College Theatre Club Stages Epic Karnan Play in Chennai

A college theatre club barely a year old is doing something most veteran groups wouldn't dare. They're staging a full-scale epic production.

The Theatre Club at Agurchand Manmull Jain College in Chennai's Meenambakkam neighborhood is presenting "Maaveeran Karnan - The sun that was burnt" on January 25. The ambitious 90-minute play reimagines the legendary warrior Karnan not just as a battle hero, but as a symbol of dignity, friendship, and family love.

What makes this production special isn't just the scale. It's that the club was only born in 2024 and has never attempted anything this big before.

The cast and crew of 90 people are all students and faculty from the college. Leading the charge is director Kavithiran Kannan, an assistant professor who has poured months of research into understanding why Karnan's story still matters today.

For actor Vignesh Kumar, who plays Karnan, the role has become a way of life. The Tamil department faculty member watches classic film versions during dinner, constantly searching for ways to improve his performance.

Vinod Prasad, an English professor playing the character Indiran, calls stepping on stage the fulfillment of a long-held dream. He was around theatre during his university days but never performed at this level.

The production team has spent four months in intensive practice. Students learned to speak in old Tamil dialect. An 8x9 feet chariot was designed in-house. Six original songs were composed with help from AI technology.

Why This Inspires

This story shows what happens when people stop waiting for the perfect moment and create it themselves. A brand-new theatre club with no major productions under their belt chose to tackle one of India's most complex epics instead of playing it safe.

The themes they're exploring through Karnan's story remain urgent today: identity, exclusion, and ethical struggles. By making theatre accessible and free to the public, they're also proving that art doesn't have to be expensive or exclusive to be powerful.

Their courage to dream big in their first year offers a lesson beyond theatre. Sometimes the best time to do something ambitious isn't after you've gained experience. It's right now, with the passion and energy you have today.

The free performance welcomes everyone to witness what dedication and teamwork can achieve when a community comes together around a shared vision.