Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair
Encyclopedia
Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair (1914–1990) 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
. He had fleshy, flexible and clean-cut facial features that were powerful to launch any emotion with amazing power and ease, and was intelligent enough to acquire and exhibit varied styles of Kathakali that were in vogue across Kerala during his lifetime.
A Padma Shri
awardee, Krishnan Nair was a genuine all-rounder who had the calibre to emote any role in Kathakali and, what's more, add his signature flair to it. Even so, he was most widely celebrated for his essaying of the virtuous and romantic pachcha (green-hued) roles like Nala
n, Bhima
n, Arjuna
n, Rukmangada
n and Karna
n.
A native of Payyannur near Taliparamba
in north Malabar, he was initiated into Kathakali in his early teenages under the tutelage of Guru Chandu Panikker. By 19, he got noticed by Kerala Kalamandalam
co-founder, poet Vallathol Narayana Menon
, and inducted Krishnan Nair into his institute, then near Mulankunnathukavu, north of Thrissur
in central Kerala. It was there that Krishnan Nair was trained under gurus of varied style—like Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon
, Thakazhi Kunchu Kurup and Kavalappara Narayanan Nair
.
Krishnan Nair had his higher studies on Rasa-abhinaya (facial emotions which stressed on eye exercises) from the Kudiyattam maestro Māni Mādhava Chākyār
, who too won the Padma Shri .
With his calibre to perform any challenging role and a flexible mindset that prompted him to occasionally do minor roles (with some new elements), Krishnan Nair was probably the pioneering Kathakali artiste who was a hardcore professional—in the sense that he was the arguably the first to dictate the rate for each of his performances. It was a watershed move in an art form that had huge feudal hangovers and its entailing element of servility that patrons expected from the artistes.
Krishnan Nair had a penchant for realistic portrayal of characters and situations that made him more popular in the Travancore
belt of south Kerala. In fact, his outlandish style had made him a less acknowledged master in central and north Kerala—the very places that groomed his art in his early days.
Krishnan Nair's powerful style won him admirers.
Krishnan Nair, towards the second half of his life, had made Tripunithura near Kochi his home. He had also served as the Kathakali Vesham faculty at the RLV College of Music and Fine Arts, Tripunithura
. The late doyenne and the one who is considered the mother of Mohiniyattam, another Kerala classical dance form, Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma
was his wife. Their daughters, Sreedevi Rajan and Kala Vijayan, are experts in the field of Mohiniyattam and one of their sons, Kalasala Babu
, is a well-known actor in the Malayalam drama and movie world. Krishnan Nair's granddaughter :Smitha Rajan is a noted Mohiniyattam danseuse.
Krishnan Nair died on August 15, 1990.
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...
artists of any time, and arguably the greatest in the history of the four-century-old classical 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...
. He had fleshy, flexible and clean-cut facial features that were powerful to launch any emotion with amazing power and ease, and was intelligent enough to acquire and exhibit varied styles of Kathakali that were in vogue across Kerala during his lifetime.
A 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...
awardee, Krishnan Nair was a genuine all-rounder who had the calibre to emote any role in Kathakali and, what's more, add his signature flair to it. Even so, he was most widely celebrated for his essaying of the virtuous and romantic pachcha (green-hued) roles 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, 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, 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 and 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.
A native of Payyannur near Taliparamba
Taliparamba
Taliparamba is a city and a municipality in Kannur district in the Indian state of Kerala and spread over an area of 43.05 km2. It stretches from the coastal area of Ramanthali to Nuchiyard and Vayathur villages, touching the Karnataka border.Taliparamba is a big town of 67,000 people...
in north Malabar, he was initiated into Kathakali in his early teenages under the tutelage of Guru Chandu Panikker. By 19, he got noticed by 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...
co-founder, poet Vallathol Narayana Menon
Vallathol Narayana Menon
Vallathol Narayana Menon , popularly known as Mahakavi, was one of the celebrity poets in Malayalam language, spoken in the South Indian state of Kerala. Vallathol was born in Chennara, near Tirur, in Malappuram District of Kerala state, southern India. Up to his 27 years he lived in Chennara and...
, and inducted Krishnan Nair into his institute, then near Mulankunnathukavu, north of Thrissur
Thrissur
This article is about the city in India. For the district, see Thrissur district. For the urban agglomeration area of Thrissur see Thrissur Metropolitan Area...
in central Kerala. It was there that Krishnan Nair was trained under gurus of varied style—like Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon
Pattikkamthodi 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...
, Thakazhi Kunchu Kurup and Kavalappara Narayanan Nair
Kavalappara Narayanan Nair
Kavalappara Narayanan Nair was a prominent 20th-century Kathakali artiste and tutor who specialised in the Hanuman roles of the classical dance-drama from Kerala in south India....
.
Krishnan Nair had his higher studies on Rasa-abhinaya (facial emotions which stressed on eye exercises) from the Kudiyattam maestro Māni Mādhava Chākyār
Mani Madhava Chakyar
Guru Mani Madhava Chakyar was a celebrated master performance artist and Sanskrit scholar from Kerala, South India, considered to be the greatest Chakyar Koothu and Koodiyattam artist and authority of modern times...
, who too won the Padma Shri .
With his calibre to perform any challenging role and a flexible mindset that prompted him to occasionally do minor roles (with some new elements), Krishnan Nair was probably the pioneering Kathakali artiste who was a hardcore professional—in the sense that he was the arguably the first to dictate the rate for each of his performances. It was a watershed move in an art form that had huge feudal hangovers and its entailing element of servility that patrons expected from the artistes.
Krishnan Nair had a penchant for realistic portrayal of characters and situations that made him more popular in the Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
belt of south Kerala. In fact, his outlandish style had made him a less acknowledged master in central and north Kerala—the very places that groomed his art in his early days.
Krishnan Nair's powerful style won him admirers.
Krishnan Nair, towards the second half of his life, had made Tripunithura near Kochi his home. He had also served as the Kathakali Vesham faculty at the RLV College of Music and Fine Arts, Tripunithura
RLV College of Music and Fine Arts
RLV College of Music and Fine Arts situated in the temple town of Tripunithura, Cochin, Kerala is affiliated to the Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam. It is one of the three dedicated Music colleges in Kerala with the others being Swathi Thirunal College of Music, Trivandrum and Chembai Memorial...
. The late doyenne and the one who is considered the mother of Mohiniyattam, another Kerala classical dance form, Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma
Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma
Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma was an epoch-making Mohiniyattam danseuse from Kerala in southern India. She is considered as the "Mother of Mohiniyattam"...
was his wife. Their daughters, Sreedevi Rajan and Kala Vijayan, are experts in the field of Mohiniyattam and one of their sons, Kalasala Babu
Kalasala Babu
Kalasala Babu is a popular Indian actor who has performed on stage, and in television serials and films.-On stage:Babu had been acting in radio plays while at college. Following his graduation in 1973, Babu acted in Paanchajanyam, yielding a good performance. Babu acted at Kalidasa Kala Kendram...
, is a well-known actor in the Malayalam drama and movie world. Krishnan Nair's granddaughter :Smitha Rajan is a noted Mohiniyattam danseuse.
Krishnan Nair died on August 15, 1990.