Majestic portrayals
K.K. GOPALAKRISHNAN
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Parvathi U. Menon is known for her portrayal of masculine and valorous characters in Kathakali.
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Seasoned actor: Parvathi U. Menon is known for her portrayal of characters that are arrogant and evil but valorous.
A masculine art form, Kathakali is predominantly performed by men. Although women like Vanchiyoor Karthyayani Amma, disciple of Damayanthi Narayana Pillai, did make a mark in the field, it was only in the 1950s that women made their way in to this m
ale dominated art.
Organisations such as Thripunithura Vanitha Sangham helped women carve a niche as professional actors in Kathakali. A seasoned actor, Parvathi U. Menon is known for her portrayal of characters that are arrogant and evil but valorous. Playing Duryodhana is her forte. “I owe everything to my father, K.P. Aravindaksha Menon, a Kathakali lover,” says Parvathi, who was initiated into the art form at the age of eight and groomed mainly by FACT Padmanabhan and RLV Rajashekaran.
A first prize in a Kathakali competition conducted by the Kerala Sangeeta Nataka Akademi “helped infuse confidence in me.” She began enacting minor roles and joined the Thripunithura Vanitha Sangham. “My association with the Vanitha Sangham, where we all work as if in a family brought me a lot of performance space.”
Till date, Parvathi has performed in more than 500 stages.
Her first break was in 1985 when she performed in Washinton at the first Festival of India abroad. She performed along with the masters of the period like Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair, Hyderali, Ramankutty Nair, Gopi and Kottakakal Sivarman.
Becoming the character
So, how does she get into the skin of her character?
“When I perform ‘Karnasapadam’ as Duryodhana, my mind delves into the depth of true friendship and the trauma of the character. Almost the same is my feeling in ‘Duryodhanavadham’ while preparing with Dussessena to go for the war with the cousins,” she explains.
“It is the same with Nizhalkoothu,” says Parvathi who believes that it is bitter experience that turns Duryodhana into a cruel person.
“I did attempt female roles too but immediately realised that such roles are not my cup of tea,” says Parvathi.
Some of the other characters she plays are the Roudra Bheema of ‘Duryodhanavadham,’ Kattalan of ‘Kiratam,’ Dakshan and Sivan of ‘Dakshayagam,’ Ravana of ‘Balivadham’ and Balabhadran of ‘Subadraharanam.’ Her favourite play is “Nalacharitam, especially the second and fourth day and in terms of music, third day.”
But what evokes the artiste in Parvathi is the raga Padi that is hallmarked for heroic characters of Kathakali in kathi make-up.
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