Annai Right - first Tamil stand-up comedy in   SriLanka -

34 years old.

It started  on 25th March 1973 - 1st performance in front of Studio audience at Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation - Studio Six for " Kummalam" recording.  K.M.Vasagar was the producer under the supervision of Sana (Compere) (Shanmuganathan).

K.M.Vasagar wanted that to be included in the famous radio serial drama  Sillaiyoor Selvarajan's "Thaniyatha Thagam".

So it was recorded again for broadcast in Commercial service of SLBC.

In 1974, when International Tamil Research Conference was held in Jaffna , Annai Right was in the cultural programme and myself performed  in two different venues - Jaffna Open - air theatre and Chundikuli Girls'  College.

Regal Sound Service from Eaachamoddai, Jaffna got my recording from one of my performances and was playing it in every function in Jaffna and other areas. This made every one to search for Annai Right recording and also for the person, the performer.

A group from Velanai came to Colombo and met me with a request to perform in life in their temple festival. which I refused. But with the pressure of Mr.Velanai Veerasingam, a well wisher and promoter of theatre, I relented. So I performed in person in Jaffna after 1974, at Velanai Perunkadu Muthumariamman temple for the first time.

It's like opening of a dam.......................

Invitations- programs- performances- performances.....

I performed in every nook and corner of Srilanka.

There were 20-30  tape recorders on stage whirling in front of me,

when I was performing.

Almost every Tamil home had a recording of Annai Right.

Victors  at Stanley road had a professional recording of Annai Right, which I made exclusively for them. Copies were made. Copies were sold.

Many Srilankan Tamils living abroad wrote to their relatives and requested for copies of Annai Right.  So eventually, Annai Right has reached many a country, before my arrival there.

New Victors at Kasturiar road will play the recording of Annai Right almost daily at 4.00 - 5.00 p.m and there will be a crowd to listen in front of the recording bar. When I pass that everyday after my work in my schooter, they will shout their approval vociferously.

My first performance outside Srilanka was in 1989 in  Paris, France and

therafter in Bern, Switzerland. In 1995, I performed in Canada (Toronto, Montreal, Winnibeg, Edmonton, Galgary, Saskatoon, Vancouvar,

and in U.S.A (Los Angels, SanFrancisco, Houston, Florida, Boston, New Jersey, Washincton D.C, Seattle, Buffalo etc.etc.)

In many cities around the world, actors performed "Annai Right" on stage and in some instances they have changed this from a one-man act into a skit played by many actors. In San Francisco, I saw a recording of this type of skit.