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New Indian Express

Thullal with a cause

Students had gathered in huge numbers, anxiously waiting for the anti-drugs session to begin. Talk sessions are often boring. But to their surprise, a man dressed for an ottanthullal performance stepped onto the stage. Wrong event? Not at all. This is how Jayaraj V, an assistant excise inspector from the Mattancherry excise range office, has been delivering anti-narcotics message — through this traditional art form. Ottanthullal is an art form that once brought performance out of the elite families of Kerala to the common people. Its founder, Kunjan Nambiar, used poetic tunes in near-colloquial language to criticise various social evils. Jayaraj follows that spirit, but adds Gen-Z lingo and pop culture to highlight the dark world of drug abuse. Since 2018, he has performed on over 600 stages while continuing to fulfil his official duties. 'Our main target is students, and it's extremely difficult to grab their attention,' Jayaraj says. His teenage children help him stay updated with the latest slang and trends to make his message more relatable. One can only imagine the impact of seeing a reference to the viral flying kiss scene from the film Oru Adaar Love in a thullal that tackles such a serious issue. Even Jayaraj knows that thullal alone cannot hold students' attention for long. So, he trimmed his performance from 45 minutes to 20, followed by an interactive discussion on how alcohol and drugs often creep into young lives. He performs in schools, colleges, and residential associations and does his own makeup before stepping on stage. All his shows are coordinated through his office.