SNA’s Festival of Performance by Akademi Awardees
New Delhi, July 26: The fourth day of the Festival of Performing Arts, featuring recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards 2010, being held between 23-31 July in the premises of Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA) here, witnessed three performances by noted artistes – Kalamandalam Raman Chakyar (Kutiyattam), Klamandalam KG Vasudevam Nair (Kathakakli), and the playwright, D Vizai Bhaskar ( Kurchi – play in Telgu)
Profile of these artistes are detailed below:
KALAMANDALAM RAMAN CHAKYAR
Born in 1950 in Painkulam village in Kerala, Shri Raman Chakyar received his training in Kutiyattam under Gurus Painkulam Rama Chakyar, Kidangoor Rama Chakyar, and Ammannur Madhava Chakyar. He obtained his Post-Diploma certificate in Kuttiyattam from Kerala Kalamandalam in 1976. Here, he also learnt to play the Mizhavu under Shri Chathakutam Krishnan Nambiar.Over the years, Shri Raman Chakyar has established himself as a leading performer and teacher of Kutiyattam. His performances have been presented in major festivals within and outside the country, where he has received critical acclaim for his roles as Vidushaka and Athreya among others. An important contribution he has made is the writing of an attaprakaram and kramdeepika for Bhasa’s Dootavakyam. Shri Raman Chakyar has
imparted training in Kutiyattam at a number of institutions including Kerala Kalamandalam, where he headed the Kutiyattam Department, at Anushthan Kala Abhyasana Kendra of Travancore, at Margi in Thiruvananthapuram, and at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, USA, where he was a visiting professor. He has conducted workshops and participated in seminars on Kutiyattam at several universities in Europe and the United States. He has been filmed in documentaries on Kutiyattam produced in several countries. Among other honours, he received the Kerala Kalamandalam Award (2007), and the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award (2008).Shri Kalamandalam Raman Chakyar has received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for 2010 for his contribution to Kutiyattam.
KALAMANDALAM KOMBIL GOPALAN VASUDEVAN NAIR
Born in 1937 in Keerikkat village in Kerala, Kalamandalam Kombil Gopalan Vasudevan Nair received his initial training in Kathakali under several Asans including Evoor Raghavan Pillai, K.R. Kumaran Nair, and Vazhenkata Kunju Nair. He was later a student at Kerala Kalamandalam, Cheruthuruthy, where he studied Kathakali under Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair and Kalamandalam Padmanabhan Nair. He holds a Post-Diploma Certificate in Kathakali Vesham from the institution. Shri Vasudevan Nair specialized in the Kalluvazhi style of Kathakali and received critical acclaim for his work in both the Pacha and Kathi Vesham. His major male roles include Rugmangada, Nala, Bahuka, Krishna, Keechaka and Ravana. TUESDAY 26 JULY, 6.30 P.M.MEGHDOOT THEATRE-III, COPERNICUS MARGCast and CreditsKattalan (a hunter): Kalamandalam K G Vasudevan Damayanti (wife of Nala): Kalamandalam AmaljithVocal Music: Sadanam Radhakrishnan, Kalamandalam ManikandanChenda: Kalamandalam UnnikrishnanMadhalam: Parassinikadavu ManojChutty Make-up: Kalamandalam Sunil KumarGreenroom Assistant: G. Govindan, SatyanarayananHe has also excelled in the portrayal of female characters such as Urvashi in Kalakeyvadham, Lalitha in Narakasuravadham, Damayanti in Nalacharitam, and Mohini in Rugmangada Charitam. He has travelled to several European countries and the United States for performances and lecture-demonstrations in prestigious festivals. He has also established himself as a teacher, imparting training at the Gandhi Seva Sadanam Kathakali Academy and Vellinezhi Government High School. His prominent students include Sadanam Krishnan Kutty and Sadanam Balakrishnan. Shri Nair has received a number of awards from institutions in Kerala. These include the Kerala Kalamandalam Award and the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award.Kalamandalam K.G. Vasudevan Nair has received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for 2010 for his contribution to Kathakali.
Secretary SNA, Jayant Kastuar observed, “ the great tradtion of Kerala – Kudiyattam and Kathakali – stole the show today. Shri Raman Chakyar, nephew of the great master, Painkulam Chakyar, excelled in the role of Sugriva. Kalamandalam Vasudevan Nair is a master of both male and female roles and today he was outstanding in the character of Kattalan (hunter) in Kathakali”
DEERGHASI VIZAI BHASKAR
Born in 1958 in Ampolu village in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh, Shri Deerghasi Vizai Bhaskar is a notable playwright in the contemporary Telugu theatre. He has pursued academic studies in theatre, doing his PhD on Brecht’s influence on Telugu drama. In his own work, he has engaged with socio-political issues and the idea of social justice using vedic, upanishadic and puranic references, and popular religious symbols and metaphors to convey his message of emancipation.His major plays include Kichith Bhogam, Gandhi Jayanthi, Jeevannatakam, Ruthwik, Kurchi, and Bommalu Cheppina Bhajagovindam. Some of these have been translated and performed in languages including Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi. Gandhi Jayanthi has been staged in five languages — Kannada, English, Malayalam, Hindi and Telugu. Shri Vizai Bhaskar is a member of institutions including the Cultural Council of Andhra Pradesh, and has attended seminars on Telugu literatureand drama organized by the Andhra Pradesh Sahitya Akademi and Sahitya Akademi in New Delhi. Professionally, Shri Vizai Bhaskar is a civil servant. He has worked as a municipal commissioner, and is now an Officer on Special Duty to the Minister for Roads and Buildings, Andhra Pradesh.Among other honours, he has received the Nandi Award conferred by the Government of Andhra Pradesh on five occasions. A documentary film on his work — Vizai Bhaskar as a Playwright — presents a critical assessment of his plays. Shri D. Vizai Bhaskar has received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for 2010 for his contribution to Indian theatre as a playwright.
About the Play
This play is meant for understanding the love and anxiety for an orderly society that comes with the gaining of greater respect and prosperity. Narsaiah, a poor dalit, who becomes sarpanch of a village, undergoes different experiences, which ignites in him interest and sympathy towards the dalit masses who have come to a state of attaining greater power. The responsibility of the educated dalit youth at this important juncture of their history is also dealt with in this play.
About the Director
Shri Patibandla Ananda Rao is associated with Telugu Theatre since 1985. He draws his stories, incidents, characters and dialogues from the hardcore realities of the society and human life. He has adopted folk arts and local myths in the plays Sahaara, Nishiddharkshari, Neethichandrika, Maanasa Sarovaram, Hamsageetham, Dr B.R. Ambedkar Rajagriha Pravesam.
The Akademi Fellowship (Akademi Ratna Sadasyata) and Akademi Award (Akademi Puraskar) are the most coveted national honours conferred on performing artists, gurus and scholars of the performing arts. These honours are decided by the Akademi’s General Council, the apex body consisting of eminent artists, scholars and nominees of the Government of India and of different States and Union Territories of the country.
Sangeet Natak Akademi, established by the Government of India on 31 May 1952, is the National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama. It was created as the apex body in the country for the task of preservation and promotion of the performing art traditions of India. One of the important activities of the Akademi has been to give recognition and honours to artists in order to set standards in the performing arts, and to restore art and the artists to their rightful place in independent India.
Profile of these artistes are detailed below:
KALAMANDALAM RAMAN CHAKYAR
Born in 1950 in Painkulam village in Kerala, Shri Raman Chakyar received his training in Kutiyattam under Gurus Painkulam Rama Chakyar, Kidangoor Rama Chakyar, and Ammannur Madhava Chakyar. He obtained his Post-Diploma certificate in Kuttiyattam from Kerala Kalamandalam in 1976. Here, he also learnt to play the Mizhavu under Shri Chathakutam Krishnan Nambiar.Over the years, Shri Raman Chakyar has established himself as a leading performer and teacher of Kutiyattam. His performances have been presented in major festivals within and outside the country, where he has received critical acclaim for his roles as Vidushaka and Athreya among others. An important contribution he has made is the writing of an attaprakaram and kramdeepika for Bhasa’s Dootavakyam. Shri Raman Chakyar has
imparted training in Kutiyattam at a number of institutions including Kerala Kalamandalam, where he headed the Kutiyattam Department, at Anushthan Kala Abhyasana Kendra of Travancore, at Margi in Thiruvananthapuram, and at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, USA, where he was a visiting professor. He has conducted workshops and participated in seminars on Kutiyattam at several universities in Europe and the United States. He has been filmed in documentaries on Kutiyattam produced in several countries. Among other honours, he received the Kerala Kalamandalam Award (2007), and the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award (2008).Shri Kalamandalam Raman Chakyar has received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for 2010 for his contribution to Kutiyattam.
KALAMANDALAM KOMBIL GOPALAN VASUDEVAN NAIR
Born in 1937 in Keerikkat village in Kerala, Kalamandalam Kombil Gopalan Vasudevan Nair received his initial training in Kathakali under several Asans including Evoor Raghavan Pillai, K.R. Kumaran Nair, and Vazhenkata Kunju Nair. He was later a student at Kerala Kalamandalam, Cheruthuruthy, where he studied Kathakali under Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair and Kalamandalam Padmanabhan Nair. He holds a Post-Diploma Certificate in Kathakali Vesham from the institution. Shri Vasudevan Nair specialized in the Kalluvazhi style of Kathakali and received critical acclaim for his work in both the Pacha and Kathi Vesham. His major male roles include Rugmangada, Nala, Bahuka, Krishna, Keechaka and Ravana. TUESDAY 26 JULY, 6.30 P.M.MEGHDOOT THEATRE-III, COPERNICUS MARGCast and CreditsKattalan (a hunter): Kalamandalam K G Vasudevan Damayanti (wife of Nala): Kalamandalam AmaljithVocal Music: Sadanam Radhakrishnan, Kalamandalam ManikandanChenda: Kalamandalam UnnikrishnanMadhalam: Parassinikadavu ManojChutty Make-up: Kalamandalam Sunil KumarGreenroom Assistant: G. Govindan, SatyanarayananHe has also excelled in the portrayal of female characters such as Urvashi in Kalakeyvadham, Lalitha in Narakasuravadham, Damayanti in Nalacharitam, and Mohini in Rugmangada Charitam. He has travelled to several European countries and the United States for performances and lecture-demonstrations in prestigious festivals. He has also established himself as a teacher, imparting training at the Gandhi Seva Sadanam Kathakali Academy and Vellinezhi Government High School. His prominent students include Sadanam Krishnan Kutty and Sadanam Balakrishnan. Shri Nair has received a number of awards from institutions in Kerala. These include the Kerala Kalamandalam Award and the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award.Kalamandalam K.G. Vasudevan Nair has received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for 2010 for his contribution to Kathakali.
Secretary SNA, Jayant Kastuar observed, “ the great tradtion of Kerala – Kudiyattam and Kathakali – stole the show today. Shri Raman Chakyar, nephew of the great master, Painkulam Chakyar, excelled in the role of Sugriva. Kalamandalam Vasudevan Nair is a master of both male and female roles and today he was outstanding in the character of Kattalan (hunter) in Kathakali”
DEERGHASI VIZAI BHASKAR
Born in 1958 in Ampolu village in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh, Shri Deerghasi Vizai Bhaskar is a notable playwright in the contemporary Telugu theatre. He has pursued academic studies in theatre, doing his PhD on Brecht’s influence on Telugu drama. In his own work, he has engaged with socio-political issues and the idea of social justice using vedic, upanishadic and puranic references, and popular religious symbols and metaphors to convey his message of emancipation.His major plays include Kichith Bhogam, Gandhi Jayanthi, Jeevannatakam, Ruthwik, Kurchi, and Bommalu Cheppina Bhajagovindam. Some of these have been translated and performed in languages including Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi. Gandhi Jayanthi has been staged in five languages — Kannada, English, Malayalam, Hindi and Telugu. Shri Vizai Bhaskar is a member of institutions including the Cultural Council of Andhra Pradesh, and has attended seminars on Telugu literatureand drama organized by the Andhra Pradesh Sahitya Akademi and Sahitya Akademi in New Delhi. Professionally, Shri Vizai Bhaskar is a civil servant. He has worked as a municipal commissioner, and is now an Officer on Special Duty to the Minister for Roads and Buildings, Andhra Pradesh.Among other honours, he has received the Nandi Award conferred by the Government of Andhra Pradesh on five occasions. A documentary film on his work — Vizai Bhaskar as a Playwright — presents a critical assessment of his plays. Shri D. Vizai Bhaskar has received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for 2010 for his contribution to Indian theatre as a playwright.
About the Play
This play is meant for understanding the love and anxiety for an orderly society that comes with the gaining of greater respect and prosperity. Narsaiah, a poor dalit, who becomes sarpanch of a village, undergoes different experiences, which ignites in him interest and sympathy towards the dalit masses who have come to a state of attaining greater power. The responsibility of the educated dalit youth at this important juncture of their history is also dealt with in this play.
About the Director
Shri Patibandla Ananda Rao is associated with Telugu Theatre since 1985. He draws his stories, incidents, characters and dialogues from the hardcore realities of the society and human life. He has adopted folk arts and local myths in the plays Sahaara, Nishiddharkshari, Neethichandrika, Maanasa Sarovaram, Hamsageetham, Dr B.R. Ambedkar Rajagriha Pravesam.
The Akademi Fellowship (Akademi Ratna Sadasyata) and Akademi Award (Akademi Puraskar) are the most coveted national honours conferred on performing artists, gurus and scholars of the performing arts. These honours are decided by the Akademi’s General Council, the apex body consisting of eminent artists, scholars and nominees of the Government of India and of different States and Union Territories of the country.
Sangeet Natak Akademi, established by the Government of India on 31 May 1952, is the National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama. It was created as the apex body in the country for the task of preservation and promotion of the performing art traditions of India. One of the important activities of the Akademi has been to give recognition and honours to artists in order to set standards in the performing arts, and to restore art and the artists to their rightful place in independent India.
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