Kavalam Narayana Panikkar was an Indian dramatist, theatre director, and poet. He has written over 26 Malayalam plays, many adapted from classical Sanskrit drama and Shakespeare, notably Kalidasa's Vikramorvasiyam, Shakuntalam (1982), Bhasa's Madhyamavyayogam (1979), Karnabharam, Uru Bhangam (1988), Swapnavasavadattam, and Dootavakyam (1996). He was the founder – director of theatre troupe, Sopanam, which led to the foundation of Bhashabharati: Centre for Performing Arts, Training and Research, in Trivandrum.
Vadakke Manalath Govindan Nair popularly known as Kalamandalam Gopi, is an Indian dancer who is an exponent of the classical dance-drama style known as Kathakali.
S. L. Puram Sadanandan was an Indian playwright and film scriptwriter from Kerala, India.
Malabar Gopalan Nair Radhakrishnan was an Indian music director and Carnatic vocalist from Kerala.
Maheshwari Amma, better known by her stage name K. P. A. C. Lalitha, was an Indian film and stage actress who worked primarily in the Malayalam film industry. She started her acting career with Kerala People's Arts Club, a theatre collective in Kayamkulam, Kerala. In a career spanning five decades, she starred in over 550 films.
Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody was an Indian Kathakali actor known for his classical dance-drama of Kerala. A frontline disciple of Padma Shri Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair, he exceled in virtuous pachcha, anti-hero Kathi and the semi-realistic minukku roles alike. Nalan, Bahukan, Arjunan, Bhiman, Dharmaputrar, Rugmangadan, Narakaasuran, Ravanan, Parashuraman and Brahmanan were his masterpieces. Vasu Pisharody performed Kathakali all over India and visited foreign countries about 20 times.
Maliyekkal Kochukunju Arjunan was an Indian film and theatre composer, known for his works in Malayalam cinema and the theatre of Kerala. He was fondly referred to as Arjunan Master.
S. Ramesan Nair was an Indian lyricist and poet who worked predominantly in the Malayalam film industry. Over his career he wrote songs for over 170 films and over 3,000 devotional songs outside of the films. He debuted with the movie Pathamudhayam in 1985. He was a recipient of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award in 2010 and the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award in 2018 for his collection of poems Gurupournami.
Damayanthi, better known by her stage name Kozhikode Santha Devi, was an Indian Malayalam film and stage actress. In a career spanning about sixty years, she acted in more than 1000 plays and about 480 films.
Poovachal Khader was a Malayalam lyricist from Kerala who worked mainly in Malayalam film industry. His first movie as a lyricist was Kaattuvithachavan (1973) but his first released movie was Chuzhi (1973). His last movie was Mothathi Kozhappa (2023).
Jagathy N. K. Achary (1924–1997) was an Indian dramatist and writer who also worked in Malayalam films. He was known for his plays and screenplays. He is the father of actor Jagathy Sreekumar.
Ravi Vallathol was an Indian actor, mainly noted for his acting in many famous serials, including the first serial in Malayalam.
Gopala Pillai Sankara Pillai, better known as G. Sankara Pillai, was an Indian playwright, literary critic, and director, known to be one of the pioneers of modern Malayalam theatre. A proponent of total theater, he was the founder of Nataka Kalari movement in Kerala and the chairman of the Kerala Sangeeta Nataka Akademi. He was a recipient of a number of awards including the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Drama in 1964 for the work Rail Palangal and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for the best playwright in 1979.
Rajeev Alunkal is an Indian prominent poet, lyricist, music director and well known orator. now he is the Member central film censor board. He is the former chairman of Kumaranashan Smarakam, Pallana, Govt of Kerala. He is best known for writing lyrics on romantic and philosophical themes. He has written numerous poems and songs. Rajeev has penned lyrics for songs in about 130 movies, of which a few are worth mention – Vettom, Mallu Singh Kanaka Simhaasanam, Oru Marubhoomikkadha, Romans, Sound Thoma, Chattakkari, Angry babies, Aamayum Muyalum, Happy Wedding, Kuttanadan Marpappa, Aanakallan.
Kamukara Purushothaman was an Indian singer. He was a noted playback singer in Malayalam cinema during its early years. He has recorded over 170 songs in 68 movies in various South Indian languages.
Arjunan Pillayum Anchu Makkalum is a 1997 Indian Malayalam-language film directed and produced by Chandrasekharan. The film stars Innocent, Jagadish, Jagathy Sreekumar, Harishree Ashokan, KPAC Lalitha, Kalpana, Charmila, Baiju Santhosh and Bindu Panicker in the lead roles. The film has musical score by Mohan Sithara. It is a remake of the 1996 Tamil film Kaalam Maari Pochu.
R. K. Damodaran is a poet and lyricist who has worked predominantly in the Malayalam movie industry. He also worked as a journalist in Mathrubhumi from 1982 to 2013. He has written lyrics for almost 3,600 songs in devotional, political, environmental, drama and light music genres, including two Sanskrit songs. He has worked in more than 100 Malayalam films and written songs like "Ravivarma Chithrathin", "Thalam Thettiya Tharatt", "Manjil Chekkerum", "Sukham", "Chandrakiranathin Chandanamunnum", "Thani Thankakkinapponkal" and "Pakalppoove".
Chakkalakal Lonappan Jose, is an Indian playwright of Malayalam literature. One of the pioneers of popular Malayalam theatre and a former chairman of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, Jose is the author of 36 plays, 75 one-act plays, one children's play and Ormakalkku Urakkamilla, his autobiography. He is a recipient of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Drama, Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Overall Contributions, Kerala Sahitya Akademi Fellowship, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Fellowship and S. L. Puram Sadanandan Puraskaram of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi.
Babu Annur also known as C. K. Babu is an Indian film and theater actor, working predominantly in the Malayalam movie industry. He is actively involved in theater in Malayalam as an actor since 1974. He has done more than seventy-five plays as of 2020. Babu was born on 14 May 1962 in the municipality of Payyannur, Kannur, to Kunjirama Pothuval and Kodi Amma. He started acting in theater at the age of twelve as a child artist at Ravi Varma Kala Nilayam with his elder brothers CK Ramakrishnan & CK Thamapan who were involved in theatre.,
Champakulam Pachu Pillai is a Kathakali exponent from Kerala, India. He was a specialist in the thadi or bearded roles in kathakali. He has been honored with several noted awards including the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award 1983, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award 1969 and Kerala Kalamandalam Award 1991.
