Tamil poet Kutti Revathi talks about her journey as a poet, working in films and why her poems draw focus on the human body.
Tamil poet Kutti Revathi’s poems are not for the fainthearted. They are powerful, bold, direct and fearless, never shying away from that which is considered taboo. They shake you deeply and bring you face to face with your own biases.
Kutti Revathi has penned 8 poetry collections, including Mulaigal, Breasts, that became hugely controversial in the country. Professionally, Kutti Revathi is a Siddha Doctor. She is the editor of Panikudam, a Tamil literary quarterly for women’s writing. Apart from writing poetry, she has also made 6 documentaries, written lyrics and short stories. Her work is included in Wild Girls, Wicked Words, poetry by four Tamil women poets, translated by Lt.Lakshmi Holmstorm .
Kutti Revathi reading her poems at the Bangalore Poetry Festival
Radio Active caught up with Kutti Revathi at the Bangalore Poetry Festival for a chat. Here is the interview. The interview is interspersed with Kutti Revathi’s poems and translations recited by Bangalore based musician Balakrishnan Raghavan.
Interview and article by Lakshmi Karunakaran