Kalamandalam Vijayakumar

🪔 About

Born on July 20, 1940, in Vazhenkada village in Palakkad district of Kerala, P.V. Vijayakumar received his initial training in Kathakali at home from his father, Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair, who was the first Principal of Kerala Kalamandalam. He continued his training under his father at the P.S.V. Natya Sangham in Kottakkal for five years. Subsequently, he studied at Kerala Kalamandalam, Cheruthuruthy, for four years and joined the Kalamandalam faculty upon completing his studies in 1971. He was appointed Principal of Kerala Kalamandalam in 1993, serving in that position until 1996. P.V. Vijayakumar is renowned for his excellence in Pachha, Kathi, and Vellatadi veshams, and for roles that blend veera and veera-sringara rasas. He has received critical acclaim for his portrayals of characters such as Ravana in Ravanotbhavam and Thoranayudham, Hanuman in Thoranayudham and Kalyanasoughandigam, Narakasura in Narakasuravadham, Duryodhana in Duryodhanavadham and Uttaraswayamvaram, and Sisupala in Rajasooyam. He performed these roles primarily as a member of the Kerala Kalamandalam troupe, touring extensively across India, Europe, North America, Australia, and the Far East. Besides performing and teaching at Kerala Kalamandalam, he has conducted workshops for new artists at various Kathakali clubs in Kerala. He is considered among the reputed artists and teachers of Kathakali today and is better known as Kalamandalam Vijayakumar. Awards & Honours: Kerala Kalamandalam Award (2001), Pattikkamthodi Smaraka Kathakali Puraskar (2007), Kerala Kalamandalam Fellowship (2011), K.N. Pisharadi Smaraka Kathakali Puraskar (2011), Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2012).