Mahe: Mukundan's novel to be presented in dance drama format

M. Mukundan’s famous Malayalam novel ‘Mayyazhi puzhayude theerangalil’ (On the Banks of River Mahe), which has been translated into English and French is soon to be presented as a two-hour long dance drama according to reports in the Malayalam media yesterday.

This novel obtained wide acclaim and brought many laurels to its author including the title Chevalier des Arts et des Letters from the Government of France, is set in Mahe, the former French colony in India. The main characters are Dasan, a freedom fighter and Chandrika. The author also weaves into the touching story the myth that dragonflies are souls of the dead hovering around, waiting for rebirth. According to Mukundan, the novel has many dramatic moments suitable for dance themes.

Lissy Muraleedharan, a dancer who runs the Natya Kalakshetra of Mahe did the script, which covers the novel almost totally. She had earlier converted and presented Kadathanad Madhavi Amma’s ‘Onakkili’ and VT Bhatathiripad’s ‘Vanajyosthna’ also into dance dramas. She is now busy training a troupe of about fifty artistes at Mahe for this project. A team of experts in various related fields is supporting her.

Mukundan is confident that Lissy Muraleedharan would present the dance drama well. He should know.

Mahe River
Photo acknowledgement:
Government of Pondicherry.

Ends.

Also see:

Mahe - Petite France in Kerala.

The Indian 'King of France'