Chennai: Architect of drama festivals and drama hero cut-outs Vizhavenden N.K.T. Muthu passed away on Thursday.
NKT Muthu (NKTM) started the Thiruvateeswarar Sabha in 1952. He visited houses for membership canvassing and subscriptions every morning. He was a regular contributor for Vaana Kuyil, a hand written magazine. He was actively involved in the 'Thamizharasu Kazhagam' and became a close friend of Maposi, M. Karunanidhi and MGR.
Old timers remember NKTM for organising a mammoth rally from Thiruvateeswarar temple to the beach prior to the release of Veerapandia Kattabomman to overcome some of the film's earlier adverse publicity. He also organised functions to honour veteran film and other artists like M.K. Radha, G. Ramanathan and dance teacher Vazhavoor Ramaiya Pillai. N.K. Thirumalachari of NKT School made NKTM the cultural wing advisor and allotted a separate room for him on the school premises.
NKTM was the first to introduce hero cut-out concept publicity format for dramas by erecting R.S. Manohar's mythology title role cut-outs all over Triplicane, illuminating it with serial sets.
He was the first person to conduct drama festivals. While drama producers could stage their plays 99 times, they looked up to NKTM to stage the 100th show with pomp and colour. NKTM formed the drama troupe, Durga Dramatic Association, along with his school classmate and veteran dramatist Kudandhaie Maali. Their first play was "Thanthai Yen Deivam" in which they introduced present living centenarian dramatist K.S. Nagarajan as the first time director. They went on to stage other milestone plays like "Kadavul Yengey?" and "Kurunji Malar".
NKTM himself used to act only in the role of the aged father. It was only because of NKTM's meticulous planning and publicity strategy that NKT hall was always full of thousands of people for every show conducted by him.
During the last three years NKTM had been conducting Carnatic music kutcheries at his "NKT Muthu Hall" at Triplicane, where his mortal remains was placed for public homage from Thursday evening till Friday morning. Justice Gokulakrishnan, actor Sivakumar and Delhi Ganesh among others, paid their last respects to NKTM.
(The writer is drama producer and stage artiste who had watched several of NKTM's stage shows).
