Kapila Venu is a practitioner of Kutiyattam and a disciple of the Kutiyattam maestro Guru Ammannur Madhava Chakyar.
Background
She is being mentored by Kutiyattam exponent and actor trainer G Venu who is also her father. She has also trained under Usha Nangiar and Kitangur C North Rama Chakyar in Kutiyattam, Nirmala Paniker, her mother, in Mohiniyattam and studied under the guidance of Japanese Farmer/Dancer Minister Tanaka in Japan.
Career
Kapila took to the stage at a young age under the guidance of her Gurus, travelling and performing with them and gradually matured into a leading performer in her own right. She has been professionally performing Kutiyattam both as a solo performer and together with the ensemble at Natanakairali and Ammannur Gurukulam all over the world in several local, national and international venues since 1999. Being a practitioner of an ancient ritual theatre, Kapila firmly believes in the relevance of continuously questioning and reinventing every character and story she plays in line with her own philosophical, aesthetic, spiritual and political values.
She strives to maintain the technical purity and depth of the art form whilst making space for innovation and creativity.
Kapila also has a deep interest in the study, revival and rejuvenation of several other traditional art forms of Kerala including puppetry and folk theatre and is the director of Natanakairali – Research, Training and Performing Centre for Traditional Arts founded by G Venu in 1975
Director of Natanakairali - Research Training and Performing Centre for Traditional Arts
Staff Artiste at Ammannur Chachu Chakyar Smaraka Gurukulam
Visiting faculty at National School of Drama, New Delhi
Visiting faculty at Intercultural Theatre Institute, Singapore.