Penchant for satwik roles
V. KALADHARAN
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Kottakkal Krishnankutty Nair was recently awarded the Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair Memorial Award for his contributions to Kathakali.
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STAUNCH TRADITIONALIST: Kottakkal Krishnankutty Nair is not averse to lokadharmi.
None would contradict the fact that it was the aristocracy that patronised Kathakali till the dawn of the twentieth century. Yet they seldom interfered with its fundamental aesthetics that were inextricably linked to years of arduous physical training. Even the tightly refined Kalluvazhichitta kept intact some of the highly stylised dance sequences of actors independent of the text and the character.
But by 1950, Vazhenkada Kunju Nair, one of the acharyas of this school of acting, began redefining some of its tenets based on subtle readings of the attakathas and a deep sense of reasoning. Among the adherents of his innovations is Kottakkal Krishnankutty Nair, who was recently awarded the Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair Memorial Award for his contribution to Kathakali. The Kendra and State Sangeet Natak Akademi awards came his way much earlier.
Early days
Krishnankutty Nair who was born in a family in Central Kerala displayed a penchant for acting from childhood. This was evident when he took the role of Rohithaksha in the drama `Harischandracharitam' that was staged during the Sivaratri festival in his native village. Shortly afterwards, Krishnankutty Nair became a student-artiste in Paramasivavilasom Drama Troupe at Kottakkal.
The troupe, which had the patronage of P.S. Warrier, founder of Kottakkal Aryavaidyasala, was by then famous all over Kerala for its presentation of mythical plays such as `Ajnathavasom' and `Sitaparityagam.'
In course of time, at the request of P.S. Warrier, Vallathol deputed the theatre and Kathakali actor Kuthannoor Karunakara Panickar to Kottackal to impart stylised training in eye-movements and facial expressions to the students. This eventually paved the way for a Kathakali Kalari at Kottakkal. Gradually the troupe became defunct. Kuthannoor Karunakara Panickar began giving Kathakali lessons to Krishnankutty Nair and a couple of other students.
Training
Krishnankutty Nair is perhaps the only actor in Kathakali who has had training under almost half-a-dozen maestros. Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon, Thekkinkattil Ravunni Nair, Kavalappara Narayanan Nair and Vazhenkada Kuchu Nair are the acharyas to whom he owes a lot for shaping his career in Kathakali. To a question on the possible problems he might have had, with a variety of gurus, in developing a style of his own, Krishnankutty Nair is clear in his reply. "Kunju Nair Asan was my principal teacher. I learnt under him for ten-and-a-half years. Yes. As an actor on stage and guru in the Kalari, I was mostly influenced by him alone."
With his definite inclination towards language and authority over aesthetic texts like `Sangeetaratnaakara,' throughout his career Krishnankutty Nair has shown a preference to the enactment of characters such as Rukmangada, King Nala, Bahuka and Arjuna to villainous characters such as Raavana and Narakasura who storm the stage with highly charged nritta and nritya
Krishnankutty Nair is one actor who is guided by restraint and poise in the enactment of heroic roles in Kathakali. Textual orientation coupled with contextual logic is his strength on stage.
Two of his acclaimed roles are that of the brahmin in the play `Santhanagopalam' and Sundarabrahmin in `Rukminiswayamvaram.' Krishnankutty Nair is more comfortable in wielding the satwik characters in Kathakali. Although a traditionalist, Krishnankutty Nair is not averse to the employment of lokadharmi in Kathakali in order to reach out to the audience. The two non-traditional productions, among others, of P.S.V. Natyasanghom - `Kumarasambhavom' and `Ayyappacharitam' - directed by him have been in demand during the temple festival season every year.
"I've applied a heavy dose of lokadharmi natyam in such plays and many people, including devotees, have appreciated it. This does not mean that I have compromised on the organic framework of Kathakali," says Krishnankutty Nair.
Stature and vision
As the principal guru of P.S.V. Natyasanghom for decades, Krishnankutty Nair adamantly maintained quality in teaching and the performance of Kathakali.
Thorough with the techniques of the kalluvazhichitta and its aesthetic perceptions, he has trained distinguished artistes such as Kottackal Chandrasekharan and Nanda Kumar. Krishnankutty Nair resents the commercialisation of Kathakali and is against Kathakali veshams being made to dance to the tune of cinema and pop music. At the same time, defying his adherence to classicism and conventional upbringing, Krishnankutty Nair nurtures no cynicism towards the future of classical performing arts. "There are a handful of talented artistes who can carry on the tradition effortlessly. No reason to worry about the days ahead."
This attitudinal difference sets him apart from other septuagenarian and octogenarian maestros in the field.
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