COURAGEOUS ACT—Anasuya Menon

 COURAGEOUS ACT—Anasuya Menon 

 Courageous Act is a feature on Nilambur Ayisha, an actress in Malayalam cinema. In the 1960s and 70s, she has acted in more than 50 films in supporting roles. She began her career as a theatre artiste and later joined the film world. The article is a description of her life and career experiences as narrated by the actress. Ayisha was born into a Muslim family in Nilambur. She faced a lot of hurdles and hostility when she chose her career. She made her debut on stage in 1953 at the age of 16. She acted in a play ‘ Ijju Nalloru Manushan Aavaan Nokku’ by playwright E.K. Ayamu. It was a play aimed at social change targeting the Muslim community. During a preliminary discussion on the play, a man from the crowd shouted at Ayamu advising him to become a good man first. This became the title of the play which was enacted on 2500 stages in Kerala, Mumbai and Pune. At that time, female roles were played by men. However, E.M.S. Nambudripad in a review suggested that a woman play the female lead. Ayisha was chosen for the role when Ayamu visited her home and saw her singing to a gramophone record. She had no acting experience but her singing talent ensured her success in the role of Jameela. Ayisha’s family was rich and interested in the arts. Everyday at 4 PM all work stopped in the house and the servants were allowed to display their talents in music, dance and acting. Ayisha’s mother however had reservations about her daughter’s choice of career. She feared criticism from the orthodox sections of the Muslim community. Her fears came true when Ayisha’s father died leaving them penniless. The conservative Muslims rose up in arms against her and hounded her. On one occasion, she was pelted with a stone and wounded on her forehead. This did not stop her from delivering her lines for she was determined to do what she believed in. Another time, she was shot at with an air gun but escaped being hit. She was also slapped on the face by a man from the audience causing her to lose her hearing in one ear. In spite of the hurdles she faced in her theatre career she also received help from good Samaritans from Hindu and Muslim families. Social visionaries and patrons of art such as Kunhikuttan Thampuran of the Nilambur royal family and Dr. M. Usman helped her through hard times. Her personal life was also filled with difficulties. She was forced at the age of 13 to marry a 47 year old man. He was uncouth and threatened to beat her. The marriage lasted 5 days after which she asked him to get out. She mothered a child at 14 and never remarried. Theatre was her first love and she was consumed by it. Her talent was finally recognised and she was given the title ‘Keralthinte Veeraputhri’. She also received the S.L.Puram State Prize for her contribution to theatre. She joined films and won the Kerala State award for best supporting actress in ‘Oomakkuyil Padumbol’. However, Ayisha considers the opportunity to work with theatre stalwarts like Vaikom Mohammed Basheer, P.J. Antony and K.T.Mohammed as her biggest award. She has acted in 50 films in Malayalam and in a 1962 Hindi film. To this day, the 76 year old Ayisha retains her love for acting. She attends debates and workshops on women’s issues and empowerment. Her qualification is her experience of life. Modern theatre, according to her, lacks commitment. However, she is not averse to acting in films. Her unceasing fight against Muslim orthodoxy and her decision to break away from societal concerns and fixed gender roles has paved the way for other Muslim women in the field of theatre and films. She is a symbol of courage and persistence and these qualities helped her overcome the various impediments in her career