It was a trip down the memory lane for the audience when K T Muhammed's play Ithu Bhoomiyanu was recently staged at Nishagandhi auditorium in Trivandrum.The play, which was performed by Kozhikode-based Kalingal Theatres, reflected the lives of Muslim women in the Malabar region who had orthodox customs and conventions imposed on them.For the audience in Trivandrum, the play was a treat as it was staged after a gap of nine years.Rangoon Rahman, who played the role of the protagonist Haji in the play, has been essaying the role since the 80s."I first donned the role of Haji when I was 22. Late actor K P Ummer used to play the character during the initial days of the play and after that, his two sons would take turns to play the part. Since the 80s, I have been fortunate to be part of this legendary play," he says.The production also reminded many of the theatres in the late 60s. The play began with an introduction song with music supported by harmonium.With chaste Malayalam in Kozhikode slang, the actors effectively portrayed the lives of Haji and his family that included his wife, two sons and a daughter, who are caught in superstitious beliefs.The decades-old production is still relevant as it narrated the theme of inequality, which still prevails in our society, explains Rahman.During the initial years of the play, it had raised a furore for commenting on the conventional Muslim customs, he says. "But that has not died down even now. We still receive a lot of flak from some places in the state after a performance," he says.Rahman though clarifies that the play is not about mocking a particular religion, it is about stressing the importance of women empowerment. "We want to pass the message that she also enjoys the same rights as men. They cannot be confined within four walls. They aren't machines to do household chores and reproduce."Apart from Rahman, Vijayan Malaparambu, Madhavan Kunnathara, M A Nazar, Sudhakaran Thikkodi, Savithri Sreedharan, Rani Divakaran and Dr Nipuna Rahman were also part of the cast.

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