How it was produced for stage
In 2000, Thamil Isai Kala Manram requested me to perform a skit during their Bharathi Vizha program, but considering the occasion and the crowd, who will be present, I thought of doing something different.
Bharathi's Katru - prose poetry came into my mind and I decided to do that as a mono act. So on Sept 16th 2000 in Astonbee campus of Centennial College, I presented "Katru" as a monologue and was really surprised to see the response.
Puranthagan, the dramatist, who was in the audience, met me after my presentation and pressed me to do that as a stageplay So after including some songs of Bharathi for the dance sequences, I approached Ananthi Sasistharan to do the choreography. S.V.Varman helped me in the audio recordings of the songs with P.S.Suthakar narrating the sulokas in the end, the play was ready for staging.
In 2002, when I staged 4 plays at Yorkwoods theatre on April 28th, along with Mahakavi's 'Puthiyathor Veedu', Piramil's 'Anthamum Athiyumaki', 'Karoddam' a comedy play of mine, Bharathi's 'Katru' was included in the program.
S.T.Senthilnathan as narrator, Elizabeth Malini as Kanthan, Franceny as Valli and Sabesan as Vayudevan thrilled the audience in 'Katru' directed by me. Bombay Jayasree's song ' Malaikkalam Malaineram' (Bharathi's prose poetry) was used as title song and it gave a magnificent start to this wonderful play. Ananthi Sasitharan's choreography to Bharathi's songs like 'Vennaiyadi Neeyenakku' was superb and on the whole, the play was a great success for me with senior dramatists like Prof.Mounaguru and Ms.Chithraleka Mounaguru, on a visit from Srilanka, were present in the appreciative audience.
Thereafter, 'Katru' was staged several times with different artistes, Dushi came in as Narrator and Anushya, Gajenthini, Tharshini and Subanki did the two characters alternately.
CTAG's Drama Festival - Yorkwoods theatre on April 28th 2002
'Sri Lalitha Kala Kenthiram Annual Program' on July 10th 2004
