Kottakkal Krishnan Kutty Nair was a great teacher of Kathakali. He was born in Vadanamkurussi near Ottapalam in Palakkad district in 1928. At the age of 12, after completing his primary education, he joined the P. S. V. Natyasangham in Kottakkal, Malappuram district, to learn acting. His first Kathakali guru was Kuthanur Karunakara Panicker and he debuted as Krishna in Subhadraharanam or Subhadra's Abduction'. Later, he specialized under Pattikkantodi Ramunni Menon for four years, Kavalappara Narayanan Nair for two years and finally for four years as the disciple of Vazhenkata Kunchu Nair. He began doing female roles but graduated to the leadpaccha and katti parts of plays like Subhadraharatiam, Bakavadbam or 'Slaying of Baka', Kalyana saugandhika or 'Auspicious Fragrant Flower', Kirmiravadbam or 'Slaying of Kirmira', and Nivatakavacha Kalakeya-vadham or 'Slaying of the Nivatakavachas and Kalakeya'. He revived Ramanattam too and prepared new Kathakali plays. He was an excellent teacher. He was lead instructor-actor of P. S. V. Natyasangham from I960 and became its principal later.
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