Friday, April 17, 2009

Thouryathrikam - Promotional Video

Thouryathrikam Documentary : Produced by Gokul Govind and Directed by Hareesh N. Nampoothiri. Script by Toji & Haree, Camera by Benny Poonthoppu, Editing by Binu Thiruvananthapuram.
As an art form Kathakali combines dance, music and rhythm. Also painting, sculpture and embroidery constitute the integrity of Kathakali. As the world knows, Kathakali is Kerala’s unique art form. It seems mandatory nowadays to show a Kathakali-make- up-face wherever Kerala features. But the disturbing fact is that most Malayalees don’t take the art form seriously. They don’t even try to watch it. As a matter of fact, the chances to view Kathakali performances are rare too.

‘തൗര്യത്രിക’ത്തെക്കുറിച്ച് മലയാളത്തില്‍ വായിക്കുവാന്‍ ഇവിടെ നോക്കുക.

Watch the video in YouTube HERE.

There are a few who view Kathakali performance attracted to it by its costumes, music or rhythm. But most of them take no effort to feel Kathakali in a serious way. There is a major reason to it. People don’t seem to understand the language of Kathakali. Unlike cinema, dance, theater or music one cannot easily digest the nuances of Kathakali straight away. It requires some kind of participation from the part of audience. Here, through this documentary 'Thouryathrikam', we make a sincere effort to lead the ignorant but enthusiastic Kathakali viewer to the door steps of this exotic art form of Kerala.

Thouryathrikam Documentary : Produced by Gokul Govind and Directed by Hareesh N. Nampoothiri. Script by Toji & Haree, Camera by Benny Poonthoppu, Editing by Binu Thiruvananthapuram. (Preview Poster)
The documentary has been planned and executed in order to make the understanding of the art form much easier. For example if some one wants to learn a new language, he/she has to begin with the alphabets, then words, and then sentence structures and so on. Similarly Kathakali demands a systematic training from the part of the viewer. 'Thouryathrikam' tries to do exactly that. A Kathakali learner must start with the alphabets typical to the art form called 'Artha Mudras'. There are twenty four 'Artha Mudras' or Meaningful Signs. These basic 'Mudras' combine to form words which are categorized into four- 'Samyutham', 'Asamyutham', 'Misram' and 'Samanam'. 'Artha Mudras' are fused artistically along with dance to form 'Padams' which are similar to the sentences in a language. This is the peripheral structure of Kathakali. Along with all these, embellishments and improvisations from the part of the artists come to life according to the situations. 'Thouryathrikam' presents before you the basics of such a complex and grand art form as simplistically as possible.

Along with the presentation of the fundamentals of understanding Kathakali, we make a humble attempt to trace some history- the past, present and future of the art form. You will see a panoramic view of the characters often presented; the costumes; the make-up; the ornaments; the musical instruments accompanied; the 'Ragas' or the music scales often used; the rhythmic beats and similar technical details in this documentary. We demonstrate the traditional structure of presentation of the art form which begins with the 'Sandhyakkeli' or invitation, the lighting of the Kathakali lamp, the beating of the drum called 'Suddhamadhalam', 'Thodayam', 'Purappad' or invocation, 'Melappadam', story unfolding, to the end with singing the 'Dhanasi'.

The documentary was shot on 2009 January 9th and 10th at Thiruvananthapuram. Post-production works are still going on. The multimedia CDs and DVDs containing detailed demonstrations are being prepared both in Malayalam and English, taking the foreign and native art lovers into account.

 Artists

Vesham: Kalamandalam Ramachandran Unnithan, Kalamandalam Vijayakumar, Kalamandalam Hari R. Nair, Kalamandalam Shanmukhadas, Madhu Varanasi, Kalamandalam Sucheendran, Kalamandalam Arun Varier, Kasinathan, Arun Rameshan, Chinosh Balan
Vocal: Pathiyur Sankarankutty, Kalamandalam Harish Nampoothiri, Kalanilayam Rajeevan
Chenda: Kalamandalam Krishnadas, Margi Venugopal
Maddalam: Kalamandalam Achutha Varier, Kalanilayam Manoj
Chutty: RLV Somadas, Kalamandalam Sukumaran
Kaliyogam: Sandarsan, Ambalappuzha

 Crew

Director: Hareesh N. Nampoothiri (Haree | ഹരീ)
Producer: Gokul Govind
Writers: Toji, Haree
Camera: Benny Poonthoppu
Editor: Binu Purushothaman
Art Director: SuSu
Stills: SuSu, Haree
Production Controller: Santhosh
PRO: B. Josekutty
Light Unit: Throbe

 Media

• 2009 January 27 - Expresso Suppliment - The New Indian Express (TVPM Edition)

 Thouryathrikam - Announcement (in Malayalam)

Visit the above link to view more news paper cuttings and production shots.

Description: Thouryathrikam - A documentary on Kathakali directed by Hareesh N. Nampoothiri aka Haree | ഹരീ. Script by Toji and Haree. Camera by Benny Poonthoppu and Sethu. Produced by Gokul Govind. Editing by Binu Thiruvananthapuram. Kalamandalam Ramachandran Unnithan, Kalamandalam Vijayakumar, Kalamandalam Hari R. Nair, Kalamandalam Shanmukhadas, Madhu Varanasi, Kalamandalam Sucheendran and Kalamandalam Arun Varier played various roles. Pathiyoor Sankarankutty, Kalamandalam Hareesh Nampoothiri and Kalamandalam Rajeevan rendered padams. Kalamandalam Krishnadas, Margi Venugopal in Chenda and Kalamandalam AchuthaVarier, Kalanilayam Rajeevan in Maddalam were the accompanients. RLV Somadas and Kalamandalam Sukumaran handled the Chutti. Sandarsan Kathakali Vidyalayam, Ambalappuzha provided costumes and ornaments.
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8 comments:

  1. Promotional video and details of the documentary in English.
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    ReplyDelete
  2. സത്യം പറഞ്ഞാല്‍ ഹരിയോടൊപ്പം ഞാനും ത്രില്‍ഡ് ആണ്... നമുക്ക് അടുത്ത് അറിയാവുന്ന ഒരാളുടെ നേട്ടമായി ഇതിനെ കാണുന്നു.... അതിലുപരി, കഥകളിയുടെ ഭാഷ വ്യക്തമായി ഒന്നു പഠിക്കാന്‍ അവസരം നോക്കി ഇരിക്കുകയായിരുന്നു.... ഇതെനിക്ക് ഏറെ പ്രതീക്ഷകള്‍ നല്‍കുന്നു...

    " The multimedia CDs and DVDs containing detailed demonstrations are being prepared both in Malayalam and English, taking the foreign and native art lovers into account."

    അപ്പോ ഇവിടെ നിന്നും വാങ്ങാലോ അല്ലേ? :) ഓണ്‍ലൈന്‍ ആയി ഓണ്‍ലൈന്‍ കോപ്പി (പ്രൊട്ടക്ടഡ് , മതി ‌ ) വാങ്ങാന്‍ വല്ല സ്കോപ്പും ?

    താളത്തിനനുസരിച്ചുള്ള ആ ഷാര്‍പ്പ് കട്സ് ഇഷ്ടമായി :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. നന്നായി ഹരീ.

    ReplyDelete
  4. haree, video is not palying. please check.

    ReplyDelete
  5. ഹരിയേപ്പോലുള്ളവരുടെ പ്രയത്നം, തികച്ചും ആദരിക്കേണ്ടതു അത്യാവശ്യം. ഹരിയുടെ ലേഖനം വായിച്ചപ്പോള്‍ ഓര്‍മ്മ വന്നു ഒരു രംഗം....പാടത്തു വരമ്പത്തു കൂടി നടന്നു പോകുന്ന ചുവന്നതാടി, കരി, പച്ച വേഷങ്ങള്‍. എങ്ങന്യാ ഡി.വി.ഡി കിട്ട്വാ?

    ReplyDelete
  6. ലിൻക് കിട്ടിയിട്ട് കുറച്ചു ദിവസമായെൻകിലും ഇപ്പൊഴാണ് വീഡിയോ കാണുന്നത്.. കൊള്ളാം :) ഒരു കോപ്പി ബുക്ക്ഡ് :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Haree.. once again tell yoy you are great...

    Manushyanaayi jenichaal enthekillum Jhanathinu vendi.. cheyanam... athu cheyaan Harikku pattiyallo. welldone.. Haree.

    njan ippozha kandathu... tto.. clipings.. nanayittundu...

    copy njan nerathe book cheythitundu tto...

    Sreehari paranja polle.. online purchasing aayal nallathanu..

    ReplyDelete

40- ദിവസത്തിനു മേല്‍ പ്രായമുള്ള പോസ്റ്റുകളുടെ കമന്റുകള്‍ പരിശോധിച്ചതിനു ശേഷം മാത്രമേ പ്രസിദ്ധീകരിക്കുകയുള്ളൂ. സഹകരിക്കുക.
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