Sivapuram Nataraja idol theft case to be staged as play in the city

CHENNAI: When he walks into a room, if you are a movie buff like me, you will say, ‘spitting image of S Balachander’. The unmistakable resemblance apart, SBS Raman is following in his father’s footsteps, but is directing plays, not films. After his first play, Andha Naal, based on the seminal movie by the same name by his father S Balachander, starring Sivaji Ganesan, Raman followed it up with Bharathi Yaar?, which is still being staged. And Raman is ready to unveil his third, Kumin Chirippu (Siva’s Smile) on May 6, to be staged at Narada Gana Sabha with actor Sivakumar as chief guest. The play will have music and even a Siva Tandavam. The play’s promo on YouTube has begun to generate buzz.

I caught up with the lawyer-cum- golfer-cum theatre personality who has been busy with the rehearsals being held in his house in Mylapore.

SBS Raman and his wife Dharma

Excerpts from the interview:

Idol theft as the theme for a stage play. How did you get the idea?

Though the script is a work of fiction, the playwright Sujatha Vijayaraghavan, amalgamated the background of several idol theft cases including the notorious Sivapuram Nataraja theft case. The almost daily reports of idols being stolen and the few recoveries made, made me think of this as a suitable subject on which to base a stage play. The idea being to educate, involve and evoke reflection and discourse, apart from entertaining.

You are investing a lot of time in rehearsals. Why? How does it help?

Unlike in movies, in theatre one does not have the liberty to say ‘cut’ and reshoot. Everything is live. Every aspect of every scene, from where the furniture is placed, what props are used and by whom, where actors stand, how they move, where music is cued in, everything has to be got just right - through repeated rehearsing! Nothing is (or ought to be) random. Everything is part of a choreographed whole. This is the challenge and the charm of theatre.

Other drama troupes have their regular cast. What about you?

We too have our regulars. Theatre groups (many of them anyway) are generous in sharing talented actors with other groups. Many of my regulars support other groups on stage whenever needed. Often, we need to scout for outside talent when the needs of a character require a ‘look’ not in our team.

Kumin Chirippu comes after Bharathi Yaar?. Two very different subjects. How do you choose your content?

Our first drama was the who-dunit Andha Naal, an adaptation for the stage of the iconic film of the same name directed for AVM Productions by my father S. Balachander. This production, made on a shoe-string budget, earned us rave reviews.

Our next production, Bharathi Yaar? was a bio-epic where we brought to stage the tempestuous life and times of Mahakavi Subramania Bharathi in an authoritative narration, based on researching his works and biographies by others on him (including his wife Chellammal and his foster daughter Yedugiri). Bharathi Yaar? is still in play, with shows being booked for outstation and foreign tours.

As to variety of content, I would say that if I come across a subject that impresses me with its direct impact and dramatic value, I would like to take the thought forward for interpretation on stage.

Tamil theatre enjoyed a golden run till the late 70s and 80s. How is it now?

We’re seeing a huge revival, in which my team has played a small part. Others too have started using the LED wall backgrounds and evolved lighting design that we introduced. This does add to the cost of a production, but the end result is, aesthetically, worth it. We too can and should produce shows of Broadway quality.

As a director, who inspires you?

Curiously, I draw inspiration for theatre from movie directors. Check out Wes Anderson as an example, his movie shots have the elaborate timing and intricate chorography of a theatrical scene. There is a list, but too many to name.

What are you looking forward to?

It would be great if we have a sell-out audience for our immediate shows: Inauguration at Narada Gana Sabha on May 6 (Saturday) and RR Sabha on May 28 (Sunday). A lot of effort and time goes into the production and it would be excellent if many share the theatre experience with us.