Kalamandalam Kuttan

🪔 About

Kalamandalam Kuttan Asan, a revered Indian Kathakali exponent, was born in 1938 in Adakkaputhur, Cherpulassery, Palakkad district, British Raj. He passed away on January 13, 2022, at the age of 84, in Perinthalmanna, Malappuram district, India. Kuttan Asan's journey into Kathakali began at the age of 13 when he joined Kerala Kalamandalam in 1951, where he underwent seven years of rigorous training. His principal gurus included the eminent Kalamandalam Ramankutty Asan (also known as Ramankutty Nair) and Kalamandalam Padmanabhan Nair. He became a promising proponent of the body-centric Kalluvazhi style of Kathakali. Kuttan Asan made his debut performance in 1951 at the Vellinezhi Kanthalloor Temple, portraying 'Krishnan' in the Kathakali production of 'Subhadraharanam'. After a period as a freelance artist, a significant turning point in his career came in 1964 when he joined the nascent Unnayi Warrier Smaraka Kalanilayam (also Iringalakuda Unnayivaryar Memorial Kalanilayam) as a Kathakali teacher. He dedicated over three and a half decades to this institution, eventually rising to the position of Vice Principal in 1990 and then Principal in 1995. He taught at Kalanilayam for 34 years, preferring teaching over performance. Renowned for his mastery of various Kathakali roles, Kuttan Asan excelled in Pacha and Kathi characters, as well as Kattalan, Brahmin, Balabhadra, and Roudrabhima roles. He was particularly known as "Dakshan Kuttan" due to his popular portrayal of Daksha. For four decades, he consistently performed the role of Vibhishana in the 'Sreerama Pattabhikam' Kathakali at the Koodalmanikyam temple festival. His contributions to Indian classical dance were recognized with numerous accolades, including the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2008 and the Kerala State Kathakali Award in 2019. Other honors include the Kerala Kalamandalam award for Vesham, the Pattikkamthodi Memorial Sadanam Kathakali Award, and the Keerthi Mudra award. Among his documented students are Desamangalam Savithri, his first female student, and K.G. Vasu, who performed alongside him. He is noted to have had many disciples globally. Awards & Honours: Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2008), Kerala State Kathakali Award (2019), Kerala Kalamandalam Award for Vesham, Pattikkamthodi Memorial Sadanam Kathakali Award, Keerthi Mudra Award.