KOCHI: Moved by the terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam on April 22 this year, a kathakali artist has composed a 45-minute dance drama that conveys the shock, grief, and outrage over the incident. Kalamandalam Vijayakumar, a kathakali artist settled in the UK for the past four decades, has choreographed a solo performance incorporating four evergreen Malayalam film songs composed by legendary music director G Devarajan to deliver the anguish over the attack. The first performance will be staged at the Devarajan Master Museum and Research Centre at Paravoor in Kollam district on January 9.

The songs selected for the performance are ‘Ezhu Sundara Rathrikal’ from the film ‘Ashwamedham’ (1967), ‘Chandra Kalabham Charthi’ from ‘Kottaram Vilkanundu’ (1975), ‘Manjalayil Mungi Thorthi’ from ‘Kalithozhan’ and ‘Ayiram Padasarangal Kilungi’ from the film ‘Nadhi’ (1969). While ‘Manjalayil’ was written by P Bhaskaran, the other three songs were by Vayalar Rama Varma.“Initially, I thought of composing the lyrics for the performance. However, I felt that using these immortal songs would help connect with the audience easily,” Vijayakumar told TNIE.

The story depicts the tragedy that befell Himanshi Narwal, the wife of Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, whose photograph — that showed her sitting numb beside husband’s body — triggered outrage across the world. The couple, married just six days earlier, was on a honeymoon trip to Kashmir when the tragedy occurred. “The photograph was so disturbing that I couldn’t sleep for days. I felt a strong urge to express my anguish through my art,” Vijayakumar said.