Kurangu Kusala
இந்தப் பக்கத்தை தமிழில் வாசிக்க: குரங்கு குசலா
Kurangu kusala (1962) was a caricature which was published in the ‘Rani’ weekly magazine. It features a tall wife and a short husband. An event from everyday life is depicted in a funnily.
Publication
In 1962, when Rani weekly magazine was first published, it included the Kurangu Kusala caricature in it. It is often featured on the third page from the cover. In 1990, the cartoon was discontinued.
It was drawn by Vaali, who drew caricatures in the daily newspaper “Dinathanthi”.
Characteristics
Kurangu Kusala is the female lead in this cartoon. She was tall of stature and her physiognomy was similar to that of a monkey. Her husband was short of stature with a similar physiognomy to his wife. An event which occurs in their family is depicted as a joke. Incidents which happen during events such as Pongal, Diwali and elections are portrayed through parody. Kusala has been presented as a woman with self-confidence and her husband is portrayed as an innocent man.
Kurangu Kusala’s cartoons also featured political criticism of that time. “Stand independently, like Krishnamenon” says Kusala, carrying a ladder as her husband hangs from a branch. Krishnamenon was contesting in election as an independent candidate.
Impact
Kurangu Kusala was a popular caricature in the seventies and eighties. A habit had developed wherein a short husband and a tall wife used to be ridiculed as Kurangu Kusala. It was discontinued after criticisms abounded on the body shaming involved in it.
References
- https://tamilpokkisham.blogspot.com/2009/09/blog-post_20.html
- http://www.news.mowval.in/Editorial/katturai/First-246.html
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