The only thing that influenced YG Madhuvanthii to get into theatre was her 70-year-long family legacy of the art form. Granddaughter of theatre doyen Shri YG Parthasarathy and daughter of theatre legend Shri YGEE Mahendra, the artiste remembers spending time with them outside and within the confines of the stage.
“I've been watching my grandfather, my father, constantly onstage. I've grown up in this atmosphere. It came naturally to me. I thought that they were doing this, so there must be something in it and it's my responsibility to keep continuing it. Nobody forced me. I figured out that both these people have been giving their entire sweat and blood, whatever you call it for keeping this artform alive,” she said.
This gave birth to TOM Mediaas, which she founded 11 years ago primarily to celebrate a significant milestone in her father’s career. With the idea to revisit a play he had once directed, Madhuvanthii decided to reprise the lead role. “We thought initially to do just five plays and be done with it. But what started has ended up in an 11th-year celebration, and 800 plus shows nine different and nine different plays so far.”
To celebrate 11 years of formation, the group will be performing four plays at Bharat Kalachar Shri YGP Auditorium from September 15 to 18. “We are presenting four of our superhit plays. Each of them has a different genre of comedy with a lot of messages involved. And the final play is a serious one about women empowerment,” Madhuvanthii added.
The first play titled Ra Ra is a horror comedy and the following day will see the performance of Perumaale 1 and its sequel Perumaale 2, being the only play in Tamil theatre to get a sequel. “The plays have the same character and are based coming of Lord Venkateswara on earth. But then the situation where he comes varies a lot. In part one, he comes to a slum area, and he interacts with the slum dwellers. Part two, he was it's an extremely it's a it's a group of lawyers that he visits. A different ballgame.”
The final day will witness a play called Lakshmi Kalyana Vaibhogame which was presented by Madhuvanti’s father 30 years ago. The play talks about the empowerment of women and it is based on a true story.
“The main character in the play is called Lakshmi. She is a very docile character who belongs to a Brahmin family and she rises to a very important occasion. The role is something that is totally unlike me. I'm one person who will go screaming from day one. But that's not who I play in that role. But I have to face that challenge and burst only right at the end. So keeping it pent up, pent up pent up and then taking it out, you know was quite a challenge for me. As far as that character is concerned.”
Play schedule:
Ra Ra on Sept 15
Perumaale 1 on Sept 16
Perumaale 2 on Sept 17
Lakshmi Kalyana Vaibhogame Sept 18
From September 15 to September 18. Entry free