BIG LOSS TO TAMIL NADU'S THEATRE FRATERNITY

The Founder, Director, and Playwright of Koothu-p-Pattarai, N Muthuswamy passed away in Chennai due to prolonged illness at the age of 83.

N Muthusamy is recognized as a pioneer in experimental Tamil theatre. In 1969, his production entitled “Kaalam Kaalamaaga” (Time after Time) was hailed as the first modern play in Tamil stage history. Since then, over a dozen plays have followed.

He was born in Punjai, a village in Tamil Nadu and then moved to Madras in the late 1950s. Later, he began to write short stories on this theme. In the year 1977, he started a contemporary Tamil theatre group called Koothu-p-Pattarai, to train aspiring actor and folk dancer. They provide various other services as well. Many film actors have branched out of this theatre group.

N Muthuswamy has won the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award from the Government of India for the year 1999. He was also awarded the Padma Shri the fourth highest civilian award by the Government of India in 2012.