Shri. Balakrishnan
was born in 1944 in Taliparamba in North Kerala and showed remarkable
interest in Kathakali from his child hood. He was initiated into this
art by Guru Kondiveetil Narayanan Nair under the patronage of Late. Brahmashri.
Kurumathur Narayanan Namboothiripad and subsequently took intensive training
for 10 years (8 years diploma and 2 years post diploma with Central government
Scholarship) under famous Gurus Thekinkattil Ramunni Nair and Keezhupadam
Kumaran Nair at Gandhi Seva Sadan Kathakali Academy. It was during his
training under the most outstanding contemporary Guru, shri Keezhupadam
Kuamaran Nair, that Balakrishnan blossomed into a great artiste and competent
teacher. During this tenure with the international Centre for Kathakali, Shri Balakrishnan got ample opportunities to prove his mettle in the three departments of Kathakali, i.e., Abhinaya, Choreography and Direction and Teaching. He has got the outstanding ability to do justice to all important Kathakali characters. And the characters presented by Shri Balakrishnan are highly acclaimed both by the media and the audience. Balakrishnan is rated as one of the most outstanding teachers in this discipline today. He has the capacit y to bring out the best in his students. Balakrishnan's services are also often sought by institutions and artistes from India as well as from abroad; such as National School of Drama, Centre for Cultural Resources and Training, Indian Council for Cultural Relation, Delhi University, ARTA (Association de Recherches des Traditions de l'Actor, France), Bhoomika, SPIC-MACAY, Bhaskara etc., for teaching , conducting workshop, lecture demonstration and full fledged Kathakali performance. |