St. Xavier’s College in Mumbai to stage its first Malayalam play

“It is inspired by the lives of many people in a quintessential Malayali family,” says co-director Evelyn Giju, a third-year mass communication and journalism student at St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai. Osiyath-ParvaFirst Malayalam play to be premiered in college on 11 December.

The play is based in a home in Kerala, where the family is mourning the death of the matriarch. The play explores the unwanted discussions that arise in the family. The loss of the mother brings her estranged children together, and opens a box of dialogues “that should not be discussed at home in such a situation,” alluding to the play’s title meaning in Malayalam.

Osyath… What began as a discussion between two roommates, Evelyn and Anita Sarah Debbie, the play’s co-director and co-writer, during their first year of college. “We were sure we wanted to make either a film or a play in English on this topic,” says Evelyn, the play’s co-writer and actor.

“Last year, we had planned to present it at St.

Evelyn explains that some of the scenes were inspired by events she witnessed at her grandfather’s funeral. Evelyn, originally from Thrissur, says, “My perspective of Kerala comes from the perspective of an NRI visiting the country once a year. When you return to a place that is still your home, you see much more than someone who lives there, because you are still looking for a connection.” She adds, “It was Anita who helped me understand the cultural differences and nuances.”

cast of osiath – festival
Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Evelyn says, “We have tried to emulate the interactions and props of a house in mourning on stage, which would not make sense to someone who is not a Malayali. For example, at a funeral, there is a ritual of covering the dead person’s bed with a white sheet. Such details inspired us to discuss each scene and decide what we would put on stage.”

During the play’s trial with the theater society, which consists mostly of non-Malayalis, the team presented an understandable show, says Avilan. “We have designed the play in such a way that the physical language is important. We have worked on it so that people can get the essence of the play.”

scaffolding Osyath… Came with its own challenges. Everyone in the 15-member cast is acting in a play for the first time. Evelyn says, “It was quite a difficult task for him to adapt to the theater style of acting. There was a lot of persistence on his part and it was a big challenge to change.”

The author duo also believes that it is difficult to put on paper something that is so personal. “It has to be emotionally true, but at the same time, relatable to others. As an actor, there are certain scenes that I can’t do at times, because they are emotionally intense and require a lot of energy.”

Osyath: The Feast will be staged on December 11 at 4 pm at College Hall, St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai. Tickets are available at the link in the bio of the Instagram handle @xaviers.fitoor