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‘An experience I won’t forget’: Kerala street play on stray dog menace turns real as actor gets bitten mid-performance
A street play in Kerala about the stray dog menace took a dramatic turn when a real dog bit the performer mid-act.
A street performance meant to raise awareness against the street dog menace in Kerala took an unexpected turn when a stray dog attacked the actor mid-play. The incident took place on Sunday in Mayyil village in north Kerala, where solo artist Radhakrishnan was performing his play ‘Pekkaalam’ (Time of the Bite).
The play included a scene in which a child is “attacked” by a dog, with background barking and screams to make the act feel realistic. But as the scene unfolded, a street dog jumped onto the stage and bit the actor on the back of his leg.
“The dog came from outside and sank its teeth into me,” Radhakrishnan told the media on Monday, as per news agency PTI.
But despite being injured, the performer didn’t stop the show. “I shooed it away with my stick and carried on. The interesting part of the drama was that the audience thought the dog’s appearance on stage was part of the act,” he said.
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What happened after the dog bite?
Radhakrishnan continued performing for another 15 minutes before informing the organisers and heading to Pariyaram Government Medical College Hospital for treatment. “Ironic, isn’t it?” he said after the video of the incident circulated widely online.
The artist, known for raising awareness on social issues through theatre, said this was his fifth solo performance on the topic of stray dog attacks. “A solo play about stray dog attacks ended up giving me a real bite of reality. Definitely an experience I won’t forget!” he added.
Kerala has been grappling with an escalating stray dog problem, with frequent reports of attacks and rising rabies cases. The recent incident has once again reignited public concern over the worsening stray dog menace, with many criticising authorities for failing to implement effective, long-term measures to tackle the issue.
