Kapila Venu

🪔 About

Kapila Venu is a distinguished Indian classical dancer and actress, born on February 3, 1982, in Kothamangalam, Kerala, India. She is the daughter of renowned Koodiyattam exponent G. Venu and Mohiniyattam artist and researcher Nirmala Paniker. Kapila specializes in the traditional Kerala dance forms of Koodiyattam and Nangiar Koothu, and also practices Mohiniyattam. Her rigorous training in Koodiyattam began at the age of seven under Usha Nangiar, followed by nearly a decade of intensive gurukula training with the legendary Guru Ammannur Madhava Chakyar. She further honed her skills under her parents, G. Venu and Nirmala Paniker, and at Natana Kairali, an institution founded by her father, where she also trained with gurus like Kavungal Chathunni Panicker, Keezhpadam Kumaran Nair, and Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair. She continues her specialized training with Kitangur C.N. Rama Chakyar. Kapila also studied Mohiniyattam under her mother, Nirmala Paniker, and received training in Kalaripayattu from Balan Gurukkal. Her artistic development includes a six-year study with Japanese avant-garde dancer Min Tanaka, performing in his choreographies "Rite of the Forest" (2005) and "Thottangal" (2007). Kapila Venu has been performing Koodiyattam and Nangiar Koothu globally since 1997, showcasing both traditional and experimental works. She is recognized for her innovative approach, being the first to perform the story of the Tamil folk hero Madurai Veeran in the Nangiar Koothu style and integrating feminist politics into traditional art through performances like "Parvati Viraham". She has collaborated with international artists and scholars such as Dr. Eberhard Fischer, Peter Oskarson, and Wally Cardona. Kapila is the Director of the Natanakairali Research and Performing Centre for Traditional Arts and serves as a visiting faculty member at the National School of Drama in New Delhi and the Intercultural Theatre Institute in Singapore. Awards & Honours: Kumar Gandharva Samman (2017), Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar (2006), Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award (2025), Yuva Kalabharti Award, Sanskriti Award.