Mistaken identity? No, she won the best actor award

In Sanskrit drama, the award is being given to the character without bothering about gender.

KOZHIKODE: And the best actor award goes to... Devika M. Ahem! Did we hear it right? Or the judges got it wrong? The befuddled audience might have taken a few seconds to realise that Devika, the Class IX student of the Achuthan Girls Higher Secondary School,Chalappuram, has indeed bagged the best actor award at the Kozhikode District Arts Festival. She pushed behind 40 male students for that award. Perhaps, the first such occurrence in the history of the festival.

Devika played a male character - Sakarakan - in a Sanskrit drama Mricchakatika (Little Clay Cart), penned by Sudraka, who lived in ancient Ujjain in the fifth century B C. From a pool of seven dramas, Mricchakat ika got the best drama award as well. Unlike other Sanskrit dramas, which were epics, Mricchakatika extracted elements from contemporary society.

In Sanskrit drama, the award is being given to the character without bothering about gender. “People didn’t believe that I am a girl until I removed my costumes,” Devika said. “I got a chance to participate in a drama in Class VI.

It was then I realised that I have acting skills,” said Devika, who also nourishes a passion for wildlife photography. She has been participating in theatre workshops and camps since then. Presently, she attends drama training at Deshaposhini Library, Kuthiravattam.

“I will definitely take acting seriously,” Devika said. “It is a historical moment,” said Indu M, her mother. Devika had acted on 52 stages across the district as part of an arts festival conducted by the Sasthra Sahithya Parishad in 2016.

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