Time to remove the grids
WITH five decades under his belt as an actor, director, drama teacher, voice-over artiste and writer, Mano Maniam is best known as a local theatre and television veteran. But Mano, 65, is more than just about theatre. In many ways, he is a modern-day renaissance man.
He has been a teacher and scholar at both local and American universities, and was the recipient of the Fulbright Distinguished Artiste Award in On top of that, he’s a keen environmentalist, having been a long-time member of the Environmental Protection Society of Malaysia, and a former director of the Centre for Environment, Technology and Development Malaysia.
In an interview with The Nut Graph on 15 July in his neighbourhood Brickfields, Mano explains why he has much hope for the country.
TNG: When and where were you born?
I was born in Ipoh in , at the tail end of World War II. My father was the only son of immigrant parents, and he was in his mid-teens when the war broke out. He was part of the Indian National Army, which was against the British in India.
Sometime around , there was this big move by Japan to build a railroad from Japan to India, with the intent of entering
He grew up watching sandiwaras on stage, and later reenacting them with his friends from the neighbourhood. It was only natural for Mano Maniam to grow into an accomplished stage actor.
His stint as Uncle Chandran on the Malaysian sitcom Kopitiam made him relatable to the average Malaysian, and his role as Moonshee in Hollywood&#;s Anna and the King gave him worldwide recognition. And boy, was he loved. The 74 year old thespian is also an academician, writer, Tamil language enthusiast, cultural anthropologist and avid traveller.
Mano talks to Varnam about his complicated relationship with the arts, his love for our nation and his views on the Malaysian diaspora.
&#;I grew up in a new country called Malaya,&#;
He recollects his early childhood, &#;I was born at the end of the second world war, and I grew up in this new country called Malaya, just as it was opening up,&#;
&#;After we gained independence, I got my first piece of paper saying that I&#;m a Malayan. There was no plastic in those days. Just this 6 x 4 inch sheet which was a carbon copy of the registration, that I held on to, and was so proud to hold,&#; he tells us.
Acting as a form of entertainment
Whe
A relationship steeped in history
“LOCALS call this the Modi Gate,” said theatre veteran Mano Maniam, who has lived in Brickfields for over 30 years.
He was referring to the intricately carved sandstone pavilion presented by Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to Malaysia during his visit in November Modelled on the Torana Gates at the Great Sanchi Stupa in India, it was commissioned by Emperor Ashoka over 2, years ago.
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Brickfields: As Witness by Mano Maniam
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ABOUT THE TALK
Brickfields is a diverse neighbourhood with dozens of religious institutions, schools, associations as well as social and welfare organizations within a square mile, all with a history of more than a century. It is in serious threat of rapid change and is at odds with its own past and its future.
Brickfields: As Witness explores the changing image of this neighbourhood through Mano&#;s eyes. He fears that Brickfields will no longer reflect that colour and become just a giant communication &#;go-to/come-from place&#;.
This narrative will also uncover the stories he has experienced as an inmate of this colorful suburb.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
An actor, director, teacher and voice over artist, Mano Maniam is well known for his roles as Uncle Chan in the local TV series &#;Kopitiam&#; and as Moonshee in Hollywood&#;s &#;Anna and the King&#;.
As a cultural anthropologist, he is curious on examining how cultures merge, collide and intertwine. Brickfields has become the center of his curiosity and observation.
Having lived in Brickfields for over 30 y
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