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The Hindu
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Musician Job Kurian on his latest release, ‘Nizhal', and his two-decades-long journey in the industry
Job Kurian is a few months away from completing 20 years as a professional musician. Job is among those few reality show stars whose careers did not fizzle out after their initial tryst with fame; he soldiered on in the independent music scene as a singer and composer. The power and vigour of his voice, the energy that he brings to the stage and the soulful songs he has tuned have made him one of Malayalam's most-loved musicians. When MetroPlus caught up with the musician currently touring the US over a Zoom call, he talked at length about his latest work, 'Nizhal' and what each work means to him. 'Nizhal' looks at a scenario where a son leaves his father at an old age home only to bring him back when he realises his mistake. TG Ravi plays the father, a role, which Job had originally planned for the late Nedumudi Venu. 'The idea came in the form of a tune some four years ago and my dream was to cast Venu uncle. He was family to me and he was also happy to do it. But it was not meant to be since he passed away. The project was almost called off until, two years ago, I revived it. We were lucky that TG Ravi sir agreed to do the role,' says Job. The artiste stresses that the song, also featuring Anoop Mohandas and Master Ahaan, is a reminder to those who neglect the elderly community. 'It is a request to the society. There are umpteen examples of elders not being looked after by their families. I am against the concept of old age homes, for, I believe that as they grow old our elders need extra attention in spite of all their shortcomings. Their contribution to our lives is not small.' Like most of his works, 'Nizhal' too has a personal touch, especially in showcasing the grandfather-grandson bond. 'I was extremely close to my grandmother. I see the same love and affection between my parents and my two sons.' Job adds, 'The shoot was special. The entire process was emotional for each member of the team.' Engandiyoor Chandrasekharan, a regular when it comes to Job's compositions, has written 'Nizhal' as well. 'There is an innate simplicity about him and his verses. He understands what I want and has no hassles about making changes, if I suggest any. He encourages the writer in me as well. When I wrote the four lines of 'Bhaavam', he loved it so much that he decided to write the remaining verses around it,' Job says. The musician is also basking in the sudden attention for 'Kannodu', a song that he composed 10 years ago for Music Mojo Season 3 on Kappa TV. The duet, which he sang with Mridula Warrier, was dedicated to his wife, Athira, after the birth of their first child. 'It became viral out of the blue, thanks to social media. I have always put my heart and soul into all my songs. Maybe, this is the result of that effort. I am neither worried or excited about the reception for my songs. But there is a satisfaction when such appreciation comes my way, even if it is after so many years. In fact, it took six years for my first work, 'Thaalam' to get noticed. Hopefully other songs also will also get recognised sometime in the future,' he says. Looking back at his career, Job adds that his music comes from his experiences. The evergreen 'Padayathra', a duet with Harish Sivaramakrishnan, was inspired by his friend's journey to the Himalayas; 'Enthavo' reflected his state of mind at a point of time; 'Mulla' was about his childhood and relationships; 'Kaalam' was a tribute to an elderly family member; 'Bhaavam' was a message to stay humble and know more about Nature. ''Palaayanam' came out of a fear of the scenario when one might have to leave home to settle down elsewhere. I dread that situation where I could be forced to move out of Kerala. In spite of political polarisation and other contentious issues, I love living here. There is something about our people that keeps us together. Maybe, it is the humanity in us.' He adds, 'Performing for our audience is something different, be it at a music festival or temple ground or any other stage. The people are updated and the energy they bring is something else.' Job considers his playback career as a bonus episode of his journey. His recent release was 'Kaavalaayi' in Empuraan. His one-off film project as a composer was Rasam (2015). 'My priority has always been making my own songs and to develop independent music in Kerala. I believe I have contributed a bit towards that.' He has a band, Job Kurian Live, and the members are Balu, Rony George, Shikku Dan Jacob and Ananthu. However, the journey is tough for an indie artiste, he adds. 'People are not willing to invest in music, whereas they would happily do so for a movie. There is always a risk for an indie musician since there is no guarantee that you will make money. Releasing each song has been a struggle for me. But one's passion can overpower any challenge. There has always been a constant drive to keep working. Hard work pays off, eventually. That is when you get surprises like the reception for 'Kannodu'.'
The Hindu
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Gnatak theatre group to stage Athol Fugard's play, ‘The Train Driver', in Thiruvananthapuram
In 1979, a group of young people in Bengaluru — undergraduate students, doctors, engineers, and scientists — came together to form Gnatak, a theatre collective staging English plays that highlighted the lives of those on the margins. The group remained active for nearly eight years before going dormant, only to be revived in the early 2000s with a series of productions inspired by the works of leading international playwrights. On May 10, Gnatak will stage The Train Driver in Thiruvananthapuram. The 70-minute play, written by recently deceased South African playwright Athol Fugard, is directed by Anikh Ghosh — an independent filmmaker and writer who also directed Gnatak's inaugural production, The Island (also by Fugard), in 1979. MetroPlus caught up with the Gnatak team currently in the city: actors Abraham Karimpanal and Rohit Dave, and members of the technical crew, Michael Joseph (lighting) and Sutosom Chakraborthy (sound). Abraham and Michael, both 65, have been with Gnatak since its inception. Abraham, also a director and lighting designer, has worked with stalwarts such as Kavalam Narayana Panikkar, Gracias Devaraj, and Prakash Aswani. Michael, a filmmaker and educator known for his pioneering work with various institutions, is director at the Datsi School for Storytellers in Thiruvananthapuram, a collaboration between Zebu Animation Studios and Additional Skill Acquisition Programme (ASAP) Kerala. Rohit, 53, was formerly with Rafiki Theatre and has also worked extensively as a voice artist. Sutosom, in his late 20s, is a CG lighting artist and mentor at Datsi; this production marks his first collaboration with Gnatak. Reality on stage The Train Driver is based on a harrowing real-life event — a mother who died by suicide on a railway track with her three young children. In the play, Roelf Visagie, an Afrikaner train driver, is haunted after his train runs over a Black woman and her baby, still strapped to her back. Wracked with guilt, he turns up at a graveyard and meets Simon, the Black gravedigger tasked with burying the nameless dead. As their conversation unfolds, Roelf slowly begins to make sense of his inner turmoil and the world around him. Abraham and Rohit have been portraying Simon and Roelf respectively since the play's first staging in 2014. 'One of the reasons we chose this piece is its logistical ease — it has only two actors and can be performed in any space,' says Rohit. 'But more than that, although it was written in post-apartheid South Africa, the theme still resonates. It's about two people — from very different backgrounds — trying to understand one another.' Abraham adds, 'It's an emotional work and a challenge for any actor. It suits our style.' Michael expands on this. 'We've been influenced by the likes of Jerzy Grotowski, Peter Brook, and Eugenio Barba — pioneers who moved away towards 'physical theatre which celebrated the body and dislodged the centrality of the spoken word'. Our productions have always focused on those pushed to the margins. What's interesting is how much energy each actor brings — it feeds into the other's performance. For us, it's always been about intense collaboration.' As for lighting, Michael says it evolves with each performance. 'Fugard plays with time while remaining in the same physical setting. A scene may begin at dusk and slip into night — so I have to make subtle changes.' Sutosom sees this experience as a growth opportunity. 'It's a chance to push myself and contribute a different dimension to the production,' he says. Abraham notes that The Train Driver will offer audiences in Kerala a different kind of theatre. 'This isn't conventional professional theatre, nor is it the stylised, experimental kind. It is about ordinary people and raw emotion. We don't use masks or exaggerated movements to hide the narrative.' The team sees the production as a tribute to Fugard and his body of work. 'It's been remarkable to see him mature into a masterly playwright. The craft he developed as a writer was so exquisite and nuanced,' Michael says. The Train Driver, produced by Datsi School for Storytellers and Zebu Animation Studios, will be staged at Ganesham, Thycaud, on May 10. For tickets, contact 9447112918.
