Mani Madhava Chakyar - Films and Documentaries

Films and Documentaries

There are several films and documentaries featuring legend Māni Mādhava Chakyar's Rasa-Abhinaya, Koodiyattam performances, illustrious life etc.

• Mani Madhava Chakyar: The Master at Work (English, 1994, Kavalam Narayana Panikar, Central Sangeet Natak Academy, New Delhi) is a biographical film on the life and work of Mani Madhava Chakyar. Film shows Movie contains interview with the maestro where he explains the difficulty he had to face from hardliners when he took the traditional art forms outside temple for the first time in 1949. The film contains a session focussed on Rasa abhinaya by the maestro, where he enacts various Rasas.

• Parvati Viraham: Mani Madhava Chakyar as Ravana (English, 1993, Central Sangeet Natak Academy, New Delhi) features Mani Madhava Chakyar as Ravana in the Pārvatī Viraham (separation of Pārvatī) in Koodiyattam form. Movie shows the famous Pārvatī Viraham part of the Ascharyachodamani Kutiyattam, one of the masterpieces of the Guru. It includes the famous Pakarnnattam abhinaya of the maestro.

• In Manifestations of Shiva (English, 1980, Malcolm Leigh& Stella Kramrisch, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Asia Society, USA)- critically acclaimed documentary film; he has performed as Lord Siva in Classical Indian dance form.

• Kutiyattam- Sanskrit Theater of India (English, Multimedia CD, Farley Richmond (University of Georgia), The University of Michigan Press, USA) contains rare videos of the maestro's Rasa Abhinaya including glimpses of his world famous Netrabhinaya. The CD also contains the audios of recital of Shlokas and play parts by him in his unique unparalleled style.

• Kudiattam (Hindi, 1986, Prakash Jha, India) features Guru Mani Madhava Cakyar's abhinaya and shows him explaining the concepts of Kutiyattam and its abhinaya techniques. It also features him teaching etc. This film has won Indian government's National Film Award for Best Arts/Cultural Film (1987).

• Mani Madhava Chakkiar (English, 1977, Classic Films) is a documentary film about the maestro. It shows the famous Abhinaya of the maestro in different Kutiyattams, his Chakyar Koothu performance etc. It also gives a picture of his personal life.

• Guru Mani Madhava Chakyar (Malayalam, 2009, Krishnan Unni, Govt. of Kerala) is a documentary about the guru. This project by Information and Public Relations Dept. of Govt. of Kerala as part of capturing the eminent personalities in Kerala and to highlight their rich contribution made to the State.

• Chakyar Koothu performance of the prabandha Prahlādacharita, Prahladacharitham Chakyar Koothu (1986, audio, Harisree Audios, Kerala) gives unique feeling of the maestro's ability in narration and recital. It is unique since he hasn't performed Prahlādacharita after the death of his guru HH Rama Varma Parikshith Thampuran in 1964, except for this recording.

Many of his Koodiyattam, Chakyar Koothu performances, demonstrations, interviews etc. were documented by Doordarshan centres of New Delhi, Bombay, Bhopal, Madras, Thiruvananthapuram etc. and All India Radio and is still being broadcast all over India. Documentation of Guru's Kutiyattam performance by Doordarshan Centre Bombai with English commentary of noted art critic and scholar Dr. V. K Narayana Menon is widely acclaimed one.