Nellikode Komalam

The early bird of women’s era in theatre, Nellikode Komalam had close associations with Desaposhini Kalasamithi. At a time when women were reluctant to act in drama, Nellikode Komalam boldly entered theatre at a tender age of 11. Her first involvement with desaposhini was through Thikkodiyan’s ‘pazhayabandham’.

“iniyoru janmamundenkil oru kalakariyayi thanne pirakkanam. Kalaye, nadakathe njan athratholam snehikkunnundu. Manassippozhum arangilanu. Niranja sadhassinu munnil spot lightinte kathunna prakashathil enno oru kathapathramayi njanippozhum niranjadunnundu. Kanikalude nilaykkatha harsharavangal innum ente kathukalil muzhungunnundu. Jeevithamullidatholam kalam arangile aa pazhayabandham njanengane marakkum, enikkengane marakkan kazhiyum

After Pazhayabandham, Thikkodiyan continued to write for desaposhini. ‘Jeevitham’ and ‘Niraharasamaram’ in 1954, ‘prasavikkatha amma’ (1955), ‘Attupoya Kanni’ (1956), ‘pushpavrishti’ (1957), ‘Rajamargham’ (1958), Theeppori (1964), ‘arante kutty’ (1976), ‘aattakalam’ (1979) and finally ‘priyapetta amma’ in 1987.
Kunjhandy’s undaunted crusade in propagating new trends in amateur theatre gained recognition when he was adjudged best-actor at the Malabar drama festival for his role in ‘jeevitham’. With the passage of time Kunjhandy became a topnotch artisite and the moving spirit behind the theatre movement in malabar.