Dramas,dramas-i still love them

Dramas,yes I still love them.My earliest memory of word DRAMA goes back to my childhood days.We were a member of drama troupe run by the writer Vimala Ramani.This was when I was in the 4th standard.We used to have regular rehearsals in her place in Ramnagar Coimbatore.Sundays and the week before the staging of the drama was a big event for us.No studies and it was fun all the way.All our activities revolved around the big event.Buying clothes,deciding on make up and what not.There were nearly 20 members in our troupe.Children of all age groups.We used to look up to the bigwits who were yet complete school who used give tips on how to shoo away stage fear
and what not.
The day finally came of one of our events.There couple of skits plus 2 tamil dramas a,dance and an english play..I was very proud as I was part of the english play where there were only 3 characters,Master of the house,Mistress and a male servant.I was the male servant.I was so happy as I wore my lovely new pants which I purchased for that day and lot of pink lipstick...........I had rehearsed very well inspite of the lingering taste of the masala dosai of Shree Annpurna,which we were all treated in the afternoon......All went off well.In the last part I was supposed to bring out a necklace and tell the madam here it is...But i hurriedly fumbled out here it is and to my dismay i was empty handed.I was shellshocked so were there,I repeated the same dialogue several times.Some one threw the necklace from behind the screen even then i was standing now looking at the necklace and now I was just standing quietly.It took atleast 10mts to resume.Then the other 2 characters rounded it off.There were peals of laughter from the audience.I was so ashamed.Final speecheswere given by the chief guest and Mrs Vimala Ramani .Both of them largeheartedly said that such things are bound to happen we learn as the years go by.
That was it.But from then on,no acting for me.I started taking an interest in listening to or seeing dramas.I have never missed any dramas on the radio during my school or college days.My dinner or lunch used to revolve around the timings of radi dramas,especially sunday afternoons.Suriya Gandhi was the name given to sunday afternoon dramas in ALL INDIA RADIO.Evenings assignments were completed with radio dramas.I still remember the drama version of the cinema Bhama Vijyam relayed by ALL INDIA RADIO TRICHY.My father bought me a small philips transistor for that.Then later a two in one when we started buying tapes.Not a drama was missed in Coimbatore.I have seen many of Y.G.MAHENDRA'S DRAMAS.especially the one revolving an aircraft crash..Then there was Thupparyuim Sambu dramas.The one I really enjoyed was Thanni kuddithanam by Marina.Poornam acted so well.so did Vijaya who acts as the sister.I would have listened to it 1000 times.Then i have seen many of Marina's other plays as well like Mappilai murruku and so on.We were regular visitors in Music academy after we shifted to Chennai.Then there was Kovai Radhu's,Komal Swaminathan.Then it was S.V.sekhar.I really enjoyed his Crazy Thieves in Pallavakkam.Then it was Crazy Mohan's,I have seen several of them.I have a big collection of his.Even the DD dramas were not spared.I was an ardent watcher of the the dramas which used relayed in the mornings by DD.
Even now I rear to go for one.Oh dramas,I simply love them.They were almost real life like...............................

Originally Posted by kanaka Raghavan

The one I really enjoyed was Thanni kuddithanam by Marina.Poornam acted so well.so did Vijaya who acts as the sister.I would have listened to it 1000 times.

Then it was S.V.sekhar.I really enjoyed his Crazy Thieves in Pallavakkam.Then it was Crazy Mohan's,I have seen several of them

interesting memories.

when i was reading through your long post i thought you had missed out Thanikkudithanam, Crazy Thieves, etc.

But at the end you did mention them.

I am with you - thanikkudithanam - i must have heard it on the old Philips LP Player - HM - His Masters Voice Record many many times and enjoyed.

Dear Iam with you too.
I love dramas,especially SVSekhar, YG,etc.I try not missing these. It is entirely different style of entertainment.
Since you are a drama artist,must admit it would have thrilling.
You brought back some memories.
Jaya

hi kanaka,
nice memories shared...i too have enjoyed quite a lot of dramas in bombay thanks to fine arts society...used to enjoy manohars exotic settings as kids..dh has however seen and enjoyed more since he lived in chennai for sometime...then i had a craze to see english plays when we were engaged and we once travelled all the way from chembur to colaba to see pearl padamsees play. dramas are more spontaneous and more fun.
the ramleelas in mumbai were hilarious...
but i remember paying 500 bucks and seeing thumhaari Amrita in bangalore which was quite not worth the money .....