Chudamani’s tales of solitude primed for stage by PC Ramakrishna

CHENNAI: The early 20th century was a rather challenging period for women writers from Tamil Nadu. Despite the perpetuation of the patriarchal society, they transpired with a strong voice, predominantly penning down their personal experiences, convolutions of female identity enclosed by the traditional and cultural impediments of the state, and so much more. Even on political issues that persecute women, not to forget.

One such eminent writer has to be R Chudamani, who was a noted feminist writer even in the 70s and 80s. She would have easily penned around 800 short stories, characterised by a sensitive approach to women who make statements, always non evaluative and nonjudgmental. Basically, the human mind was her canvas.

PC Ramakrishna is known for bringing riveting narratives to centre stage with his theatrical acts. This time he brings Chudamani 2. “In 2016, we The Madras Players had staged Chudamani, which was an adaptation of short stories of the celebrated writer herself, R Chudamani,” Ramakrishna starts to chronicle.

Chudamani was adapted by Nikhila Kesavan, and directed by Ramakrishna, which went on to become a huge success, drawing captivated crowds from Mumbai, Coimbatore, Tiruchy and Auroville. Buoyed by this acclaim, the team, in association with R Chudamani Memorial Trust, presents Chudamini 2, a selection of seven new stories of the writer, whose narrative covered existential, social, and psychological issues faced by humans in their ordinary everyday experiences.

The play is a seamless weave of short stories, each dealing with ordinary women confronting extraordinary situations. It has a woman unmarried at 35, an elderly lady abandoned by her children, a young girl struggling with her name, a middle aged woman in financial distress, a working woman whose husband has retired, a woman looking for an inner god, and an old woman with an unusual experience.

“They are all people like you and I. But Chudamani’s sensitive pen gives them a new life, a new dimension, without judging or evaluating them in any way. They are far ahead of their times, even though they were conceived by her, half a century ago,” explains Ramakrishna.

Chudamani has in many ways revolutionised the Tamil literary world, often considered as a pride of Chennai, then Madras. It is also astonishing to learn about her ability to dive deep into the psyche of her characters.

He says, “She filled her stories with characters one could empathise with, many of them drawn from middle class orthodoxy, but still expressing themselves with conviction and a surprising modernity, reflecting Chudamani’s own evolved vision - all portrayed with rare sensitivity and understanding, amazing for a woman known to be reclusive in nature.” More astounding as she was somebody who spent most of her life penning tales inside the four walls of her small room, gazing out at a Nagalingam tree through her window.

Chudamani was also said to have her limited outing, which was a daily car drive to the Marina beach.

Chudamani 2 promises to be an amalgam of answering the unspoken messages and the open ended questions, subtleties of emotions, and every bit of an amazing mélange of stories of strong women. “We trust these stories we present will find an answering chord in you,” Ramakrishna states.

Chudamani 2 will premiere on September 14 from 6.30 pm, at Narada Gana Sabha, Teynampet.