At the 7th edition of the Kerala Literature Festival, the JCB Literature Foundation highlighted 5 panel discussions, taking forward its Beyond Text initiative. The JCB Literature Foundation’s flagship project, the JCB Prize for Literature completed its sixth year in 2023 with Perumal Murugan’s Fire Bird as the winner of the annual Prize. A panel focused on the book kickstarted the Foundation sessions on 11 January, where author Perumal Murugan was in conversation with TD Ramakrishnan and Manjula Narayan.
With the insight that a large amount of literature is consumed by the audiences through mediums beyond the textbook, the Foundation started its Beyond Text initiative last year to support initiatives that promote literary works and authors, and storytelling as an art form beyond the boundaries of text-based material alone. The initiative also aims at ensuring that literary works are made accessible to those beyond avid readers. The Foundation has earlier showcased its support to the Ninasam Theatre Festival and the Bookaroo Festival for Children’s Literature under this programme.
The sessions for Beyond Text included a mix of panel discussions and screenings featuring notable authors, journalists, artists, composers, film and media personalities including M. Mukundan, Benyamin and Perumal Murugan who have been winners of the JCB Prize for Literature in the past.
The list of sessions are as follows:
Firebird
Date: January 11
Time: 11 am
Participants: Perumal Murugan in conversation with TD Ramakirshnan and Manjula Narayan (Hindustan Times National Book Editor)
Language: Tamil and English
Introduction by: Mita Kapur
Vaadivasal: A Graphic Novel
Date: January 11
Time: 7.00 pm
Participants: Perumal Murugan and Appupen
Description: Graphic novel unveil of the collaborative project between Perumal Murugan and Appupen.
Chemmeen
Date: January 12
Time: 6.30 pm
Participants: Manjusha Radhakrishnan with Sheela and Anita Nair
Description: An actress and a translator of the book conversing on how the text lived in their mind and body.
Translating India: A South Indian Context
Date: January 13
Time: 2.00 pm
Participants: B Jeyamohan, M Mukundan, Vasudendra, Charu Nivedita in conversation with J Devika
Goat Days
Date: January 13
Time: 6.30 pm
Participants: Benyamin, Blessy (Director), and Resul Pookutty
Description: Talk on the adaptation of Benyamin’s Goat Days into a theatrical film. Goat Days portions and snippets planned to be unveiled at KLF. Talk on adoption and the approach to working with the text as a screenplay and audiovisual format
*നനോവലിനപ്പുറം: ചെമ്മീന് വീണ്ടം കോണടനപോള് ഷീല, അനിത നോയര് ന ോഡനററ്റര്: ഞ്ജടഷ രോധോകൃഷ്ണന്
ആടുജീവിതം: ദൃശ്യജീവിതം (Goat Days and the Silver Screen)
Date: January 13
Time: 7 pm
Participants: ബ്ലസി, ബെന്യാമിന് – Benyamin and Blessy (Director)
Description: Adaptation of Benyamin’s novel into a film releasing on April 30th. Screening of a 15-minute documentary “Literature and Film” featuring Benyamin and Ravi Varma Thampuram
