 |
Kalamandalam Radhika | |
|---|---|
 Kalamandalam Radhika | |
| Born | |
| Occupation(s) | Dancer, choreographer and stage performer |
Kalamandalam Radhika is an Indian classical dancer, choreographer, research scholar, teacher, writer and philanthropist. She was the first non-resident Keralite to win the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award for Mohiniyattom. She learnt Kuchipudi, Bharatanatyam, Kathakali and other dance forms.
Kalamandalam Radhika was born in Bangalore to K.K Nair, a chartered accountant. She started learning dancing at the age of three under Guru Rajan, and later learnt Kathakali from Muttar Sri. Narayana Panicker and mridhangamvaitharis from Guru Ponniahpillai. In the late 1960s, she moved to Cheruthuruthy and stayed at the Kalamandalam for four years. Under the wings of Chinnammu Amma, Kalamandalam Sathyabhama and Kalamandalam Padmanabhan Nair she was moulded into a skilled performer. Her tutelage under the late Kalamandalam Kalyani Kutty Amma and her training under Kalamandalam Padmanabha Ashan in Kathakali honed her skills. [1]
She has conducted more than two thousand performances in India and abroad at national and international levels. She is a member of the UNESCO International Dance Council, and has conducted her performances for WHO delegates, SAARC delegates, diplomats, Soviet representatives, and others. [2] To explore the depths of Mohiniyattom, she has undertaken extensive research, and re-organized the basic steps, jewellery and costumes worn by Mohiniyattom dancers of the early 1940s. [3] [4] She has executed and choreographed biblical themes including the advent of Christianity in India, and the birth of Christ.
Radhika has conducted workshops in US, UK, Europe, Atlanta, and Germany. She has also choreographed and danced for Behold Thy Mother, a biblical film directed by an Italian priest Fr.Gerard. She has composed and choreographed five cholkettus, three varnams and innumerable padams in different languages. She was criticized for performing biblical themes in Mohiniattam, but the poetical works of VeerappaMoily, Kuvempu, Fr. Abel, Amruth Someshwar and St. Chavara as adapted by Radhika were well received. [5]
Radhika has written numerous articles for the dance and music magazine Shrutilaya and has submitted a paper on Mohiniyattom at a seminar organized by the NCERT on the subject of ‘Dance Education in Schools'. She has also written an article about the Devadasi system of Kerala for the weekly Indu , published from Houston, USA, and is the author of the books 'Mohiniyattom-The Lyrical Dance of Kerala´ and ‘Mudra’ published by Mathrabhoomi. [6] [7]
| Year | Film | Role | Channel | Language | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Slave Market [8] | Hanima | MBC Group | English-Arabic | International TV Series |
| 2019–2021 | Sumangali Bhava | Muthassi | Zee Keralam | Malayalam | Serial |
| 2018 | Straight Line | Herself | Kaumudy TV | Malayalam | |
| 2018 | Aa Yathrayil | Herself | Safari TV | Malayalam | |
| 2018 | Charutha | Herself | Kerala Vision | Malayalam | |
| 2016-2017 | Manjal Prasadam | Nagamadathamma | Flowers TV | Malayalam | Serial |
| 2011-2012 | Kadhayile Rajakumari | Abhi's Mother | Mazhavil Manorama | Malayalam | Serial |
| 2006 | Shakunam | Nun | DD Malayalam | Malayalam | Telefilm |
| Year | Film | Role | language |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Valatty | Owner of Bruno | Malayalam |
| 2022 | Innale Vare | Ramaniyamma | Malayalam |
| 2018 | Marunnu (short) | Umma | Malayalam |
| 2014 | Namma Gramam | Narayani | Tamil |
| 2013 | Cleopatra | Inmate | Malayalam |
| 2012 | Gramam | Narayani | Malayalam |
| 2012 | Chapters | Lady at hospital | Malayalam |
| 2012 | Ordinary | Jose's mother | Malayalam |
| 2011 | Veeraputhran | Vayattati | Malayalam |
| 2010 | Kadha Thudarunnu | Principal | Malayalam |
| 2010 | Janaki | Santha Cheriyamma | Malayalam |
| 2009 | Ritu | Sarath's mother | Malayalam |
| 2008 | Innathe Chintha Vishayam | Noushad's Aunt | Malayalam |
| 2008 | De Ingottu Nokkiye | Politician | Malayalam |
| 2007 | Vinodayathra | Doctor | Malayalam |
| 2007 | Nivedyam | Ramavarma Thampuran's sister | Malayalam |
| 2006 | Rasathanthram | Nun | Malayalam |
| 2005 | Achuvinte Amma | Moothumma's relative | Malayalam |
| 1982 | Kilukilukkam | Dance teacher | Malayalam |
Perumanoor Gopinathan Pillai, more popularly known as Guru Gopinath was a well known actor-cum-dancer. He is well regarded as the greatest preserver of the dance tradition. He is a recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Fellowship, and the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award.
Kerala Natanam is a new style of dance that is now recognised as a distinct art form evolved from Kathakali, a form of Indian dance-drama. The Indian dancer Guru Gopinath a well-trained Kathakali artist and his wife Thankamani Gopinath who was the first student of Mohiniyattam in Kerala Kalamandalam developed a unique structure for teaching and performing classical dance forms of India whose origins are from Kathakali. Solo, duets, dance dramas and traditional folk dances were the material they chose.
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.
Sunanda Nair is an Indian dancer trained in Mohiniattam. She did her master's degree in this dance form from Nalanda Nritya Kala Mahavidyalaya affiliated to the University of Mumbai. She has completed her PhD from University of Mumbai for her thesis "Intrinsic Lyrical Feminism in Mohiniattam". She was born in Mumbai, India.
Gandhi Seva Sadan is a Kathakali institution located in Perur village, some 12 kilometres east of Ottapalam in Palakkad district of north-central Kerala in southern India. It was founded in 1953 by the (late) Gandhian and freedom fighter K. Kumaran, equally known for his unflagging devotion to the promotion of the arts.
Kalamandalam Kallyanikutty Amma was an epoch-making Mohiniyattam danseuse from Kerala in southern India. A native of Thirunavaya in Malappuram district of the state, she was instrumental in resurrecting Mohiniyattam from a dismal, near-extinct state into a mainstream Indian classical dance, rendering it formal structure and ornamentation.
Kalamandalam Padmanabhan Nair (1928–2007) was an eminent Kathakali exponent, equally known for his capacities as a tutor, theoretician and author of a few authentic texts on the classical dance-drama from Kerala in south India. A son of the Kathakali guru Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon, Padmanabhan Nair was one of the early-batch students in Kerala Kalamandalam, where he subsequently joined as a teacher and retired as its principal in 1990. He died on 3 April 2007, at his home in Shoranur, near his alma mater, where he led his post-professorial life with wife and Mohiniyattam exponent and guru, Kalamandalam Satyabhama.
Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon (1880–1948) was a pivotal figure in the history of Kathakali, having played a crucial role in remoulding and refining its grammar in the famed Kalluvazhi tradition of the classical dance-drama from Kerala in south India. He was trained in the art form at a culture-patronising Namboodiri mansion in Vellinezhi near his home.
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.
Guru Chandrasekharan (1916–1998) was an Indian classical dancer, choreographer and instructor of Kathakali. He was born in Trivandrum, India in 1916. His father was N.K. Nair, an artist and notable oil painter. Guru Chandrasekharan held tenure at the Visva Bharati University (Santiniketan) from 1947 to 1950, where he was a Professor of Classical Dance, focusing on Kathakali.
Smitha Rajan is an Indian Mohiniyattam performer from Kerala and granddaughter of the Indian classical dancers Padma Shri Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair and Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma.
Shanta Rao was a notable dancer from India. She studied and performed Kathakali, Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi.
Kalamandalam V. Satyabhama was an Indian classical dancer, teacher and choreographer, known for her performances and scholarship in mohiniyattam. She was awarded the Padma Shri, in 2014, for her contributions to the art and culture, by the Government of India.
Bharati Shivaji is an Indian classical dancer of Mohiniyattom, choreographer and author, known for her contributions to the art form by way of performance, research and propagation. She is the founder of Center for Mohiniyattam, a dance academy promoting Mohiniyattom and the co-author of two books, Art of Mohiniyattom and Mohiniyattom. She is a recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and Sahitya Kala Parishad Samman. The Government of India awarded her the fourth highest civilian honour of the Padma Shri, in 2004, for her contributions to Indian classical dance.
Kalamandalam Devaki was an Indian exponent of the Ottan Thullal dance and song tradition. She was the first woman artist in this male-dominated field. She was awarded the Kalamandalam prize and the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award.
Chemancheri Kunhiraman Nair, also known as Guru Chemancheri was an Indian Kathakali actor. He spent over eighty years learning and teaching and performing Kathakali, a major form of classical Indian dance. The Government of India awarded him the fourth highest civilian honour, Padma Shri in 2017.
Kala Vijayan is an Indian classical dance performer, choreographer, author and actor. She is the daughter of the legendary Kathakali artist Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair and Mohiniyattam exponent Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma. Kala Vijayan is trained in Mohiniyattam, Bharatanatyam and Kathakali, however she is best known for her contributions to Mohiniyattam. She is the recipient of Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award for Mohiniyattam (1998) and the Kerala State Award for Mohiniyattam (2019). She is the Principal Director and senior Guru at Kerala Kalalayam, a fine arts institute established by her parents at Thripunithura in 1952.
Kalamandalam Rajan was a Kathakali exponent from Kerala, India. He has been honored with several noted awards including the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award 2009, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Gurupooja award 2006 and awards from Kerala Kalamandalam.
Gopika Varma is a Kerala born Mohiniyattam dancer and dance teacher who is settled in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. She received several awards including Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award and Kalaimamani.
Tara Rajkumar is an Indian classical dancer and dance teacher. She is an exponent in Indian classical dances like kathakali and mohiniyattam. In 2009, she was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia. She also received many other awards including Victorian Honour Roll of Women and Victorian Volunteer Award.
