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Evocative rendition
K. PRADEEP
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Kottakkal Madhu’s style of rendition helps in creating a link between the singer and the audience.
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New dimensions: Kottakkal Madhu believes in moving with the times.
The voice wafted through the night air. It was velvety, but powerful. For the audience, engrossed in the story of ‘Nalacharitham,’ the scenes on the stage became almost irrelevant. It was as if the music and that voice had transported t
hem to another world.The wonderful spectacle of the play unfolded through Kottakkal Madhu’s enchanting rendering.
Able successor
Madhu is the worthy successor of a singing style in Kathakali popularised by Unnikrishna Kurup, Hyder Ali, Sankaran Embranthiri and Venmani Haridas.
He is the vanguard of the new generation of Kathakali singers. Purists may still disapprove of this ‘popularisation move,’ but the fact remains that this style has helped in creating a defining link between the singer and the audience. “As a singer I think we need to keep pace with the times and trend in audience tastes. It is not that I’m not traditional. I’m only trying to follow a popular trend in Kathakali music. This is nothing but incorporating Carnatic ragas into the traditional Sopana Sangeetham style to give the rendition some verve,” says Madhu.
A singing career and that too in Kathakali was something Madhu had never bargained for. In fact, there were very few options before him. “I am one among six children. My parents found it hard to make ends meet. That was when we got to know that singers were being recruited at PSV Natyasanghom, Kottakkal. Since I used to show interest in music, my father took me for the interview.”
Madhu was hardly 12 then but he still remembers that day.
“I was thrilled because it was a chance to travel in a bus for about 70 km from my place at Kongad. I knew only two krithis or songs if you could call it. One was ‘Ninnu kori…; in Mohanam and the other was the film song ‘Radhika Krishna…,’ sung by Rajakumaran Unni. Unnikrishna Kurup Asan was among those who interviewed me. I was happy when they told me that I was selected. ”
For the last 28 years Madhu has been an integral part of PSV Natyasanghom. “After I completed my course in Kathakali Sangeetham I joined the institution as a member of the teaching faculty. Here I was fortunate to be trained by Neelakantan Nambisan Asan. I was provided the opportunity to learn Carnatic music, which later became vital. ”
Madhu imbibed the ‘Bhavagana tradition’ of Kathakali singing. Like his predecessors, Madhu gave every line, every word the precise ‘bhava.’ This he did keeping in mind the actors on stage thereby imparting a new, intense dimension to the characters. Kathakali ‘padams’ acquire a rare vitality and beauty when Madhu renders them.
“I have heard of so many great singers like Madambi (Subramaniam Namboodiri) and the late Tirur Nambisan who were contemporaries of Embranthiri and Hyder Ali. They were unflinching sticklers to tradition, but wonderful singers. But they lost out in the popularity race. They were not able to move with the times. I have felt singing with Madambi Asan an enriching experience, something I always look forward to.”
Bold experimentation
Madhu is known for his bold experimentation, in ‘ragavistara,’ introduction of new ragas and creating his own compositions. His singing for ‘melapadam’ in more than 25 ragas is a Madhu speciality.
Singing and composing music for Bharatanatyam and Mohiniyattam is also something he loves. Madhu has brought out two albums of his titled ‘Kathakali Padangal.’ His voice was used in the film ‘Vaanaprastham,’ while the Kathakali padams such as ‘Hantha Hanumane…,’ ‘Ajitha hare…’ and ‘Sukhamo Devi…’ in the Jayaraj film ‘Anandabhairavi’ were also rendered by Madhu.
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Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
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