Kithaab

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Stage work
Original title: Kithaab
Author: Rafeeq Mangalassery
Premiere: 2018
Place: Vadakara, Kozhikode ( Kerala , India )
Genus: Humor , drama for teenagers
Original language: Malayalam

Kithaab , also Kitab , ( Malayalam : കിത്താബ്) is a play in the Malayalam language that portrays a young girl who dreams of performing the adhān (vaang), the Islamic call to prayer normally recited by a male muezzin or mukri . The young woman questions the submission of women in her community and rebels against community norms by dancing with friends, stealing food that is denied her, and demanding the right to call the Vaang.

The play was written by screenwriter Rafeeq Mangalassery. It was performed in the Indian state of Kerala in November 2018 , at a time when the women's rights movement was taking shape and demanding the right to worship in the Sabarimala Temple: for the right of Muslim women to participate in religious rituals and for gender equality in the religious space including appointing women to be imams , and attending and directing prayers in mosques .

Emergence

Rafeeq Mangalassery says that her drama Kithaab is not based directly on the short story "Vaang" by Unni R., but was an independent adaptation, although it was inspired by Unni R's story.

However, Unni R. distances himself from Mangalassery's drama and said that it was not in line with his ideas and that the play lacks intellectual value. Malayalam director VK Prakash also had an independent plan to adapt Unni R's story Vaang for the film.

action

A Muslim girl - like her father - wants to become a muezzin and call the adhān. She steals the roast fish her mother cooked for the men in the house and says that it is not morally wrong because Padachon (God) would understand that girls are not given enough food. Her father berates her and tells her that women should only get half of what men get. The girl asks mischievously why women shouldn't only wear half the clothes that men wear.

In the midst of this argument, the daughter expresses the wish to call the Adhān. Her father answers all of her questions related to a large book (kithab) and locks her up so she cannot appear in a school play again. He tells her that if she continues to do such things, she will not go to heaven.

"If I were denied entry to heaven because I sing and dance, then I don't want to go to heaven," is her answer. The father is even willing to kill his daughter if she appears in the school play despite his wishes. When her mother reminds him that he is not only the muezzin but also a father, he allows her to call the adhan, and the drama ends with the girl calling the adhan and everyone else praying.

controversy

Memunda Higher Secondary School in rural Kozhikode staged a drama for the district-level inter-school competition in Vadakara, which received awards for best drama and best actress at the district-level, and was intended to continue the state-level inter-school competition in Kerala. Kithaab portrays the social discrimination against women in different areas of the traditional Muslim family. Many topics such as discrimination against girls in the food supply, poor education and the practice of polygamy are discussed. Because the drama deals with gender equality in the context of Islam, it was rejected and the participation of the Memunda Higher Secondary School in the completion was successfully blocked by religious-political Orthodox and conservatives who invoke questions of faith. The play sparked a discussion about gender equality and religious intolerance. The drama was performed separately and at a later date.

As a result, a counterpart to the play called Kithabile Koora was performed on the stage in Malyalam , with a female character striving for freedom of religion. One of the Malayalam Theater activists, Abbas Kalathode, who was also not enthusiastic about the counterpart, criticized Mangalassery's Kithaab for failing to consider a number of the recent profound changes in the Muslim community. "Portraying a mukri as a villain in the community is an understatement because other villains have emerged among Muslims," ​​he added. Mangalassery disagreed and replied: "It is not correct to say that the Muslim community has made steady progress in social life. There could be changes among Muslims as well as in other communities. But regressive forces have also begun to dominate. Parda as the clothing of an insignificant minority in Kerala has now become the identity of Muslim women. I know that Mukri is just a clerk in the mosque, but he represents the clergy whose vise-like influence has increased among Muslims. The play ends with the Opening up new perspectives for the community. " "The background here is that of a Muslim family and therefore it tells the story of Muslim life. No attempt is made to insult any particular religion," said Mangalassery.

Activists and writers, including K. Satchidanandan and S. Hareesh, spoke out against Kithaab's expulsion at the state festival. In a joint declaration they condemned the interference of religious organizations in the Reformation values ​​of the Renaissance and freedom of expression . Cinematographer Prathap Joseph ran a social media campaign claiming the play's withdrawal posed a "threat to Renaissance values ​​and freedom of expression."

Activists and writers, including K. Satchidanandan and S Hareesh, spoke out against Kithaab's expulsion at the State Festival. In a joint statement, they condemned the interference of religious organizations in the reforming values ​​of the Kerala Reformation movement and freedom of expression . Filmmaker Prathap Joseph ran a social media campaign claiming the play's withdrawal posed a "threat to Renaissance values and freedom of expression".

Playwright A. Santha Kumar wrote on Facebook that "the school washed its hands by withdrawing the play and submitting to the dictates of religious leaders. She objected that this also isolated the play's author. Kumar asked," why those who talk a lot about "values ​​of the Renaissance " keep silent about the isolation of Mangalassery by " minority fundamentalism ".

Rafeeq Mangalassery

Rafeeq Mangalassery is a Malayalam language screenwriter and director from Chettippadi (Malappuram Kerala), India. Her drama Annaperuna shows food being wasted while many others are starving. She was also the director of Kottem Kareem .

She won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for the drama Jinnu Krishnan 2013 and the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award for the best script on Iratta Jeevithangaliloode ( Through the Twin Lives ). She is an important actor in children's theater.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c In Kerala's Kozhikode, a play about a girl who dreams about giving azaan call has Muslim conservatives up in arms. Retrieved March 8, 2020 .
  2. ^ Kozhikode School Withdraws Play Calling out Gender Disparity After Muslim Groups Protest. Retrieved March 8, 2020 .
  3. ↑ a b c d Kozhikode: SDPI, MSF up in arms against Kithab ( en ) In: Deccan Chronicle . November 25, 2018. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  4. ↑ Play showing girl performing 'azaan' raises conservatives' ire - Times of India . In: The Times of India . Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  5. ↑ a b Staff Reporter: Campaign for Kithaab takes off (en-IN) . In: The Hindu , December 5, 2018. Retrieved March 8, 2020. 
  6. ↑ a b c Following protests by Muslim groups Kozhikode school withdraws students play . In: www.thenewsminute.com . Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  7. ↑ After dropped by school Kalolsavam, 'Kithaab' to be staged across Kerala . In: The New Indian Express . Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  8. ↑ In Kerala's Kozhikode, a play about a girl who dreams about giving azaan call has Muslim conservatives up in arms . In: Firstpost . Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  9. ↑ ക്ലബുകളും വായനശാലകളും സാംസ്കാരിക സംഘടനകളും ഏറ്റടുത്തു; ബാലസംഘവും ഡിവൈഎഫ്ഐയും നാടകം പ് ... Retrieved March 8, 2020 .
  10. ↑ Purdah phobia ( en-US ) In: Times of India Blog . December 1, 2018. Accessed March 8, 2020.
  11. ^ G. Krishnakumar: The show will go on, with aplomb (en-IN) . In: The Hindu , January 7, 2018. Retrieved March 8, 2020. 
  12. ↑ 2013-ലെ കേരള സാഹിത്യ അക്കാദമി അവാര്‍ഡുകള്‍ പ്രഖ്യാപിച്ചു . In: Kerala Sahitya Akademi . December 20, 2014. Accessed March 8, 2020.
  13. ^ Sahitya Akademi award for Meera's 'Aarachar' - Times of India . In: The Times of India . Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  14. ↑ Staff Reporter: Beedi wins best short play award of akademi (en-IN) . In: The Hindu , May 8, 2018. Retrieved March 8, 2020.