Does that mean the art does not have a ready mass appeal?
Art or kala is a golden thread embellished in literature, dance, music, theater, poetry that connect people. And Kathakali requires a thorough proficiency of the art. Hence, one cannot attain popularity in Kathakali by publicity or high influence. He or she has to come up by virtue of merit and sheer hard work. Today, people around the globe come to Kerala or India to learn the tradition. In fact, a student from London (Julian) was encouraged by my performance to learn Kathakali. There are few American students from NDSU, whom I coached for Sakuntala, wanting to come to Kerala to seek Kathakali training. Hence, I wouldn’t say the number of enthusiasts wanting to learn the art has gone down. However, audience or youngsters still prefer Bharatanatyam or Kuchipudi. A Kathakali artist improvises his dance skills by observation or imagination, besides his regular rehearsals. Unlike Bharatanatyam or other dance styles, where the dance may be pre-choreographed, Kathakali requires apt expressi
