Malayalam cinema is still awaiting Manju Warrier’s much-awaited comeback, but before that the immensely talented actress is donning a new role as a writer.
Manju had embraced her role as a writer with élan through her weekly column in Malayala Manorama. DC Books has now collated it and published it as a book titled ‘Sallapam”. The book is to be launched on Friday by Aswathi Thirunal Gowri Lakshmi Bayi.
After making her debut, Manju did not hesitate to take it further through her column in Manorama. She wrote on her favourite song – Thenpandi Cheemayile, the lingering song sung by Kamal Haasan in Nayakan and composed by none other than maestro Ilayaraja. The lucid writer in her deftly weaves a nostalgic thread for this song by linking it to her fond memories of CSI Lower Primary School in Nagercoil, where she did her schooling.
The lingering taste of memories
Madhavan Warrier, her dad, was then working with Sundaram Finance in Nagercoil, where Manju was born. She got her first lessons in dance from Selin Kumari teacher there. Fourteen years later, when Manju did her 'arangettam', or debut stage performance, she did not forget to take the blessings of her first guru before taking to the stage in Guruvayoor.
The versatile actress also doesn’t fail to mention about the immense affection the audiences have given her for about 20 films in which she marveled in just three years. And she traces the trajectory of her characters right from the bubbly Radha of Sallapam with the voracious sensitivity of a teenager.
Incidentally, the rustic feel of a village lass is there for all to see in most of her characters.
Maya of Dilliwalla Rajakumaran, Anjali of Ee Puzhayum Kadannu, Anupama of Irattakuttikalude Achan, Arathy of Pranayavarnangal, Unni Maya of Aram Thampuran and Bhanu of Kanmadham -- all of them wear the soul of rustic charm.
The noble souls who departed from her life, from Sreevidya to Cochin Haneefa find a mention in Sallapam. Not to mention her dad’s brother, who always wanted her to become a great actress.
Perhaps, that is why when Manju expresses her desire to embrace death a bit earlier, an element of sadness wrapped in the blunt reality of loneliness sets in on the reader.
Not that she wants her image to remain the same as it is now, but Manju says she is only pointing out to the bitter truth that in old age, helplessness is the human being’s lone companion.
In the last chapter, Manju dabbles with one of the most discussed topics in Malayalam cinema recently – her own comeback.
Her dance teacher Selin Kumari did the role of the warden in Pranayavarnangal.
ReplyDeleteShe was a versatile dancer as a child and our teacher's pet. Manju was a very casual person and that hasn't changed till date. She mingles easily with everyone and was my senior who teaches us dance sometimes :) Almost all who learnt dance at Natana Charutha dance school, Nagercoil during that period would remember her. Our dance school board portrayed her picture soon after she left Nagercoil, much before she became an actress. We wish her good luck always.