit will be "emotional" and cause distress for his twin sister Asha. Tanisha told The Sun: "I've been working with Adam now for five years and he is amazing. [check] "I think he wants to go out and see the big wide world and he will do absolutely amazing. "His exit is not too unusual but it is quite sad for Asha. "She's feeling very... I mean, she is losing her twin brother. I don't want him to go." The Sun were the first to exclusively reveal that Adam had decided to walk away from the soap earlier this year amid a mass cast exodus at the soap. A source said at the time: "He's telling people he's quit, not because he's had enough of the show but his character hasn't had any decent storylines for ages. "He's had loads of new opportunities coming his way so he already feels like he's made the right decision." But although Aadi will be waving goodbye to Weatherfield, Asha is sticking around with Tanisha confirming to The Sun that viewers will get to see her journey as a paramedic grow in an upcoming storyline. She also revealed that fans will get to see her connections within the NHS and how she leans on fellow staff members for support amid a tough time. Emmerdale's Amy Walsh admits she took mass soap axing 'personally' Tanisha said: "I have got a story coming up that is very big but also very sad and heart-wrenching and heartstopping. "I think we'll see how much they [Asha and her colleagues] have to support each other and how they make it work. "They are with each other 12 hours a day - we do see a friendship there which is really nice and see how much they have to support each other to make it work. "It will be nice to finally see a friendship there and see who is mentoring her and who she is learning from and we are going to get to see quite a bit of that which i'm really looking forward too." Corrie cash crisis: shock exits for 2025 ITV bosses are locked in a battle to save the cash-strapped soap. This means that a number of stars have either been axed from or have abandoned the long-running serial drama. Colson Smith - Craig Tinker The character of Craig Tinker has been axed by bosses after 14 years. After he was told of the news in Autumn 2024, Colson Smith confirmed that would be written out of the show with scenes to air later this year. Craig's on-screen mum, Beth Tinker, also left the show in the summer when actress Lisa George was written out from the role. Sue Cleaver - Eileen Grimshaw After 25 years playing Eileen Grimshaw, former I'm A Celebrity campmate Sue Cleaver will quit the show. The Sun on Sunday reported in January that she's already begun to film her exit scenes. However the character will not be killed off in case Sue opts to make a return in the future. Luca Toolan - Mason Radcliffe Bosses decided to axe the teenage character after just 16 months after he first joined the show. Recent scenes saw Mason stabbed by his criminal brothers after his pal Dylan brought a knife in an attempt to defend him. Sue Devaney - Debbie Webster In November 2024, we revealed that Debbie Webster is set to be killed off after 40 years on the cobbles. The character will die as part of a heartbreaking long-running dementia storyline. Charlotte Jordan - Daisy Midgeley The actress became the fifth star to leave Coronation Street in just one month. We revealed that she will bow out of the ITV soap later this year after four years on-screen. Charlotte told sources that she's hungry to see what other opportunities await. Shelley King - Yasmeen Metcalfe The actress has played Yasmeen Metcalfe on the cobbles for the past 11 years and we revealed in January that she finished filming her final scenes. This follows the departure of her on-screen partner Stu Carpenter. 4 4
News18
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Jr NTR Just Dropped His 25-Year Celebration Poster, And It Is A Total Banger
Last Updated: After his debut in 2001, Jr NTR has now completed 25 years in cinema. Telugu star NT Rama Rao Jr, commonly referred to as Jr NTR or Tarak, is known for his remarkable performances in several films like Aadi, Simhadri, RRR and Janatha Garage. Renowned for his powerful screen presence and unmatched charisma, the actor's contribution to the entertainment industry needs no introduction. Jr NTR has now completed 25 glorious years in cinema, after debuting as a lead in 2001 with the film Ninnu Choodalani. Since then, there's been no looking back for NTR and he has delivered one memorable performance after another. To mark this key milestone, the makers of his highly anticipated film, tentatively titled NTRNeel, unveiled a new poster. The poster features NTR with a radiant smile against the blue backdrop that reads 'Man of Masses NTR stepping into 25th year in Indian cinema.' Along with the electrifying poster, it wrote, 'Need we say more? N.T.R – Never Tamed Rage #NTRNeel #25YearsOfNTR @tarak9999." The actor is shooting for the magnum opus with director Prashanth Neel, which is scheduled to hit theatres on June 25, 2026. The film, which is originally shot in Telugu, will be dubbed in Hindi, Kannada, Tamil and Malayalam. Earlier, the producer Mythri Movie Makers announced the release date of the film in a social media post. Taking to Instagram, it wrote, 'A Massacre by the dynamic duo delivers a notice for a havoc-filled experience, 25 June, 2026. You'll hear the loudest chants! #NTRNeel. A Special glimpse for the Man of Masses @tarak9999's birthday." The upcoming film is being produced by Mythri Movie Makers in association with NTR Arts, NTRNeel. In addition to NTRNeel, the actor is gearing up for a Bollywood debut with War 2, alongside Hrithik Roshan and Kiara Advani. Directed by Ayan Mukerji, the upcoming film is officially the sixth entry in the expanding YRF Spy Universe. The sequel to the 2019 blockbuster War is scheduled to hit cinemas on August 14. The actor was last seen in the Koratala Siva directorial Devara: Part 1, which became the third highest-grossing Telugu film of 2024. First Published:
The Hindu
21-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Unseasonal rain slows down palm jaggery production in Ramanathapuram
The unseasonal rains during the past few days have slowed down the production of palm jaggery, say worried palm tappers of Ramanathapuram district. The season beginning from Tamil month Thai (January) to Aadi (July) has always been deemed suitable for taking the sap from the palm trees and processing it into jaggery but this year rains have spoiled the collecting process, they add. 'We start the collection of sap from the palm trees, using lime-laced earthen pots to prevent fermentation, it is then boiled in large vats, made of iron or copper, over a wood fire for an extended period. The liquid is stirred continuously so as to remove the scum and to prevent burning,' said S. Thoppuraj, tapper in Ramanathapuram. The liquid after attaining a certain consistency would be transferred to broken coconut shells that are used as mould to bring them to a certain shape, he added. The process from collection of sap till transforming it into palm jaggery, would be repeated several times in the six-months period, he said. Mr. Thoppuraj who hails from Kannirajapuram, Ramanathapuram, has moved along with his family to Malattar, located 30-km from his house, where he has leased a land for collecting sap from palm trees. While he along with other men take care of sap collection, at the makeshift tents he had made there, his family, wife, three children, mother, brother and his family, all reside and take care of the palm jaggery production. 'The six months period which is the peak for palm tappers earns us the money for our survival for the rest of six months,' he stated. But, in recent days, due to various reasons, both the collection and production of jaggery has witnessed a fall, he worried. 'This jaggery we sell for ₹200/kg to the middlemen, who then sell it for ₹350/kg. When our hard work is reduced to ₹200, the original price goes to the middlemen who just do the trading work,' he noted. 'We are unable to do anything or demand a price, as most of us are indebted to the middlemen', Mr. Thoppuraj said. As they had to be dependent on the middlemen for instant loans during off-seasons, they had lost the privilege of fixing the price for their produce, he added. Adding to their worries, he said that the unpredictable climate had also made their job even more difficult as sap could not be collected during the rain. He added that they were hopeful of good weather in the upcoming months before the actual monsoon season arrives.
News18
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Jr NTR Turns 42: War 2 Actor's Net Worth, Latest And Upcoming Projects
Last Updated: Happy Birthday Jr NTR: The actor is known for his remarkable performances in films like RRR, Aadi, Simhadri and Janatha Garage. Happy Birthday Jr NTR: The actor's contribution to cinema needs no introduction. Having debuted at a young age in the industry, Jr NTR seamlessly transitioned into a superstar, winning hearts with his remarkable performances in films like Aadi, Simhadri, RRR and Janatha Garage. As the powerhouse of talent is set to celebrate his 42nd birthday, fans are buzzing with anticipation for his upcoming movies. The actor, whose ability to effortlessly immerse himself in diverse roles is widely known, will next entertain his audience in an intriguing lineup of projects. On his special day, here we take a look at his net worth, latest and upcoming movies. As per the reports, Jr NTR has an estimated net worth of $60 million, approximately Rs 500 crores. The actor earned substantial wealth via his successful career in the film industry, along with his various endorsements and investments. The primary source of his income remains his fee for roles in the films. Initially, he charged around Rs 12 crore per film but went on to reportedly increase the fee to Rs 45 crore. Currently, he earns between Rs 60-80 crore per film. According to several reports, the remuneration for his upcoming movie for his Bollywood debut was Rs 50 crore. The actor owns a luxurious bungalow in Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad, besides a farmhouse near the city and other apartments in Bangalore and Mumbai. Furthermore, he has a huge collection of luxury cars. That's not all. He is one of the few Indian celebrities to own a private jet worth Rs 80 crore. Jr NTR's Latest And Upcoming Movies Devara: Part 1: Directed by Koratala Siva, the film showcases Jr NTR in a dual role, Devara and Varadha. The film's storyline revolves around a dramatic clash of powers in a coastal setting, with Saif Ali Khan playing the antagonist. It released in multiple languages including Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, and Hindi. Additionally, Janhvi Kapoor made her debut with the film. War 2: Jr NTR is set to make his Bollywood debut with Yash Raj Films' War 2. The film is set to release worldwide in theatres on August 14. Directed by Ayan Mukerji, the upcoming film stars Hrithik Roshan and Kiara Advani in the lead roles. It is the sequel to War, starring Hrithik and Tiger Shroff in the lead roles. Dragon: Prashanth Neel's Dragon, starring Jr NTR in the lead role, is set to release worldwide on January 9, 2026. At an event earlier this year, producer Ravi Shankar talked about the NTR-Neel project's box office aspirations and budget. He said, 'Definitely, Dragon is one of the unique scripts I've seen in Indian cinema. The sky's the limit for the film." Devara: Part 2: Next, Jr NTR will also be seen in Devara: Part 2, the sequel to the 2024-released film. While earlier there were speculations about the team dropping the plan, Jr NTR recently confirmed that the film will be 'definitely happening." At the success celebration of Mad square, he clarified, 'Some are saying that Devara 2 will not happen. I have to say that the sequel is happening. We are just facing a small pause due to the Prasanth Neel project," the actor clarified, putting the rumours to rest." First Published:
