Kalamandalam Balasubramanian
Kalamandalam Balasubramanian is a Kathakali dancer from Kerala in India. He received many awards including Kerala Kalamandalam Award in 2013, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award by Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, Government of Kerala, and Sangeet Natak Akademi Award by Sangeet Natak Akademi, Government of India.
Biography
Balasubramanian was born on 26 May 1955 at Kothachira, in Palakkad district of Kerala. His mother Thankamani Marasyaar and father C. V. Rama Warrier were experts in Carnatic music, and his father was also a Kathakali musician. His father wanted to learn Kathakali, but his grandfather was against it. So he decided to teach one of his children Kathakali. In 1968, at the age of 13, after passing the seventh standard, he was admitted to the Kerala Kalamandalam to study Kathakali. At Kalamandalam he trained in under noted Kathakali exponents like Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair and Kalamandalam Gopi. Balasubramanian did a six-year diploma in Kathakali vesham from Kalamandalam followed by two-year post-diploma and two-year senior scholarship. He has also completed a one-year Special Advanced Training Diploma under the Central Government Fellowship under the guidance of Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair.Balasubramanian currently lives in his apartment in Punkunnam, Thrissur.
Career
After his studies at Kalamandalam, Balasubramanian started teaching Kathakali there from 1979 and retired as the principal in 2011. Later, in 2019, he was again appointed as the Dean of the Kalamandalam Deemed University.As a performer, Balasubramanian was excelled in portraying both Pacha and Kathi roles in Kathakali, and he has portrayed characters like Bhima, Arjuna, Krishna, Nala, Kichaka, Narakasura, Duryodhana, Ravana, Hanuman, Balabhadra, Parashurama and Kattala. He follows the Kalluvazhi style of Kathakali, a style developed by Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon, in his characters. In addition to his performances in various venues in India and abroad, he has conducted workshops and lecture demonstrations at various universities and colleges worldwide including the Davis & Elkins College in 1981, and University of Warsaw in 2004.
Balasubramanian is also an empaneled artist of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations.
Balasubramanian has also been involved in the making of several documentaries and films, including the 2008 documentary film Pacha, based on his life and works, the educational film What is Kathakali? produced by the Kerala Kalamandalam, Mohiniyattam by M. T. Vasudevan Nair, Krishna Kutty Poduval by P. V. Chandran and Mahabharatha by Milena Salvini, Vanaprastham by Shaji N. Karun, Desadanam by Jayaraj. He was the main advisor for actor Mohanlal who played lead character of a Kathakali performer in the film Vanaprastham.
Balasubramanian has also written two books, Kannum Poovum on Kathakali and Markandeya Charitam Aattakatha.