AK Theatre has regularly been presenting shows and performances to honour our traditional art forms. Our upcoming ‘Parai’ will be the second of the Koothu series. The first of the series ‘Karagam’ was successfully produced in 2018 and also executed repeat performances in 2019 after requests from many quarters. Our aim with Koothu series is to provide a glimpse into the aesthetic world of ethnic folk arts, which are symbols of our deep-rooted Tamil culture. 

‘Parai’ is the story of a boy called Mani who lives with his parents and a cow in the village. Attending school, managing social interactions and playing with the cow forms an integral part of his daily life. There are lots of playful moments between the boy and the cow, portraying their love and affection for each other. However, the family’s financial condition gets worse and they are forced to sell off the cow. Mani is sad and worried about his pet cow. Soon after, there is a turn of events and he gets reunited with the cow. He cherishes every moment with the cow and they become inseparable. The play ends with a note revealing the realism about death and the cycle of life - with the skin of the cow now being recycled as Parai.

‘Parai’ is based on musical theatre techniques and brings with it the rustic flavor of koothu and percussions. Accordingly, in this play, we have introduced Parai Isai Nadanam, Uruttu and Thudumbatam. We want to provide our audience a first-hand folk arts experience, while at the same time explore stories of different genres.