Ramya Sriram turns her lens on therukoothu for Oor Koodum Iravu

There is a particular difficulty in capturing an art form woven into the soul of Tamil Nadu into a 30-minute documentary. Photographer Ramya Sriram’s debut documentary, Oor Koodum Iravu (The Night When the Village Gathers), makes a sincere attempt.

For centuries, therukoothu has captured the imagination of Tamil Nadu, perhaps in a way that no other art form has. For centuries, people in villages across Tamil Nadu gathered together from dusk to dawn to witness a therukoothu performance, interspersed with dance, drama and theatre.

The nights have dwindled, and so have the artistes. But, the art form continues to be performed with whatever patronage it can find. Even as artistes who pursue the art form face increasing challenges, they rarely receive the same attention as the form itself. Oor Koodum Iravu seeks to do just that: bring their stories to the fore.

Chennai-based Ramya has documented traditional rituals and festivals, including Mayana Kollai and Kulasekarapattinam Dasara. With this film, she turns her attention to therukoothu, documenting the performances and lives of those who continue to practise the art.

Apart from looking at the difficulties faced by therukoothu artistes, it also focuses on their skills and the work that goes into staging a performance. The film’s recent screening in Chennai also had school children as part of the audience.

Cinematographer C.J. Rajkumar pointed out that documentaries on such subjects often focus on the suffering of the people involved and said, Oor Koodum Iravu also celebrates the art form and its performers.

The film features performances in fields, forests and temple settings. Filming in the dark posed challenges for Ramya, particularly in fields where visibility was limited.

Cinematography is by Arun Suresh, editing by Selva Pandi and Yaani has composed the music.