Drama has been practised in India from very early days. It is believed that by incorporating the dialogue portion from Rig Veda, the music from Sama Veda, play acting from Yajur Veda and the rasa from the Adharva Veda, Bharatha Muni helped establish drama as a culture to help take the puranas, Ithihasaas, mythological tales to the common man.
A person assumes the role of a fictitious or mythological character based on his physical form. With the aid of movements, gestures words, dress, feelings, this person portrayed to the common man the character sought to be personified and this when done with multiple such characters, donning multiple roles under the supervision of the Suthradhara(director or stage manager), the drama came alive.
The dramas were enacted in different types of stages like triangular, square, quadrilateral to name a few.The audience were seated in an area in front of the stage. Fine pieces of cloth were used as screens to cover or uncover the happenings on the screen as required. The backdrop depicting cities, villages, houses, rooms, hills, rivers, forests were painted on the walls and changed appropriately to create the atmosphere and keep the audience enthralled. There were doors on either side of the stage to facilitate the entry & exit of artistes, to help change the settings.
The Suthradhara in conversation with the Vidhushaka(clown or jestor of the play) introduced the author, the theme of the play . And these persons helped induce interest in the play.
Another form of drama that was dominantly practiced was shadow play, where by use of suitable light arrangements, shadows of the person enacting various roles were cast on a white screen in the form of moving shadows.
Drama moved from depicting mythological themes to social issues that dominated the day. Plays inducing patriotic fervour were common during India's struggle for independence.
The advent of superior lighting and sound systems have helped add new dimensions to enacting the play in modern times. Cinema, serials on small screen are but siblings of this age old culture.
Birth & Growth of Tamil Cine Music -by Gangai Amaran
