Chayamukhi to conquer UAE

The super hit Malayalam play Chayamukhi (Mirroring the Mind), based on a story of Bheema and Keechaka in the Indian epic Mahabharata, will be staged for the first time in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in October and November.

The two-hour long drama will be staged in Dubai on October 30, in Abu Dhabi on October 31 and in Ras Al Khaimah on November 2. It will also be staged in other Gulf nations in November. It stars Malayalam film industry's most versatile actors, Mohanlal and Mukesh as Bheema and Keechaka respectively.

The play, an amalgamation of classical and ethnic theatres, is based on the story of Chayamukhi, a mirror given to Bheema by Hidumbi that surprisingly exhibits the image of the person he or she loves the most. The play moves back and forth between the present and the time of the Mahabharata, as the mirror gets exchanged by various characters.

Chayamukhi has 24 actors other than Lal and Mukesh. It has been staged across different stages in Kerala over the last six months and revived mass interest in theatre in the state. The play won the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy Award for the Best Script in 2003. It was first staged in Trissur in February and then in Thiruvananthapuram.

Presented by Kalidasa Visual Magic and directed by Prashanth Narayanan, Chayamukhi includes 14 short songs set to music by Vidhyadharan and written by the director. The director has penned the play on the lines of William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream".

Noted Malayalam poet ONV has penned the lyrics, Namboothiri has designed the costumes and Mohan Sitara is the music director. Chayamukhi is being staged in the Gulf under the patronage of noted actor-producer, Dinesh Panicker.