The cultural night “Ona Nilaavu” was held by Electro Global Sdn Bhd in conjunction with Onam festival, the biggest and the most important festival in Kerala , India. Onam was traditionally celebrated as a harvest festival. One of the most fabulous facets of Onam is its rich and well-established culture.
The three-and-a-half hour Malayalam and Tamil cultural extravaganza contained elements of music, singing, dance, and comedy. Ona Nilaavu brought together the outstanding and prominent singers, dancers, comedy actors, and musicians from South namely Unni Menon, Rimi Tomi, Jagadish, Madhu Balakrishnan, Vinduja Menon, Kottayam Nazeer, Roopa, Athira Sankar, and the Pallavur Brothers.
With the attendance of more than 1900 audience, the cultural night was officiated by Dato’ Seri S. Samy Vellu, the President of Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) followed by a significant Kathakali performance.
Originated in the 17th century, Kathakali is one of the best of Kerala dances during the Onam carnival. It’s the amalgamation of Sahithyam (literature), Sangeetham (music), Chithram (painting), Natyam (acting) and Nritham (dance). The intricate costumes, colorful make up, detailed hand gestures and well-defined body movements of the performers captured the attention of the audience.
The night was then continued by the stars from South India, presenting the good old and new songs in both Malayalam and Tamil language. The special appearance by Unni Menon, the gifted singer from Kerala, left the audience spellbound with his gentle voice.
Aside from musical performances, a standup comedy performed by the King of Comedy, Kottayam Nazeer and this was the climax of the night. It was an eye opener for the audience to see his talented mimicry skills. His imitation of the sound of trains, sirens, animals, and guns were very much appreciated by the audience. His marvelous sense of humor has won unanimous applause. Also, the hilarious skit performance entitled “Hospital” by Kottayam Nazeer and Jagadish made the audience rolled with laughter.
The astonishing “Panjavadyam” performance by the world renowned Pallavoor brothers has added sparkles to the show. “Panjavadyam” is atraditional temple music in Kerala and often used in festive celebrations. The musical instruments used in this band are Thimila, Madhalam, Idayka, Ilathalam, and Kompu. The performance reflected the rich and glorious Kerala culture heritage.
The night was a treat for the Malaysian audience, especially the Malayalees, as it was not common to have such exceptional quality musical and entertainment show in Malaysia. The Ona Nilaavu presented a memorable and unforgettable entertainment which signifies our traditions and culture.
Ona Nilaavu has not just enhanced the cooperation in the field of entertainment and culture between Malaysia and India but has also helped to raise funds for Persatuan Kebajikan Warga Tua dan Kanak-Kanak. Electro Global Sdn Bhd presented an advance of RM5,000 cheque to the charity home during the cultural night and 20 percent of the ticket sales will be donated to the charity home after an audit.
