Kalamandalam Gopalakrishnan

🪔 About

Kalamandalam Gopalakrishnan, born in 1967, is a distinguished Indian classical dance figure renowned for his mastery in Kathakali. He is the grandson of the acclaimed Malayalam poet P. Kunchiraman Nair and the son of freedom fighter P. Shankaran Nair. Gopalakrishnan developed a keen interest in Kathakali from childhood and received his foundational training at the prestigious Kerala Kalamandalam. During his studies, he was awarded a Senior Scholarship in Kathakali by the Department of Culture, Government of India, from 1985 to 1987. He was trained by notable gurus including M.P.S. Namboodiri, Vijayan asan, and Kalamandalam Gopi. Throughout his career, Gopalakrishnan has performed in over 800 stage productions both within India and internationally, with tours spanning Italy, Germany, Russia, Poland, Japan, China, Dubai, Mexico, and Australia, where he performed at the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in 2006. He is particularly skilled in portraying various Kathakali characters, including "Pacha," "Kathi," "Thadi," "Vellathadi," and "Minukku" roles. Beyond performing, he has also choreographed for several Malayalam films. An eminent teacher, Kalamandalam Gopalakrishnan has instructed numerous Indian and foreign students, with his disciples now spread across the globe. He is the Director of the Kathakali School – Center for Performing Arts & Culture, located in Cheruthuruthy, Kerala, an institution he helped found in 1990. Additionally, he served as a Kathakali tutor and accompanist at Nalanda Nritya Kala Mahavidyalaya in Mumbai for over three decades and taught Kathakali and Mohiniyattam at Kalakshethram, Dombivli. He is an A-grade artist of Doordarshan and has accompanied Dr. (Smt) Kanak Rele as a Nattuvangam artist in her choreographic ventures. He has also choreographed and performed major roles in productions such as "Satyavan Savitri," "Naranathu Brandhan," "Pritha Vishadam," "Karuna," "Kavya Kairali," "St. Francis," and "Rishysringan." From 2010 to 2011, he was a member of the Expert Committee for the selection of scholarship awardees for the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. He currently serves as the Art Director at Kerala Kalabhavanam and a dance teacher at NandanKalodayam and Kalatharangini in Cheruthuruthy. Awards & Honours: A.D.Bolend Gold Medal (1984), Achutha Varriar award (1984), Vallathol Scholarship (1984), Kummini Vasudevan Namboothiri award (1984), Senior Scholarship – Kathakali (1985), Dr. K.N. Pisharodi Silver Medal (1986), A.D.Bolend Gold Medal (1989), Malayala Kalanilayam Award – Best Kathakali Actor (2009).