Playwright-director Prasanth Narayanan passes away

Prasanth Narayanan, Malayalam playwright & director, passes away in Thiruvananthapuram at 51 after lung-related complications.

Playwright and director Prasanth Narayanan, known for helming some of the landmark plays in Malayalam, including Chayamukhi, passed away here on Thrusday. He was admitted to the General Hospital in the morning following lung-related complications. He was 51. 

Born at Vellayani in the capital, a young Narayanan began penning plays when he was only 15. After graduating from the University College, he joined the School of Drama in Thrissur. Over a career spanning three-and-a-half decades, he directed more than 60 plays and scripted quite a few of them too.

Known for constantly experimenting and reinventing himself, a lot of research and leg work went behind the preparation for his plays. Literature and mythology in equal measure provided the source for his plays.

One of the significant events in his career was the decision to direct Chayamukhi, a Sanskrit play based on a mythological story of Bheema and Keechaka from Mahabharata. It came in 2008, at a time when the theatre arena in the State was not going through a particularly good time, especially with a fall in the audience support.

But the contemporary interpretation of a mythological story and the presence of two popular actors — Mohanlal and Mukesh — in lead roles brought in crowds in large numbers and it went on to be staged to packed houses all over. He had also composed the music and wrote the songs for the play.

A few years ago, he formed Kalam, a space meant for training fresh talent, using all the experience that he had gained over the decades. It transformed into a finishing school for actors who would go on to play major roles in his plays.

One of the major endeavours of the Kalam Repertory was the staging of the play Mahasagaram as a tribute to writer M.T.Vasudevan Nair. It brought to the stage some of the memorable characters from MT’s works, including Kuttyedathi and Appunni.