Tamil play Killadi Maplae may be low on logic, but is high on humour

In Sathya Sai Creations’ Killadi Maplae, Arunachalam (Mapillai Ganesh) leads a double life, with one wife in the city and another in Kanchipuram. Neither knows of the existence of the other. The story, needless to say, lends itself to humorous situations, and humour is the forte of Ezhichur Aravindan, who has written the story and dialogues for the play, which was staged as part of Sri Krishna Gana Sabha’s theatre festival.

Arunachalam’s first wife Krishnaveni (Devika) is an astrology buff, which again leads to a lot of rib-tickling jokes. His second wife is Yamini. Luckily for Arunachalam, life goes on smoothly, with no one suspecting anything, until his sister-in-law Bhamini’s (Malini) wedding is arranged. Arunachalam’s peace of mind is shattered when it turns out that Krishnaveni’s father and Bhamini’s father are long-lost friends. Krishnaveni arrives at Bhamini’s wedding.

The quirky humour in some sequences turned out to be endearing. 
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Add another character to this complicated state of affairs — Kandasamy (Ramprakash), a man who knows Arunachalam’s secret and has no qualms about blackmailing him. Kandasamy also happens to be in love with Bhamini and wants Arunachalam to stop the wedding. Arunachalam is resourceful, and manages to avoid being exposed by pretending to each wife that Kandasamy is the husband of the other. The quirky humour in these mix-ups was endearing.

Mappilai Ganesh’s direction ensured that the audience was not confused by the complicated goings-on in the play Killadi Maplae.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Mappilai Ganesh’s direction ensured that the audience was not confused by the complicated goings-on in the play. Interestingly, the roles of Yamini and Bhamini were played by the same person, and when a character in the play asks why both sisters are never together, Arunachalam replies, “This is not a film, where we can show the same actor in dual roles at the same time.” Neither wife showed any surprise upon discovery of the other, which was rather odd, even for a farce. There were political jibes as well in the play.

Don’t look for logic in the play. Who wants stark realism all the time? Reality can be depressing, and we need a trip away from it now and then. Killadi Maplae is the prescription for your anxieties.