Trivandrum. 24 April 2020: Akashavani Thiruvananthapuram station has uploaded ten iconic plays of the past in Youtube. The upload comes after All India Radio has directed stations acrross the country to broadcast radio plays on internet. The plays include Ithilkanni, Upayogashoonyamakunna Shabdarekhakal, Oru sankeerthanam pole, Chilapathikaram, Valarthumalsyangal, Jeevanulla Prathimakal, Omanathinkal etc.
Listen to the most iconic radio plays of Kerala below
Ithilkanni
The radio play recorded in 1960s with the then accomplished leading actors of Malayalam film industry - Sathyan, Prem Nazir, Miss Kumari, Adoor Bhasi, P Bhaskaran, Meena etc. This is the story of a rich and affluent family, in which the children doesn’t grow up to the expectations of the father, who has built up a fortune through sheer hard work and dedication, which is relevant even today. The playwright, N. Krishna Pillai was a noted dramatist, literary critic, translator and historian of Malayalam language. The producer of the play was T N Gopinathan Nair.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVJKAqdxgqs
Upayogashoonyamakunna Shabdarekhakal
Original Bangali story by Swapnomayi Chakraborthi. Radio Adaptation- Niveditha Sen, Malayalam version by KV Renjith kumar. DIRECTION- N Vasudev, Artistes: RC Gopal, Paracode Unnikrishnan, MV Sasikumar, Sushama Anil etc. Gist of the Radio Play:: A very rare emotionally packed drama on the life and work of a Duty Officer of AIR. His passion towards his job moulds his personality even beyond his retirement. An extraordinary bond between the artistes and AIR is remarkably portrayed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPZbOPF3OtQ
Oru Sankeerthanam Pole
Perumbadavam Sreedharan's novel, 'Oru Sankeerthanam Pole' was adapted for radio by the novelist himself. A prolific writer who had also penned many scripts for several Malayalam films is also a Vayalar Award winner. This novel which broke Malayalam publishing records in 2005 by selling more than 100,000 copies in just 12 years after its initial publication. This a radio play based on the novel by the same name. The story deals with the life of the Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky and his love affair with Anna, who would later become his wife. The Radio Play was directed by K A Muraleedharan and Baben Kaimapparamban. The participants include - G K Pillai, Prof. Aliyar, Ananthapuram Ravi, P Gangadharan Nair, Meena Nevil, P C Soman ETC. Music Score was done by Murali Sithara.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sv17iJ7k_Zs
Chilapathikaram
Eminent Poet, a noted lyricist of Malayalam film world and a former Programme Executive of AIR, S Ramesan Nair, re-created the great Tamil Epic poem, 'Chilappathikaram' for radio. 'Chilappathikaram' is attributed to a prince-turned-monk Ilango Atikal, and was probably composed about 5th- or 6th-century CE. Kannaki’s story is associated with many goddess temples in Kerala. Music was scored by well known musician M G Radhakrishnan, who was also a staff composer of AIR.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlB9OZVAMaI
Valarthu malsyangal
The play tries to bring out the inner conflicts of a man, who tries to be true to his self. However as is usual, the society fails to understand him and considers him abnormal. P.Padmarajan, the playwright started his career as an Announcer in AIR, before becoming a full time film maker. Even before that he had been recognized as a powerful writer for his short stories. Padmarajan was the founder of a new school of film making in Malayalam cinema, along with Bharathan and K. G. George, in the 1980s, which created groundbreaking films that were widely received while also being critically acclaimed. Known for his classic works, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest film makers of Malayalam Cinema of all time. Padmarajan was noted for his fine and detailed screenwriting and expressive direction style. Padmarajan made some of the landmark motion pictures in Malayalam cinema, including masterpieces like Peruvayiambalam(1979), OridathoruPhayalvaan (1981), Kallan pavithran(1981), Koodevide (1983),Thinkalaazhcha Nalla Divasam(1985), ), Thoovanathumbikal (1987), Moonnam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrmV5DJwY_E
Jeevanulla Prathimakal
Noted Film Artistes Mohanlal, M G Soman, Karamana Janardhanan Nair, Jagadeesh, Aranmula Ponnamma, C I Paul, Bhagyalekshmi, Rajakumari Venu enacted in this Radio Play written by Dr. M Rajeev Kumar. Dr. M Rajeevkumar is a former Programme Executive of AIR and a noted Malayalam Short Story writer. The story evolves around a nomadic tribe, their wanderings and is a symbolic presentation of love for nature.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrZXXcA1AdI
Omanathinkal
This play is a recollection of the important events of Swathy Thirunal’ s life, who is also known as the king among music composers and the music composer among kings. The play takes its title from the most often quoted lullaby in Malayalam “Omanathingal kidavo”, penned by the Iraiyimman Thamby, for the baby prince Rama Varma, who later went on to become Maharaja Swathy Thirunal of the erstwhile princely state of Travancore. The play has been penned by the noted poet, lyricist and theatre activist Pirappancode Murali. He has also directed a number of stage plays and has been active in the cultural scenario of the state. This play is filled with conflicts with the English East India company and also with his own self. In spite of this he penned over 400 classical compositions in various languages.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDxCdF4xho4