Kerala - Kochi

Mastering the chemistry of acting

When C.K. Saneesh, a young chemist hailing from Chengamanad in Ernakulam district, stepped into the realms of Koodiyattom, the centuries old classical theatre form of Kerala.

He performed his arangettam in Koodiyattom last week at the Nepathya Centre for Excellence in Koodiyattom. Saneesh, who is working as a chemist at Travancore Cochin Chemicals Ltd., has been under the tutelage of Moozhikkulam Kochukuttan Chakyar and Margi Madhu at the centre for the past two years.

He become enamoured of the Sanskrit theatre form while working as a chemistry instructor at the Centre for Science in Society, the Cochin University of Science and Technology. Though Saneesh was selected for doing research at the Oxford, he could not go to the United Kingdom. He then decided to focus on the intricacies of Koodiyattom. Although he began learning the art form quite late in life, this artiste managed to pick up theacting techniques quickly.

The artiste, in keeping with the tradition, portrayed the role of the Suthradhara in Bhasa's 'Balacharitham.' The arangettam lasted for two days.The function had a special guest — Farley P. Richmond, a scholar in Koodiyattom, Professor, the Department of Drama and Theatre, and Director of the Centre for Asian Studies, the University of Georgia, Athens. The arangettam was performed in the koothambalam, the traditional space for performance within the precincts of the temple.
Renu Ramanath

(The Hindu, Tuesday, Oct 31, 2006)