Remembering Komal Swaminathan, whose plays focused on social issues

Komal Swaminathan was one of the most powerful playwrights of the contemporary Tamil stage. Born in Karaikudi in 1935, he completed his graduation in Madurai and moved to Madras in the mid-1950s, inspired by a passion for theatre. While in college, he was a Congress worker who made a name for himself with his fiery speeches.

This was a time when Tamil theater was undergoing a metamorphosis of sorts, marked by the advent of amateur theatre. The styles of the plays also began to change, introducing more social themes than in earlier eras.

Against this background, theater stalwart SV Sahasranama started a drama school, Seva Manch Natak Kalvi Nilayam, in 1957 to teach various aspects of theater to aspirants. Komal Swaminathan joined the institution which had 26 students. Classes were conducted by many eminent personalities in the field of Tamil literature and theater such as Prof. Khiva. Jagannathan, SD Subramaniam Yogi and Avvai Shanmugam besides Sahasranamam himself.

The training included discussions on various aspects of theatre, workshops and performance tours. Sahasranamam considered Komal as one of the brightest students of his batch. The two share a special bond, with Komal seeing Sahasranama as a true guru.

In his memoirs, Parandhu Pona Pakkangali, Komal writes that his first work as a playwright, Pudhiya studies, Rather interestingly it was first staged by a group of Gujaratis (belonging to Khedaval community) from Sokarpet. His ancestors had moved to Madras decades ago and he was fluent in Tamil. Sahasranamam saw the opening of the play, which was staged as part of a month-long drama festival organized by theater enthusiast Parth. Sports & Entertainment magazine. He suggested that it be staged by his group Seva Manch and thus began Komal’s formal journey into the world of Tamil theatre. He wrote two more screenplays for Seva Manch, Minnal Kolam And thillayanayagam. His association with Tamil cinema began around this time, when he joined director KS Gopalakrishnan as an assistant and worked in several films such as Karpagam, Kai Kodutha Deivamo And suhaganHindi remake of , Sharda.

his own theater group

With the encouragement of Sahasranamam, Komal started his own theater group, Stage Friends, in 1971 with several actors from Seva Stage. First play under this banner Sannidhi Theru, It was inaugurated on 23 January of that year. During the next few years, he wrote several comedies and family plays such as Nawab Narlik, jesus virgin, Perumale Sachi And Kodu Ila Kolangali (Which was the stage debut of actor Sathyaraj). N Veedu, N Kanavan, N Kuzhandhai There was another successful play that he wrote at this time, which featured the legendary comedian Manorama in a completely different avatar of a big gharana. It was later shot and telecast by Doordarshan for Diwali in 1985 and became the talk of the town.

heaven landInaugurated in the late 1970s, dealt with the Naxalite movement. This was an important play in Komal’s career, as she started paying more attention to social issues. His most famous work, Thaner Thaner, premiered in October 1980, was running into controversies even before its launch, with police refusing mandatory permission, which had to be obtained before a play could be staged, probably because it took an authoritative approach to people’s issues. Indifference exposed. Permission was finally granted just hours before the inaugural show. Of. The film version directed by Balachander won the National Award for Best Tamil Film in 1981. success of Thaner Thaner This was followed by several critically acclaimed plays such as Nalliraville Petro, Oru India Kanavu, And Gram Rajyam. Komal wrote a total of 33 plays, of which 27 were performed by stage friends.

Between 1991 and 1995, he also served as the editor of Subamangala, And it was under his editorship that it became a famous literary magazine.

Komal Swaminathan, recipient of several awards including Kalaimani, passed away in October 1995. In recent years, his legacy has been actively carried forward by his daughter Dharini Komal, who revived Thaner Thaner in 2013 and intends to bring his other works back to the stage.

The writer, a heritage lover and amateur Tamil theater artist, is part of the cast in Dharini Komal’s latest production.

Reviving Komal’s Classics

To mark the Golden Jubilee of Stage Friends, Komal Swaminathan’s daughter, Dharini Komal, will stage some of her father’s plays.

The first in the series is N Veedu, N Kanavan, N Kujandhai. Directed by Dharini, the film will be staged from October 1 to 17 at different locations.

Lavanya Venugopal plays the protagonist, a role portrayed by the mythical Manorama in the original.

The first show is on October 1 at 6.30 pm in Narad Gana Sabha. The details of the subsequent show are: October 2 at Narada Gana Sabha Hall (presented by Brahma Gana Sabha and Parthasarathy Swami Sabha); October 3 in Narada Gana Sabha; and on 17 October at Vani Mahal (presented by Shree Tyag Brahm Gana Sabha). For more details contact on +91 9841062014.