{{short description|Theatrical movement in Kerala}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}} {{Use Indian English|date=August 2019}} {{Infobox organization | image = KPAC Emblem.jpg | name = Kerala People's Arts Club | abbreviation = K. P. A. C | native_name_lang = | founded = {{Start date and age|1950||}} | founder = Kambisseri Karunakaran | leader_title = President | leader_name = Kanam Rajendran | leader_title2 = Secretary | leader_name2 = A. Shajahan | location = Kayamkulam, Kerala, India | region_served = Kerala | field = Drama, Film | affiliations = Communist Party of India }}
'''Kerala People's Arts Club''', abbreviated as '''K. P. A. C.''', is a theatrical movement in Kayamkulam, Kerala, India. It was formed in the 1950s by a group of individuals having close ties with the Communist Party of India in Kerala. KPAC helped popularised the Communist movement in Kerala.
In 1951, KPAC staged its first drama, ''Ente Makanaanu Sheri'' (My Son is Right). The songs of this play were written by Punaloor Balan. Its second drama ''Ningalenne Communistakki'' (''You Made Me a Communist''), first performed in 1952, was penned by playwright Thoppil Bhasi under the pseudonym Soman. Bhasi was in political exile when he wrote the play. The success of'' Ningalenne Communistakki'' made KPAC in the forefront of a people's theatre movement in Kerala.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl1810/18100700.htm |title=Frontline article |access-date=14 November 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011230183653/http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl1810/18100700.htm |archive-date=30 December 2001 |url-status=usurped }}</ref>
KPAC played a role in popularising the Communist Party in Kerala through its dramas, road shows and ''kathaprasangams'' (story telling).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.firstministry.kerala.gov.in/bvk_article.htm |title=First Ministry of Kerala Government |access-date=14 November 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081002184728/http://www.firstministry.kerala.gov.in/bvk_article.htm |archive-date=2 October 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Citation |last=Ashwathi |title=People’s Theater and Populism: A Study of the Kerala People’s Arts Club |date=2024 |work=Encyclopedia of New Populism and Responses in the 21st Century |pages=1–4 |editor-last=Chacko Chennattuserry |editor-first=Joseph |url=https://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-981-16-9859-0_342-1 |access-date=2026-02-24 |place=Singapore |publisher=Springer Nature Singapore |language=en |doi=10.1007/978-981-16-9859-0_342-1 |isbn=978-981-16-9859-0 |editor2-last=Deshpande |editor2-first=Madhumati |editor3-last=Hong |editor3-first=Paul|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
==Notable People== *K. P. A. C. Lalitha *K. P. A. C. Azeez *K. P. A. C. Sunny *K. P. A. C. Sulochana *K. P. A. C. Leela *K. P. A. C. Beatrice
== Plays == {| class="wikitable" |+ !Title !Year !Writer |- |Ente Makanaanu Sheri |1951 |G. Janardhana Kurup, N. Rajagopalan Nair |- |Ningalenne Comunistakki |1952 |Thoppil Bhasi |- |Surveykallu | |Thoppil Bhasi |- |Shudhikalasham |2011 | |- |Puthiya Aakasham Puthiya Bhoomi | |Thoppil Bhasi |- |Sharashayya | |Thoppil Bhasi |- |Yudhakaandam | |Thoppil Bhasi |- |Mudiyanaya Puthran | |Thoppil Bhasi |- |Aswamedham | |Thoppil Bhasi |- |Mooladhanam | |Thoppil Bhasi |- |Irumbumara | |Thoppil Bhasi |- |Koottukudumbam | |Thoppil Bhasi |- |Thulabharam | |Thoppil Bhasi |- |Innale Innu Nalle | |Thoppil Bhasi |- |Manasaputhri | |Kaniyapuram Ramachandran |- |Udyogaparvam | |Vaikom Chandrasekharan Nair |- |Yanthram Sudarshanam | |A. N. Ganesh |- |Bharatha Kshethram | |A. N. Ganesh |- |Manvantharam | |N. N. Pillai |- |Enniku Maranmilla | |Kaniyapuram Ramachandran |- |Sahasrayogam | |Sreemoolanagaram Vijayan |- |Layanam | |A. N. Ganesh |- |Bhagavan Kaalu Maarunnu | |Kaniyapuram Ramachandran |- |Kayyum Thalayum Purathidaruthu | |Thoppil Bhasi |- |Simham Urangunna Kaadu | |S. L. Puram Sadanandan |- |Sookshikkuka Edathuvasham Povuka | |Thoppil Bhasi |- |Visha Sarppathinu Vilakku Vaykkaruthu | |P. S. Kumar |- |Mrishchaghadikam | |Thoppil Bhasi |- |Panchali | |Thoppil Bhasi |- |Bhagnabhavanam | |N. Krishna Pillai |- |Mukkuvanum Bhoothavum | |P. S. Kumar |- |Shaakunthalam | |Thoppil Bhasi |- |Rajini | |Thoppil Bhasi |- |Soothradhaaran | |K.T. Mohammed |- |Thaapanilayam | |K. Bhaskaran |- |Kanyaka | |N. Krishna Pillai |- |Jeevaparyantham | |K.T. Mohammed |- |Olivile Ormmakal | |Thoppil Bhasi |- |Pendulum | |K.T. Mohammed |- |Naalkkavala | |K.T. Mohammed |- |Thaalatharangam | |T. R. Hari |- |Manusiante Manifesto | |N. N. Pillai |- |Rajayogam | |Thikkodiyan |- |Sabko Sanmathi de Bhagwaan | |Kaniyapuram Ramachandran |- |Maanaveeyam | |M. G. Soman |- |Raja Ravi Varma | |Francis T. Mavelikkara |- |Adhinivesham | |K. Bhaskaran |- |Pralayam | |K. T. Mohammed |- |Innalekalile Aakasham | |Francis T. Mavelikkara |- |Draavida Vruthram | |Francis T. Mavelikkara |- |Thamas | |Sasidharan Naduvil |- |Neethipeedam | |Pradeep Mandur |- |Asthamikkaatha Suryan | |Francis T. Mavelikkara |- |Nagara Vishesham | |Francis T. Mavelikkara |- |Bheemasenan | |Francis T. Mavelikkara |} <nowiki>*</nowiki>Content in this edit is translated from the existing Malayalam Wikipedia article at title=കെ.പി.എ.സി. |date=2024-09-23 |work=വിക്കിപീഡിയ |url=https://ml.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=%E0%B4%95%E0%B5%86.%E0%B4%AA%E0%B4%BF.%E0%B4%8E.%E0%B4%B8%E0%B4%BF.&oldid=4115773 |access-date=2026-02-23 |language=ml}}</ref>; see its history for attribution.
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category|Kerala People's Arts Club}} *{{official website|https://kpackerala.com}} *[https://youtube.com/c/KPAC_Drama Youtube Channel] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20080713222713/http://www.hindu.com/2008/07/09/stories/2008070950630200.htm The Hindu article] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20080827192507/http://www.thyagarajaschool.com/history.htm Thyagaraja School of Music]
Category:Organisations based in Kerala Category:Theatrical organisations based in India Category:Arts organizations established in 1950 Category:1950 establishments in India