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When Integrity Slumbers!
 Last Saturday evening, he was a mild-mannered, practical votary of the Hindu scriptures commanding respect from all quarters. Engineered circumstances caused him to stumble and flounder. Yet, he was able to rise to sublime heights later by integral realization. That was
CHO’s facet no. 1 in play no 1 – “Saathirangal
Soonathillai”.
On Sunday evening, this victim of engineered ploys, metamorphosed into a crooked engineer of circumstances on the political front. Chariar, with his measured steps, with the aid of a walking stick, became Singaram, who used the stick to bludgeon and bluster his manipulated way to success. The master-politician trampled over everyone who crossed his path. He lulled integrity into pathetic somnolence. This was
CHO’s second facet in the play ‘Nermai Uragum Neram’ (‘When Integrity slept’) staged by Viveka Fine Arts at the Narada Gana
Sabha.
The State CM Jayapandian suffers accidental electrocution.
Look alike villager Raju (Neelu) is coaxed to be the ‘natural’ substitute. Singaram MLA, the brain behind both strokes, becomes Dy CM. Suitcases change hands with customary regularity and pseudo CM Raju gets entrenched in his seat. However, the naïve villager in him and another well-meaning street-ruffian (Ambi Rajagopal) join hands and try to upstage Singaram. A career-bureaucrat intellectual, full of grandiose impractical schemes for the welfare of the state, is their ally. How Singaram manages to thwart their designs, with seasoned political acumen and reasserts his well-oiled supremacy is the finale.
 CHO, as Singaram, is the archetypal crook-politician. His swagger, arrogant postures, mannerisms, dicey dialogues, his long floor sweeping upper dhoti, apparently brushing aside his opponents are the branded trademarks of today’s politician.
And yet, this play was scripted and staged first in 1984, two decades ago. The old order has not changed yielding place to new. The Singaram tribe has multiplied several fold, CHO’s plays notwithstanding.
The dialogues have knock-out punches and bear ample testimony to legislature behaviour today from yesterday and possibly tomorrow.
CHO is a master craftsman, a studious observer of human nature at its best (rare) and at its worst (everyday affair). He makes us see our representative selves in his portrayals. We do not even squirm. These sketches do not hurt us, do not make us even think.
Like the bureaucrat in the play, we are not prepared to brave it out and make far-reaching contributions. Laughter helps us escape our moral responsibilities. As
CHO himself admits, he is not a reformer. He presents, orally and visually, the country’s scenario for whatever it is worth. It is up to you to take charge or swim with the current.
Neelu, as the dual CM, Ambi Rajagopal, as the good natured, conscientious ruffian, steadily turning corrupt, play their assigned roles with nonchalant élan. The way they assail the economist theoretician bureaucrat, full of wind sans firmness and positive translation into action, mirrors the state of affairs everywhere today. We know not where we are going, but we go on!
R. Srinivasan
Ph: 24355576
r_seema30@hotmail.com
Published on 5th
June 2004
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