Journalism of Courage
Kathkali is experimenting with new fusions and going global in a new avatar
While it has successfully maintained it’s image of being synonymous to the cultural image of Kerala,narrating stories in a rhythmic way matched with graceful steps,Kathakali has also evolved as an art with time. Taking it beyond Ramayana or folk stories,a trinity from Kerala comprising — Sadanam K Haikumaran,Sadanam Narayan Namudri and Kalanilayam Balkrishnan,are taking the art form to newer heights.
The internationally acclaimed artistes of the dance form performed in the city recently and are trying to propagate a new kind of avatar of Kathkali by initiating new things without contaminating the real form of the art. The event was organsied by Pune Kathakali Vedi.
Harikumaran,founder secretary of Sadanam Kathakali Academy,is known for his engagement with Indian classical dances,music,sculpting,acting and literature. Extending the artistic horizons of the art form,he has come up with the story of Julius Caesar through Kathakali and named it Charudatha.
As a Kathkali artiste I am very keen on observing the depth of the characters in various mythological plays. Here we are trying to emphasise on the original form of Kathkali while it’s sanctity is not being contaminated, he says.
For the first time in the history of Kathakali,a female character of Arangu enters through a traditional Thiranokku. Hidumbi describing the story of a character from Mahabharata,expresses the emotional aspects of character especially the relation between Hinduban and Hidumbi, says Namboodri.
Harikumaran has directed and choreographed many Kalasams and dance numbers and incorporated stagecrafts for the Islamic characters like Vavar and mythological characters like Salyar,Ghatotkacha and Dronar. By creating,directing,and rendering into Kathakali strain,the novel stories like Sapamochanam,Karnnaparvam,Abhimanyu,Chitrangada,Puruvamsodayam and Manikantha Charitham. He has also practiced Kathakali characters of heroic and villainous shades including Pacha,Kathi and the like.
While,Harikumaran mesmerise the spectators with his facial expressions and lasya-laden movements,Namboodiri and Balkrishanan introduce some significant innovations in the play. Harikumaran is the only practitioner who have experimented this fusion of bringing Julius Caesar in Kathakali, says Balkrishanan. The crew has performed in India as well as in other counties like England,France,Germany and Cuba and achieved global accolade.
