The Dramatic Arts : Parthiban Kanavu

Parthiban Kanavu is the latest adaptation, of the novel written by Kalki by Ajay entertainers. This along with Shivagamiyin Sabatham and Ponnian Selvan combine to form what I call the unofficial ‘’Kalki trilogy” from this troupe.

Directed, once again, by D Mallik Raj and written for the stage by Kavingar Poovai Dhaya, Parthiban Kanavu continues the tales of some of the characters from Shivagmiyin Sabatham and also their future generations. While it is not as masterful as their previous two ventures, Parthiban Kanavu is still an enjoyable experience.

Direction - D Mallikraj

Co - Direction - G Saravanan

Story, Dialogues - Kavingyar Poovai Dhaya

Music Production- Alex

Sets - Baalan

Costumes - Thangapandiyan / Raja/ Clara

Make-up - Doss

Lights - Govindan, Mano Lights

Technical Assiastance - Ishwarya

Cast - Ra Nadanasabapathy, Jagadeesan, Girish, Raghavan, Prakash kutti, Abdullah, Janardhanan, G Saravanan, Suresh, A S Jayaraman, Thangapandiyan, Udhayakumar, Dheepan, Prakash, Parimalam, Revathi, Suhasini, Sri Lakshmi, .

Production - Ajay Entertainers

What I Liked:

Like I have mentioned in all my earlier reviews, the actors in this troupe are really good at what they do, and they continue to deliver really good performances. While the performances aren’t as majestic as they were in their previous plays, they are still very good. The stand-out performance was from Nanjil Revathy as the charismatic Valli, and somehow, I really ended up liking the over the top performance of Thanga Pandyan in the role of Pandyan. Raghavan, Prakash Kutty, R Nadanasabapathy, G Saravanan, Parimalam and Suhasini continued to give really good and ,more importantly, consistent performances as their respective characters. Sri Lakshmi was also quite good as Kundavi.

The supporting cast was also up to the mark, and there were no problems with the overall performances. The sets by Balan, were just as good as they were for Shivagamiyan Sabatham and the lights operated by Govindan were also good, this time thankfully not having the green tint because of the backgrounds.

The music by Alex was way better than what it was yesterday and while there were a few problems, they are small enough to be overlooked. The Costumes by Thangappan/ Raja/ Clara were incredible, yet again and the make-up by Das did not disappoint.

One thing I have to mention is the comedic aspect they added to the original story. When the comedy lands, which is most of the time, it was a really good touch to a historical play.

What Could Have Been Better:

While I did mention that the acting was really good, I felt that the characters weren’t that big of a challenge to the actors. Often times it felt as if they were very much settled and laid back in the role of the character, and while that is a good thing, I somehow felt that they could have flexed their skills a bit more.

There are a few obvious dips in the music department and while it isn’t as noticeable to a normal audience, someone who watches a lot of plays can pick out the places where the music was not up to par.

All things said and done, this is an inauguration and while they may have given amazing performances these last two days, I was slightly disappointed when some of the actors forgot their lines on stage and had to be prompted. Again, while a casual viewer may not notice, a seasoned drama viewer will pick up on it. But regards to where it is due, these are the people who put three different stage plays in three consecutive days and they must be appreciated.

While not necessarily a criticism, while I enjoyed most of the jokes about the current social and political status of Tamil Nadu, some of them felt a bit overdone and out of place. Maybe they could have toned it down a tad bit.

These are pretty much all that I have in terms of what could have been better. Like I said in my earlier review, with a few improvements this could be the leading troupe in the field of historical drama if the artists and technicians keep up the great work.

Final Thoughts:

Thus the “Kalki Trilogy” by Ajay Entertainers comes to an end. It has been a wonderful journey and I enjoyed most, if not all, of it. In terms of acting prowess, this troupe has the edge over everyone in the genre of historical drama, and with a little brushing up they will go a long way with a lot of success.

Parthiban Kanavu may not be the best play of the three, but it was a nice relaxation after watching the two emotionally charged plays before.

I give Parthiban Kanavu 3.5 out of 5 stars.

While I may not have enjoyed it as much as I thought I would, I still recommend checking this out. 

Further dates will be uploaded when they are announced. Guys, go do yourselves a favor, and watch any one of the three plays I have reviewed. And make sure to keep an eye on this troupe, they have a long way to go, and I’m sure they are going to continue producing solid entertainment on stage.

Peace!!!