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 minukku roles alike. Nalan, Bahukan, Arjunan, Bhiman, Dharmaputrar, Rugmangadan, Narakaasuran, Ravanan, Parashuraman and Brahmanan are his masterpieces. Vasu Pisharody was born on August 15, 1943, at Kongad in Palakkad district. After schooling, he had his primary Kathakali lessons under Balakrishnan Nair at Kerala Kalalayam in Ottapalam. He subsequently joined PSV Natyasangham in Kottakkal, was a student there for 3 years, and later in Kerala Kalamandalam, where he undertook further studies for seven years—both under Kunchu Nair. Vasu Pisharody also had his higher studies under Padma Bhushan Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair and the late Kalamandalam Padmanabhan Nair.

Main Category: Dance

Sub Category: Kathakali

Veteran Kathakali artiste and teacher Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody has been chosen for the state Kathakali award 2012. While Peruvanam Kuttan Manar was selected for the Pallavur Appu Marar award for the year, Kalamandalam Saraswathy Amma won the Kerala Nritha-Natya award 2012. The awards comprise of a purse of Rs 1 lakh each and citations. The awards were announced by cultural minister K C Joseph

He is known for the romantic and dramatic portrayal of the virtuous pachcha roles in Kathakali, notable among them being Nalan, Karnan and Rukmangadan. He is equally adept in essaying the choreographically denser roles like Bheeman (in the stories Kalyanasougandhikam or Bakavadham), Arjuna (Subhadraharanam) and Dharmaputrar (that's Yudhishthira in Kirmeeravadham). Nair, a Padma Shri awardee, also excels in the yellow-faced pazhuppu roles such as Balabhadra, and has of late also branched out to portray variety roles like the anti-heroic Kathi (like Ravana, Keechaka and Duryodhana) black-bearded Kaatalan (Kiratham), red-bearded Bali (Balivijayam) and even the semi-realistic looking Brahmanan in Santanagopalam.

Main Category: Dance

Sub Category: Kathakali

Gopi has also acted (without Kathakali make-up or costumes) in a couple of Malayalam feature films like Vanaprastham (directed by Shaji N. Karun) and Shantham (by Jayaraj). Filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan made a documentary film of Gopi, entitled Kalamandalam Gopi. This was well reviewed and was shown at the International Film Festival of India in 2000, as well as at other festivals within India, in the West and in the Far East. Journalist Meena (Das) Narayan produced and directed a docu-fiction about Gopi in 2010. Titled Making of a Maestro, the documentary explores the evolution of Nair from childhood onwards. Gopi's select stage performances have been shot and brought out on a commercial basis on VCDs and DVDs, mainly by Vedika, a cultural forum based in Thrissur.

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Main Category: Dance

Sub Category: Kathakali

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Main Category: Dance

Sub Category: Kathakali

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Kalamandalam Krishna Prasad was born on January 21, 1963 to K P Madhavan Nair and Rugminiamma. He started his initial training in Kathakali under Evur Sankara Pillai and Evur Krishnan Nair. His first stage performance was at Evur Sreekrishnaswamy temple as Krishnan in Gurudakshina. After completing SSLC, he joined Kerala Kalamandalam and finished his six years training and two years post graduation in Kathakali. He took Kathakali training under MPS Nambuthiri, Kalamandalam Vijayan, Kalamandalam Gopi, and Vasu Pisharody. He is very active in the Kathakali field and is an expert in doing male and female characters.

Main Category: Dance

Sub Category: Kathakali

He received M A Vellody Medal for best student from Kalamandalam, Vazhenkada Kunjunair award for best Cholliyattam, Pallippuram Gopalan Nair Award from Cherthala Kathakali Club, Kummini Vasudevan Nambuthiri Award, and Guru Chengannur Raman Pillai Smaraka Kalavedi Award. He visited France along with Kerala Kalamandalam Kathakali troupe. Chettikulangara Unnikrishnan, Madhu Varanasi and Abhijith Radhakrishnan (MD Student) learnt Kathakali from him Now Krishna Prasad is working as a Kathakali coordinator in people's channel of Kairali TV. He has his own Kathakali yogam and can arrange Kathakali programs in any part of India.

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Main Category: Dance

Sub Category: Kathakali

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