Geetha Varma

🪔 About

Geetha Varma is a prominent figure in Indian classical dance, specifically Kathakali, renowned for her pioneering role in the country's first all-women Kathakali troupe, the Tripunithura Vanitha Kathakali Sangham. She has been an integral part of the troupe since its inception in 1975, a groundbreaking initiative that challenged the male-dominated tradition of Kathakali. Varma received her Kathakali training under Guru FACT Padmanabhan. Throughout her extensive career, Geetha Varma has performed in approximately 800 shows, both with the Tripunithura Vanitha Kathakali Sangham and independently. She specializes in 'pacha' roles and has also demonstrated her versatility in 'chuvannathadi' characters. Her performances have taken her across India to cities such as Bombay, Madras, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Himachal Pradesh, and Pondicherry, and she has also appeared in television programs. In a notable performance in 2015, she portrayed the character of Karnan in 'Karnasapatham'. Beyond her performing career, Geetha Varma contributes to arts education as a Co-curricular coordinator and theatre teacher at Choice School. She has actively championed the cause of women in Kathakali, facing and overcoming criticism directed at the all-woman troupe. Her legacy continues through her daughter, Archa Gowri Varma, who is also a Kathakali artist specializing in 'pacha' veshams, following in her mother's footsteps. Geetha Varma's dedication has significantly contributed to expanding the horizons for women in Kathakali, making her a respected and influential artist in the field.