Artistes’ Profile
Sadanam Krishnan Kutty
Kizhakkepattu Krishnan Kutty started his Kathakali training when he was just 13
years old. He received 9 years of training in Kathakali Sadanam, under renowned
Kathakali masters Padmashree
Keezhpadam Kumaran Nair, Thekkenikattil Ravunni Menon, Kottakkal Krishnan Kutty
Nair, Kottakkal
Sankaranarayanan Embranthiri and Padmashree Mani Madhava Chakyar.
Now, at the age of 62, enriched with 40 years of experience on Kathakali stages,
Sadanam Krishnan Kutty has become an unforgettable name in Kathakali, especially
when it comes to Pacha
and “Kathi” characters. Sadanam Krishnan Kutty has given numerous
performances all over the world
and is widely accepted as the maestro of Kathakali. He has played many roles to
perfection, not just in traditional themes but in intercultural experiments with
innovative themes. One such acclaimed role is Achilles in the Greek Play ‘The
Iliad – the Trojan War and history of Achilles’ directed by Richard
Tremblay.
During his illustrious Kathakali career, Sadanam has also been working as a
professor in reputed institutions such as Kerala Kalamandalam , Nritha
Kalamandir (Patna), Unnayi Warier
Smaraka Kalanilayam, Gandhi Seva Sadan, Kollam Kathakali School and
Krishnanattam Kalanilayam. Over these years, he has won many prestigious awards
such as Kerala Sangeetha
Nataka Academy Award, Kerala Kalamandalam Award, Kottarakkara Thampuran Award,
Kalahamsam Award and many more.
Kottakkal Chandrasekhara Warrier
Kottakkal Chandrasekhara Warrier joined PSV Natyasangham at the age of 13 to
learn Kathakali. He acquired 11 years of Kathakali education from 1959 to 1970
under eminent Kathakali
artistes like Chethalloor Kuttappa Panickar, Vazhenkata Kunchu Nair and
Kottakkal Krishnankutty
Nair. He has given numerous performances all over the world and is widely
accepted as the doyen
of Kathakali. With 35 years of Kathakali under his belt, he is adept in playing
varied characters such as ‘Pacha’, ‘Kathi’ and ‘Vellathadi’
characters, thanks to his blessed physical attributes. He received
special invitation by the British Council for performance at Festival of India
at the United Kingdom in 1983. He also had intriguing performances at the ‘Kathakali
Mahotsavam’ during Asian games in
1982 and the Loka Malayala Mela. The prowess of Kottakkal Chandrasekharan is
palpable from the numerous prestigious Kathakali Awards he received; Vazhenkata
Kunchu Nair Award, Kaladarpanam Award, Thulaseevanam Award and Kalahamsam Award
to name a few. He is currently working as
the principal of PSV Natyasangham.
Kavungal Divakara Panicker
Divakara Panicker was born in the Kavungal family, famous for Kathakali.
Kavungal’s expertise lies in depicting the most vicious, vile, cruel, power
hungry characters such as Dussasana in
Duroyodhana Vadham. He is a double graduate of Kathakali Sadanam and Kerala
Kalamandalam under renowned artistes Keezhpadam Kumaran Nair and Kalamandalam
Padmanabhan Nair. He has over thirty five years of experience in Kathakali. He
has given numerous performances in India and
abroad including a recent performance in Japan.
Margi Vijayakumar
Margi Vijayakumar learnt Kathakali from 1975 to 1983 at Margi Kathakali School
in Thiruvananthapuram under legendary Kathakali artistes including Kalamandalam
Krishnan Nair, and
Mankulam Vishnu Namboothiri. A brilliant exponent of Kathakali, Margi
Vijayakumar specializes in donning the role of female characters (Minukku). He
has mastered the intricacies of female behavior
and is known to evoke emotions while enacting the role of Panchali, Putana and
Sita. He has given numerous performances all over India under the aegis of
SPICMACAY, an organization for promoting Indian Culture and Arts.
Margi has over 20 years of experience in the Kathakali field and is recipient of
numerous celebrated Kathakali Awards such as Kudamaloor Karunakaran Nair Smaraka
Puraskaram and K V
Kochaniyan Smarakara Puraskaram. He won the Arjuna Nrutha Kalalayam Award in
2004. Margi Vijayakumar is currently working at Margi Kathakali School as a
Kathakali instructor.
Margi Raveendran
Margi Raveendran is a well-versed young Kathakali artiste. A regular performer
in Indian television channels, Margi Raveendran is a versatile actor who can don
any role, but ‘Pacha’ and ‘Minukku’ are the two make-ups that suit him
the most. He has also proven his expertise in make-up (Chutti) and has won many
distinguished awards. He is currently working as Kathakali instructor of
acting in Margi Kathakali School.
Kalamandalam Hyder Ali When it comes to Kathakali music, the first name
that comes into one’s mind these days is
none other than Kalamandalam Hyder Ali. He started Kathakali music training at a
young age of 10 in unreceptive surroundings when Kathakali was considered a
Hindu art, performed at temples. But he firmly believed that art has no
religious barriers and his belief paid off. Hyder Ali received training from
Kerala Kalamandalam from 1957 to 1965 under Kalamandalam Neelakandhan Nambeesan,
Kalamandalam Sivaraman Nair, Kalamandalam Gangadharan, Kavungal Madhava Panicker,
N.K.V.Dev, Thripunithura Sankara Warrier, and Madhusoodana Menon.
Hyder Ali is now a living legend of Kathakali music, not only due to his
melodious rendering of padams but also because he was instrumental in
introducing innovative changes to this form of music. First of all, he gave an
ostensibly carnatic touch to the singing of Kathakali padams and secondly, he
started rendering Kathakali padams in independent music programs without any
visual background. Hyder Ali has won innumerable honors and awards through
out his 40 year career. He is currently working in FACT fine arts school as
Kathakali music teacher and also as a visiting professor in Kerala Kalamandalam.
Kalanilayam Rajeevan
Kalanilayam Rajeevan is the face of the new generation in Kathakali music. He
has received six years of Kathakali music training from Unnayi Warrier Smaraka
Kalanilayam. His teachers include
Kalamandalam Hyder Ali, Kalamandalam Balachandran, Kalamandalam Narayanan
Embranthiri and Kalamandalam Rajendran. He has had ten years of admirable
performances all over India, UAE and Europe. Kalamandalam Raman
Namboothiri Kalamandalam Raman Namboothiri is known as ‘Mela Kusalan’
(Percussion Champion) in Kathakali. After his primary education up to 8th grade,
he received six and a half years of training
under Pallassana Chandra Mannadiyar and Kalamandalam Achunni Poduval. He
acquired his diploma and post graduate degree from Kerala Kalamandalam.
Raman Namboothiri now has over thirty five years of experience in Chenda
performance for Kathakali. He has had stellar performances during jugalbandies
(fusion music) of carnatic and sopana sangeetham (type of music used in
Kathakali). Raman Namboothiri is a recipient of numerous prestigious awards in
Chenda including Kottarakkara Thampuran Award and M.S.
Namboothiri Smaraka award. He was bejeweled with the title ‘Mela Kusalan’ in
1994. He has worked as a Chenda teacher in Margi Kathakali School and is
currently the principal of RLV College of Music and Fine Arts in Kerala.
Kalamandalam Narayanan
Kalamandalam Narayanan is one of the best Maddalam players alive. He is a
die-hard traditionalist known for his powerful strokes on the Maddalam.
Narayanan has over 35 years of
experience in Maddalam and Kathakali. During these years he has traveled all
over the world including the United States (participated in India Festival, New
York), all over Europe and New Zealand for his performances. He has worked as
Head of the Department of Kathakali in
Kalamandalam.
Kalamandalam Satheesan
Kalamandalam Satheesan is known to be the best make-up artiste in Kathakali and
has won many prestigious awards for his varied art skills. After his 10th grade,
he joined Kerala Kalamandalam
in 1979 and learned Chutti (Make-up) and Koppu (Costumes) for two years.
Following this, he did a Post Graduation Course in both of these for one year.
During 1985-86 he got Central Govt
Scholarship for 2 years. His gurus are Gopala Pillai and Kalamandalam Rammohan.
Satheesan now has over 20 years of experience in Kathakali make-up and has won
many regional and national awards for makeup in Kathakali based Malayalam movies
(‘Vanaprastham’,
‘Parinayam’). He is also an expert in Make-up and Costumes for other art
forms such as Koodiyattam and Ottanthullal. He is working as Kathakali make-up
teacher in Kathakali Sadanam in Kerala since 1989.
