Actor P.N. Kumar grew to become well-known for the ‘sutta pazham’ scene within the movie Avvaiyar
Remember the ‘Sutta Pazham’ scene from Gemini’s 1953 movie Avvaiyar? To many it stays the long-lasting second within the film. While it’s true that Ok.B. Sundarambal largely carried the movie, its success additionally had a lot to do with S.S. Vasan holding a finger on the general public pulse when it got here to manufacturing values and pre-release publicity. The ‘Sutta Pazham’ scene, which lasts all of ten minutes, nevertheless, belonged solely to P.N. Kumar, who performed the position of Balamurugan in it. He, in truth, drastically influenced the way in which the youthful South Indian deity could be depicted thereafter in movies, calendar artwork and statuary.
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Born in August 1940 to P.S. Narayanan and Lakshmi at No 3, East Chitrakulam Street, Mylapore, Kumar was influenced considerably by his maternal grandfather, the famed Tamil science author, P.N. Appuswami. He studied at Children’s Garden School and later at P.S. High School. In 1950, he enrolled at Besant Theosophical School, Adyar, when his grandfather moved to the then newly established Gandhi Nagar colony.
Training in dance
Kumar was impressed to pursue Bharatanatyam after seeing a efficiency by Rukmini Devi Arundale at Rasika Ranjani Sabha in Mylapore within the Forties. “He used to dance all the time, with the correct steps and araimandi posture, and had a perfect sense of timing,” says his sister Dr. P.N. Aruna. Noticing this, Appuswami organized for his formal coaching in dance underneath Picchai, a niece of the redoubtable Mylapore Gowri Ammal, the final hereditary devadasi of the Kapaliswarar Temple, who taught Rukmini Devi, Balasaraswathi and Vyjayanthimala amongst others. Appuswami’s home additionally echoed with music, with T.L. Venkatarama Iyer educating Dikshitar kritis. Soon Kumar may sing nicely and in addition play a number of devices.
His performing expertise had been observed by students reminiscent of Dr. V. Raghavan, who usually featured him within the productions of the Samskrta Ranga, which staged classical performs in Sanskrit. His efficiency as Malavika in Kalidasa’s Malavika Agnimitram, specifically, got here in for excellent appreciation. V.C. Gopalratnam bought him to behave within the performs of the Suguna Vilasa Sabha as nicely. Lakshmana Aiyar, a expertise scout for All India Radio, obtained permission from Kumar’s grandfather to have him act in a radio play and when it was broadcast, S.S. Vasan heard it and was impressed.
Gemini’s Avvaiyar was a few years within the making. At the time of the radio play, the household was nonetheless in Mylapore. Vasan got here calling and satisfied Appuswami to permit Kumar to behave as Murugan within the movie. The accountability of ferrying him each day to the shoot and bringing him again was entrusted to R. Ganesh, who was then a Gemini staffer and had a job as Deivigan, a prince, in the identical movie. ‘Gemini’ Ganesh, as he would later come to be identified, fulfilled his accountability faithfully, and have become an in depth household good friend.
Kalakshetra productions
After Avvaiyar hit the screens in 1953, Kumar acquired gives to behave from studio homes reminiscent of AVM and Vijaya Vauhini, however his grandmother determined that one movie was sufficient. The boy needed to get critical about training. While at Besant School, he studied dance at Kalakshetra underneath academics reminiscent of Rukmini Devi, Sarada Hoffman and Jayalakshmi. He graduated to performing roles in Kalakshetra’s productions, enjoying Lord Rama. Because of a resemblance between the 2, the position of the kid Rama was then entrusted to V.P. Dhananjayan, who later grew to become a well known dancer and guru. The efficiency additionally featured Rama Ravi and Shanta (Dhananjayan), because the younger Lava and Kusa.
On finishing college, Kumar enrolled at Vivekananda College, the place he was a daily in performs and competitions, routinely successful prizes. The scholar Anna (Subramaniam), who was related to Ramakrishna Mission, bought him to behave in performs and take part in oratorical contests. His capability to learn three languages and his eidetic reminiscence helped drastically in these assignments. It was no marvel due to this fact that on graduating and taking on a job within the non-public sector, Kumar grew to become part of Cho Ramaswami’s Viveka Fine Arts and acted in a number of performs. “He was a quiet person who excelled in female roles,” says ‘Burma’ Shankar, a daily in the identical troupe. “The audience welcomed him and before the arrival of Sukumari and a couple of other actresses, he was our mainstay for women’s roles.”
In his later years, Kumar immersed himself in books and the humanities. He handed away on April 9. It was an extended life, largely within the shadows within the latter half, however his expertise in dance and performing deserve commemoration. And he lives on as Balamurugan.
The Chennai-based historian
writes on music and tradition.
