Latest news with #DepartmentofPerformingArts
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
When the streets become stages for artistes
It was quite a sight when characters from George Dandin ou le mari confondu (George Dandin or The Thwarted Husband), the French play by Molière, appeared on stage in the vibrant costumes in classic therukoothu style. Naturally, the artistes spoke in Tamil, and launched full-throatedly into traditional songs. This bold adaptation of the play into therukoothu by Karunsuzhi V. Arumugam, former dean of the Department of Performing Arts at Pondicherry University, and who runs Thalaikkol Theatre Group, marked a significant moment in the evolution of the folk art form. It demonstrated how therukoothu could be transformed to suit modern storytelling. 'We first performed the play during the golden jubilee celebrations of India's Independence. It was adapted into 14 Indian languages and performed in traditional art forms unique to each State, supported by Alliance Française,' said Mr. Arumugam, nephew of the renowned therukoothu artiste Purisai Kannappa Thampiran. It was re-enacted in March this year. Traditionally, therukoothu performances revolve around stories from the Ramayana and Mahabharata. There are two schools — one from the former South Arcot district and another from the former North Arcot district — both within the erstwhile Madras Presidency. Kannappa Thampiran, a native of Purisai, a village near Kancheepuram, represented the North Arcot style. It is still performed for 18 days in and around the districts of Chennai during the festivals of Draupadi Amman temples. Keesagan Vatham, Dravupadi Vasthirapaharanam, Arjunan Tapsu, Karna Motcham, Virata Paruvam, Anjanavasam, and Pathinettam Por are some of the subjects performed during these festivals. However, the establishment of Koothu-P-Pattarai, a modern theatre group, by the late Na. Muthusamy began to blend classical elements of therukoothu with contemporary narratives. Mr. Arumugam, who collaborated closely with Muthusamy, Prof. Ramanujam, and Veerasamy, trained over 20 batches of students in therukoothu under the guidance of Kannappa Thampiran. 'I directed the play Sainanthari (Nirbhayavin Kathai Alla), an adaptation of Keesagan Vatham, and the message quickly reached the audience. Sainanthari is another name for Draupadi. The dialogue — at least Beeman saved Draupadi — conveyed the Nirbhaya case,' said Mr. Arumugam, who provided comprehensive training in all aspects of therukoothu including music, scriptwriting, and performance techniques to his students. Significantly, what was once an exclusively male-dominated art form began to open its doors to women through the university programme, further marking the evolution of therukoothu in a modern context. As always in Tamil Nadu, cinema celebrated the art form, and democratised it. Long ago, the Sivaji Ganesan-starrer Navarathiri became a pioneer by allowing the heroine Savithri to perform the art on screen. Avatharam, with Nasser and Revathi in the lead roles, showcased the power of the narrative techniques of therukoothu. 'Therukoothu as a device prepares an actor mentally and physically for the role they are taking on. In the past, Boys' Companies remained an excellent training ground for actors. They trained them in every aspect of acting, including music and dance. Now, it is therukoothu which fulfils that role,' said Velu Saravanan, one of the first batch of students under Mr. Arumugam. Mr. Saravanan, who runs Aazhi, a children's theatre group, said although Kannappa Thampiran had reservations about allowing women to perform, writer Indira Parthasarathy, who headed the department, persuaded him to train them in therukoothu.
Gulf Today
12-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Today
Ritviz: Coming from Darbhanga
Talking about his first tryst with the genre, Ritviz told IANS: "I first discovered electronic music back in 5th or 6th standard when I heard Tiësto bootleg-and that completely hooked me. This was long before the EDM wave really took off.' Ritviz, who lent his musical creations for the runway at the Blenders Pride Fashion Tour, said that he was excited to learn about the new sound. "I was just a school kid, excited about this new sound. I'd listen to it religiously, not knowing that one day I'd start making music myself,' said the talent, who was featured on Forbes India's 30 Under 30 list in 2021. The 28-year-old musician, whose real name is Ritviz Srivastava, feels proud to come from a small town in Bihar and making a name for himself with his tracks such as "Udd Gaye', "Liggi', ", Mehfooz' and "Thandi Hawa' to name a few. "Coming from Darbhanga, Bihar, where electronic music wasn't mainstream, it feels incredible to have made my mark in the industry.' He credits his background in Indian classical music, which has "played a huge role in shaping my sound.' "When I started producing, it naturally blended the rich textures of classical music with the energy of electronic beats, creating something unique. Looking back, it all started in those early school days-just a kid discovering a new world of sound and unknowingly setting the foundation for my journey,' said Ritviz, whose father plays the tabla mother and is the Head of the Department of Performing Arts in a school in Pune. How does he keep up with music trends, considering his sounds are very different? "I don't actively try to keep up with trends. I focus on what feels right to me, approaching everything I do in a very holistic way. Because of that, whatever I create naturally ends up being very "me' thing-something that reflects my style and perspective.' "I believe that if I stay true to what I love making, people will connect with it in their own way. So rather than following trends, I just focus on creating what resonates with me,' he added. Talking about how performing for runways like Blenders Pride Fashion Tour is different from gigs and concerts, Ritviz said: "It's a great celebration of the two worlds I'm truly passionate about. Unlike my regular shows, which are purely about the music..."
