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Blood on the stage

CRAFTSMEN ‘Soorya’ Nataraja Krishnamoorthy.

Krishnan twists in pain as whips crack on him in what could be one of the most realistic portrayals of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion in Indian theatre. When violently mounted on a cross and made to hang precariously in the latest ‘musical th eatre multi-show’ of National Award-winning director and stage craftsman ‘Soorya’ Nataraja Krishnamoorthy , the actor, donning the role of Christ, makes the Delhi audience miss a heartbeat or two. According to the proud director, his entire team for the show “My Saviour”, presented in New Delhi this past week, do not mind shedding a drop of blood on the stage while realising their creative urge.

Working with the founder of one of Asia’s largest cultural societies, Soorya Stage and Film Society, is a dream come true for Krishnan, says the South-based actor. So he would go to any extent to make his character as realistic as Krishnamoorthy wants. From practising Kerala’s traditional martial art form Kalari to going on an extremely frugal diet so that Jesus’ ribs seem pronounced while on the cross, Krishnan ensures that he gives life to Krishnamoorthy’s imagination.

Says Krishnamoorthy, “‘My Saviour’ is my own interpretation of Jesus, who lives among the commoners. He is not a magician but one with a remarkable ability to transfer others’ suffering to himself. No other god or spiritual leader has this ability.”

He has deliberately given Asian features and mannerisms to the character as an answer to the Western art world’s virtual hijacking of Jesus Christ.

Besides, he carefully chose episodes from Jesus’ life and times so that his words have an immediate relevance to some not-so-progressive practices in the traditional Hindu society. Jesus’ words, “If he is still in your mind, he is very much alive,” refers to widows being encouraged to switch to white attire and stop wearing bangles, something which pained him at a young age when his father passed away.

Krishnan.

Krishnamoorthy has the finesse to extract what he wants from an actor with ease. “Sir knows how to make the actor deliver his best without the actor even realising it,” says Krishnan. The actor who has a theatre experience of about a decade and a half, cut his teeth under the training of Padmabhushan recipient Kavaalam Narayana Panikker.

While he was with Panikker for about 12 years, at his organisation Sopanam, he received training in the Natya Shastra, Kalaripayattu and yoga. That moulded Krishnan as an artiste. Besides several Malayalam plays, he played key roles in quite a few Sanskrit ones including “Oorubhangam”, “Vikramorvasheeyam”, “Charudattam” and “Karnabharam”.

His first movie exposure came in 2005 in the lead role of Kukku Surendran’s “Oraal” (someone). His next dream project is the soon-to-be released “Son of a Thief” by Adoor Gopalakrishnan. The Dadasaheb Phalke award winner’s film is based on several stories authored by Jnanpith laureate Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai. But Krishnan gives his undivided attention to theatre when a play is scheduled to be held in different venues over a period of a few years, sometimes even declining film offers. “I do not wait for assignments. I do what I get first,” admits the actor with modesty. “Theatre is the centre of my being,” he says, eyes brimming with passion. Krishnan says that one of his greatest rewards was when someone from the audience approached him after a show and instead of shaking his hands, the man held Krishnan’s fingers and made him draw a cross on his forehead. The playis now on in Mumbai and is scheduled for shows in Europe and Gulf countries.

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