Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair
Encyclopedia
Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair is one of the most senior performers of Kathakali
, having been a grand and sober presence on the art form's stage for a span of over seven decades. More than the longevity, it is the poise and precision of his body movements that enable him to stand out as a master craftsman of the heavily stylised Kalluvazhi style of the four-century-old dance-drama from Kerala
in southern India
.
, his only teacher in his entire career. Both hail from Vellinezhi
, which is still known for churning out a lot of Kathakali artistes, in Palakkad
district. Ramankutty Nair had served in his alma mater, Kerala Kalamandalam
, and went on to become its principal.
Of all roles, he has been most celebrated for the portrayal of the anti-hero
Kathi
roles. His Ravana
, Duryodhana
, Keechaka and Cheriya Narakasura
have had few parallels in perfection and power. He is equally a master in the essay of the Hanuman
, the monkey-god in the three storyplays of Kalyanasougandhikam, Thoranayuddham and Lavanasuravadham. It was, however, through a pathbreaking portrayal of sage Parasuraman in semi-realistic make-up and costumes (in place of the traditional yellow-hued pazhuppu vesham) that earned Ramankutty Nair much acclaim in his earlier days.
His medium build and average facial features don't make him particularly slotted for the romantic pachcha (green-hued) Kathakali heroes like Nala
n, Karna
n or Rukmangada
n. All the same, Ramankutty Nair has been a role model for many in the portrayal of the protagonists (Bhima
n, Arjuna
n and Yudhishthiran) in the choreographically complex and challenging Kottayam
plays (Kalyanasougandhikam, Bakavadham, Kalakeyavadham and Kirmeeravadham). The master is equally an exemplary presence in breezy portrayal of the black-bearded Kaattaalan (woodsman) in Nalacharitam Randam Divasam. His Brahmana in Santanagopalam too has been counted among his lead roles.
Overall, his career, steeped in sheer determination to stick to the classicism
of Kathakali, has juxtaposed with his more popular contemporary, the late Padma Shri
Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair
, who was known for his improvisation-filled, vibrant, more colourful and at times outlandish portrayal of roles. It's another matter that they made a hit pair in Kalyanasougandhikam with Krishnan Nair as the Pandava prince Bhiman and Ramankutty Nair as his elder brother Hanuman, the son of Vayu. (Kalamandalam Gopi
as Bhima too has always been a good cast against Ramankutty Nair, while Kottakkal Sivaraman
made his Sairandhri
a hit opposite Ramankutty Nair's Keechaka.)
Born in 1929, Ramankutty Nair hailed from a family with no Kathakali pedigree. But Ravunni Menon, a resident tutor at the renowned Olappamanna Mana (a mansion of the upper-caste Nambudiris) was an overarching presence in the cultural scene of the village, and soon little Ramankutty too fell under his spell. At Kerala Kalamandalam
, where he subsequently mastered the art, Ramankutty Nair later sculpted out several disciples, the most prominent among them being Kalamandalam Gopi besides Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody
, M.P.S. Namboodiri, Balasubramanian and the late K. Gopalakrishnan. Many of the younger generation Kathakali artistes from Kalamandalam, like Soman and Shanmughan, too have had Ramankutty Nair as their guru for advanced training. (He retired as principal of Kalamandalam in 1985). Currently, he is the chairman of Gandhi Seva Sadan
, or Sadanam Kathakali Akademi as it is better known. Still active as an artiste, the master has performed across Kerala, besides having graced stages in the rest of India and several countries of the world.
The generally reticent Ramankutty Nair, who has penned an autobiography named Thiranottam, is a winner of the coveted Padma Bhushan
award of the Government of India
. Renowned filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan
has made an eponymous documentary on Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair. of Kathakali
, and is a film by the same name on him by Adoor Gopalakrishnan
.
The master lives in his native Vellinezhi with his wife Saraswati. On May 15, 2009, he celebrated his 'satabhishekam' (84th birthday) amid fanfare in the nearest town of Cherpulassery.
Kathakali
Kathakali is a highly stylized classical Indian dance-drama noted for the attractive make-up of characters, elaborate costumes, detailed gestures and well-defined body movements presented in tune with the anchor playback music and complementary percussion...
, having been a grand and sober presence on the art form's stage for a span of over seven decades. More than the longevity, it is the poise and precision of his body movements that enable him to stand out as a master craftsman of the heavily stylised Kalluvazhi style of the four-century-old dance-drama from Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
in southern India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
Biography
If Kathakali, like any classical performing art, is poetry in motion, then Ramankutty Nair, with his jerkless and polished movement of the limbs and torso, best exemplifies it. He owes the purity of his style to his legendary guru Pattikkamthodi Ravunni MenonPattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon
Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon 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...
, his only teacher in his entire career. Both hail from Vellinezhi
Vellinezhi
Vellinezhi is a small but culturally crucial village located in Palakkad district of Kerala in southern India. The sylvan, rugged land is located on the banks of the Kunti, a slender rivulet that forms tributary to the broad, west-flowing Bharatapuzha that criss-crosses central Kerala in southern...
, which is still known for churning out a lot of Kathakali artistes, in Palakkad
Palakkad
Palakkad , formerly known as Palghat, is a municipality and a town in the state of Kerala in southern India, spread over an area of 26.60 km2.The city is situated about north of state capital Thiruvananthapuram. It is the administrative headquarters of Palakkad District...
district. Ramankutty Nair had served in his alma mater, Kerala Kalamandalam
Kerala Kalamandalam
Kerala Kalamandalam , lately renamed as Kalamandalam Deemed University of Art and Culture, is a major centre for learning Indian performing arts, especially those that developed in the southern state of India, with the special emphasis on Kerala. It is situated in the village of Cheruthuruthy in...
, and went on to become its principal.
Of all roles, he has been most celebrated for the portrayal of the anti-hero
Anti-hero
In fiction, an antihero is generally considered to be a protagonist whose character is at least in some regards conspicuously contrary to that of the archetypal hero, and is in some instances its antithesis in which the character is generally useless at being a hero or heroine when they're...
Kathi
Kathi
The word Kathi* is used sometimes as short form of Kathleen* is used to denote Kathi People - natives of Kathiawar - a region of India.* was a small princely state part of the Mewas States in former district of Khandesh....
roles. His Ravana
Ravana
' is the primary antagonist character of the Hindu legend, the Ramayana; who is the great king of Lanka. In the classic text, he is mainly depicted negatively, kidnapping Rama's wife Sita, to claim vengeance on Rama and his brother Lakshmana for having cut off the nose of his sister...
, Duryodhana
Duryodhana
In the Hindu epic the Mahābhārata, Duryodhana is the eldest son of the blind king Dhritarashtra by Queen Gandhari, the eldest of the one hundred Kaurava brothers, Emperor of the world at that time which means Emperor of India or Bharatvarsha as it was known at that time, cousin and the chief...
, Keechaka and Cheriya Narakasura
Narakasura
In Hindu beliefs, Narakasura or Naraka is the asura son of the earth goddess Bhudevi and Lord Vishnu in his Varaha Avatar . In other sources, he is the son of the asura Hiranyaksha. He is said to have established the kingdom of Pragjyotisha in Assam after overthrowing the last of the Danava king...
have had few parallels in perfection and power. He is equally a master in the essay of the Hanuman
Hanuman
Hanuman , is a Hindu deity, who is an ardent devotee of Rama, a central character in the Indian epic Ramayana and one of the dearest devotees of lord Rama. A general among the vanaras, an ape-like race of forest-dwellers, Hanuman is an incarnation of the divine and a disciple of Lord Rama in the...
, the monkey-god in the three storyplays of Kalyanasougandhikam, Thoranayuddham and Lavanasuravadham. It was, however, through a pathbreaking portrayal of sage Parasuraman in semi-realistic make-up and costumes (in place of the traditional yellow-hued pazhuppu vesham) that earned Ramankutty Nair much acclaim in his earlier days.
His medium build and average facial features don't make him particularly slotted for the romantic pachcha (green-hued) Kathakali heroes like Nala
Nala
Nala , a character in Hindu mythology, is the king of Nishadha Kingdom, son of Virasena. Nala is known for his skill with horses and culinary expertise. He marries princess Damayanti, of Vidarbha Kingdom, and their story is told in the Mahabharata. His main weakness is gambling...
n, Karna
Karna
Karna or Radheya is one of the central characters in the epic Mahābhārata, from ancient India. He was the King of Anga...
n or Rukmangada
Rukmangada
Rukmangada is the name of a character in Hindu mythology. He was a great devotee of Vishnu.-Legend:Rukmangada was looked upon as a good and pious king. He is happily married to Sandhyavali and the couple have a small son named Dharmangada...
n. All the same, Ramankutty Nair has been a role model for many in the portrayal of the protagonists (Bhima
Bhima
In the Mahābhārata, Bhima is one of the central characters of Mahabharata and the second of the Pandava brothers...
n, Arjuna
Arjuna
Arjuna in Indian mythology is the greatest warrior on earth and is one of the Pandavas, the heroes of the Hindu epic Mahābhārata. Arjuna, whose name means 'bright', 'shining', 'white' or 'silver' Arjuna (Devanagari: अर्जुन, Thai: อรชุน, Orachun, Tamil: Arjunan, Indonesian and Javanese: Harjuna,...
n and Yudhishthiran) in the choreographically complex and challenging Kottayam
Kottayam
Kottayam is a city in the Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 55.40 km2. It is the administrative capital of the Kottayam district. Kottayam Kottayam (Malayalam: കോട്ടയം) is a city in the Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 55.40 km2. It is the administrative...
plays (Kalyanasougandhikam, Bakavadham, Kalakeyavadham and Kirmeeravadham). The master is equally an exemplary presence in breezy portrayal of the black-bearded Kaattaalan (woodsman) in Nalacharitam Randam Divasam. His Brahmana in Santanagopalam too has been counted among his lead roles.
Overall, his career, steeped in sheer determination to stick to the classicism
Classicism
Classicism, in the arts, refers generally to a high regard for classical antiquity, as setting standards for taste which the classicists seek to emulate. The art of classicism typically seeks to be formal and restrained: of the Discobolus Sir Kenneth Clark observed, "if we object to his restraint...
of Kathakali, has juxtaposed with his more popular contemporary, the late Padma Shri
Padma Shri
Padma Shri is the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan...
Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair
Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair
Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair was one of the most renowned Kathakali artists of any time, and arguably the greatest in the history of the four-century-old classical dance-drama from Kerala in southern India...
, who was known for his improvisation-filled, vibrant, more colourful and at times outlandish portrayal of roles. It's another matter that they made a hit pair in Kalyanasougandhikam with Krishnan Nair as the Pandava prince Bhiman and Ramankutty Nair as his elder brother Hanuman, the son of Vayu. (Kalamandalam Gopi
Kalamandalam Gopi
Vadakke Manalath Govindan Nair popularly known as Kalamandalam Gopi is a exponent of the classical dance-drama style known as Kathakali...
as Bhima too has always been a good cast against Ramankutty Nair, while Kottakkal Sivaraman
Kottakkal Sivaraman
Kottakkal Sivaraman was an acclaimed performing artiste who revolutionised the portrayal of female roles in Kathakali, the classical dance-drama from Kerala in southern India...
made his Sairandhri
Sairandhri
Sairandhri is a place in Kerala, South India at about . It is the entrance point and visitors center for Silent Valley National Park. Sairandhri is the site of a controversial hydroelectric dam that was proposed in 1958 and finally rejected in 1984....
a hit opposite Ramankutty Nair's Keechaka.)
Born in 1929, Ramankutty Nair hailed from a family with no Kathakali pedigree. But Ravunni Menon, a resident tutor at the renowned Olappamanna Mana (a mansion of the upper-caste Nambudiris) was an overarching presence in the cultural scene of the village, and soon little Ramankutty too fell under his spell. At Kerala Kalamandalam
Kerala Kalamandalam
Kerala Kalamandalam , lately renamed as Kalamandalam Deemed University of Art and Culture, is a major centre for learning Indian performing arts, especially those that developed in the southern state of India, with the special emphasis on Kerala. It is situated in the village of Cheruthuruthy in...
, where he subsequently mastered the art, Ramankutty Nair later sculpted out several disciples, the most prominent among them being Kalamandalam Gopi besides Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody
Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody
Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody is a leading Kathakali artiste known for his restrained portrayal of character roles in the classical dance-drama of Kerala in south India. A frontline disciple of Padma Shri Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair, he excels in virtuous pachcha, anti-hero Kathi and the semi-realistic...
, M.P.S. Namboodiri, Balasubramanian and the late K. Gopalakrishnan. Many of the younger generation Kathakali artistes from Kalamandalam, like Soman and Shanmughan, too have had Ramankutty Nair as their guru for advanced training. (He retired as principal of Kalamandalam in 1985). Currently, he is the chairman of Gandhi Seva Sadan
Gandhi Seva Sadan
Gandhi Seva Sadan, or simply Sadanam, 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 Gandhian and freedom fighter K...
, or Sadanam Kathakali Akademi as it is better known. Still active as an artiste, the master has performed across Kerala, besides having graced stages in the rest of India and several countries of the world.
The generally reticent Ramankutty Nair, who has penned an autobiography named Thiranottam, is a winner of the coveted Padma Bhushan
Padma Bhushan
The Padma Bhushan is the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri. It is awarded by the Government of India.-History:...
award of the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
. Renowned filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan
Adoor Gopalakrishnan
Moutatthu "Adoor" Gopalakrishnan Unnithan is an Indian film director, script writer, and producer. Adoor Gopalakrishnan had a major role in revolutionizing Malayalam cinema and is regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers of India.. Adoor's first film Swayamvaram pioneered the new wave cinema...
has made an eponymous documentary on Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair. of Kathakali
Kathakali
Kathakali is a highly stylized classical Indian dance-drama noted for the attractive make-up of characters, elaborate costumes, detailed gestures and well-defined body movements presented in tune with the anchor playback music and complementary percussion...
, and is a film by the same name on him by Adoor Gopalakrishnan
Adoor Gopalakrishnan
Moutatthu "Adoor" Gopalakrishnan Unnithan is an Indian film director, script writer, and producer. Adoor Gopalakrishnan had a major role in revolutionizing Malayalam cinema and is regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers of India.. Adoor's first film Swayamvaram pioneered the new wave cinema...
.
The master lives in his native Vellinezhi with his wife Saraswati. On May 15, 2009, he celebrated his 'satabhishekam' (84th birthday) amid fanfare in the nearest town of Cherpulassery.