Chandramana Govindan Namboothiri was a famous Kathakali artist from the South Indian state of Kerala
Ancient unstitched form of gagra has survived in folk theater costumes across India, particularly in Kathakali of Kerala, where layers of pleated khadi fabric are laid over a nada and tied around the waist creating layers of flared skirt.
As he himself once admitted, his Vilambita Kaala Gaanam renderings during Kathakali dances had influenced his music and style of singing.
Other fabulous arts include: Kathakali, stylized theater; Mohini Attam, classical dance; vocal music, rhythm ensembles, folk & trance dance.
Having two specialist drummers (Maaraars) ensures correct method of drumming (Chenda rhythms similar to the one in Thayambaka or Thodayam in Kathakali).
Classically trained in Bharat Natyam, she has also received formal training in Kathakali, Mohiniattam, and T'ai chi and Kalarippayattu, thus creating a unique dance style which she has coined "Neo Bharat Natyam".
Numerous prestigious companies touring shows to the Arena during this period included Kneehigh Theatre, Royal National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company, People Show, Tara Arts, Shared Experience, Forced Entertainment, Volcano, Hull Truck Theatre, Gay Sweatshop, Cheek by Jowl, Market Theatre (Johannesburg), Trestle Theatre, Complicite, Kathakali Dance, Black Theatre Co-operative, Red Shift Theatre, ATC Theatre, Snarling Beasties and The Right Size.
1970s - She studied Kathakali, a South Indian dance drama, for two years in the southern Indian state of Kerala; she worked with one of the established masters of this art form, Guru Gopinath.
Kuchipudi, which also prescribes the lip movements indicating Vaachikaabhinaya, and Mohiniyattam are relatively recent Darbari Aatam forms, as is Kathakali, and two eastern Indian styles, Manipuri and Sattriya, that are quite similar.
He is also an accomplished Kathakali artist.His son Manu Varma also a recognized artist and his son in law Viji Thampi is a well known Film Director.
Warrier worked in FACT Kathakali School for 18 years along with late masters such as Vaikom Karunakaran Nair, Kalamandalam Kesavan (chenda), Kalamandalam Sankaran Embranthiri and Kalamandalam Hyderali (Kathakali music).
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Currently he lives with his wife Valsala S Warrier in Eloor near Kochi where he worked for 18 years as a maddalam teacher in FACT Kathakali School.
He later worked with several Kathakali schools like PSV Natyasangham, Kottakkal; Kalasadanam, Chunangad and Varanakkottu Kaliyogam, Payyannur; but his longest stints were in Gandhi Seva Sadan (Sadanam Kathakali and Classical Arts Academy) at Peroor in Palakkad district and the International Centre for Kathakali in New Delhi.
In 2006, Mankompu, with his brother C.K. Sivarama Pillai, brought out a book 'Kathakali Swaroopam', that deals with the evolution, grammar and aesthetics of the art form in the Travancore region.
Equally at ease with choreographically dense roles and those that more profile the Kathakali character, many buffs consider Vijayakumar as a legitimate successor to septuagenarian Kottakkal Sivaraman.
His prominent disciples at the Kerala Kalamandalam include virtually the who is who of the Kathakali music of the Kalluvazhi style: Kalamandalam Unnikrishna Kurup, Kalamandalam Gangadharan, Ramankutty Varrier, Madambi Subramanian Namboodiri, Tirur Nambissan Kalamandalam Sankaran Embranthiri, Kalamandalam Hyderali, Kalamandalam Haridas, Kalamandalam Subramanian, Kalamandalam P.G. Radhakrishnan, Kalanilayam Unnikrishnan and Kalamandalam Bhavadasan, Kalamandalam Gopalakrishnan.
A native of Cheranalloor in Ernakulam district, Nelliyode joined the PSV Natyasangham in Kottakkal in 1957 and received training in Kathakali largely under Kunchu Nair.
Sadanam Krishnankutty (born 9 November 1941) is a kathakali artist from Cherpulassery in Palakkad district, Kerala, India.
Gandhi Seva Sadan, a Kathakali institution located in Perur village of Kerala, India
The renowned Kathakali artiste Kalamandalam Gopi and the Malayalm writer Madambu Kunjukuttan have also starred in the film.
With Madambi Subrahmanyan Namboothiri, Kalamandalam Hyderali and Kalamandalam Sankaran Embranthiri as contemporaries, he started to learn Kathakali music in Kalamandalam.
After an initial brief stint at Kerala Kalamandalam, Vasu Pisharody worked at a kalari (Kathakali classroom) run by the Guruvayur Kathakali Club.
Vazhenkada's place on the cultural map owes largely to having been the native place of eminent Kathakali artiste, Padma Shri Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair, a frontline disciple of the legendary Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon.
A son and disciple of late Kathakali artiste Padma Shri Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair, Vijayan is noted for his roles in the categories of the virtuous pachcha, the anti-heroic Kathi and the semi-realistic minukku roles.
In fact, the house of Kunjukkutan, the protagonist in the movie (played by Mohanlal), had been the residence of the late Kathakali guru Padma Shri Keezhpadam Kumaran Nair.