J.C. Creations Tamil Drama Meendum thani kudithanam.
| Photo credit: Srinath M
Drama Thanikudithanam It was a huge success in the 1970s. Inspired by the original, J.C. Creations meendum thanikudithanam, The play, performed by Sri Krishna Gana Sabha as part of their theatre festival recently, was based on the theme of a newly married couple’s desire to move away from the joint family. Directed by VPS Sreeraman, the play won the Best Comedy Play award at this year’s Kodai Nadaga Vizha organised by Karthik Fine Arts.
The play started with a typical scene of a middle-class family – elderly father Sundaresan discussing the day’s menu with cook Seenu while daughter Kamu and son-in-law Ganesh are busy with their morning routine. It was a good introductory scene for the audience to get familiar with each character and their different personalities.
A scene from a Tamil play Meendum Thani Kudithanam. | Photo Credit: Srinath M
Soon the focus shifts to the family’s efforts to find a bride for young Hari. They start searching matrimonial sites, shortlisting potential candidates and deciding on a choice is depicted in detail in the drama. The camaraderie among the family members, their interactions full of humour and sarcasm and the charming acting of each actor keep the pace going.
The girl Kamali’s family consists of Madhurveni, her domineering mother and Krishnapriya, her meek father. Their discussions with the groom’s family prepare us for the outcome of this alliance.
The post-wedding happiness is disrupted by Madhurveni’s interference, forcing the young couple to opt out of marriage. ThanikudithanamMeanwhile, Hari puts forth some conditions which create a dilemma. How it is finally resolved is a twist in the tale.
Simple dialogues and spontaneous situations kept the audience’s interest. However, the last and crucial scene of the play could have been presented better. The actors were not competent enough in expressing the essence of the scene.
A little more attention to sets and characterization would have added to the charm of the play.
