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Adoor plans film on Kalamandalam Gopi

The master filmmaker from Kerala, Adoor Gopalakrishnan, is all set to wield the megaphone once again. His documentary on noted Kathakali exponent Kalamandalam Gopi will be shot in and around Kerala Kalamandalam in the first week of December.

Adoor had earlier shot Ganga, a non-feature which won Grand Prize at the Cinema du reel Festival, Paris in 1986, for his painter-friend Paris-based Viswanathan. The present endeavour comes after Kathapurushan (1995), which won critical acclaim worldwide.

Produced by National Film Development Corporation, the new non-feature will portray the life of 61-year old Kalamandalam Gopi – who retired in 1992 as Principal of Kalamandalam, nation’s premier Kathakali training institute.

Known mainly for his pacha veshams, Gopi is the recipient of many prestigious awards, including the Kendriya Sangeeta Nataka Academy award in 1987.

Adoor is now away in France where he is honoured at the Nantes Film Festival as part of its 20^th year celebrations. He has been invited to present two films of his choice at the festival – one of his own and another from among Indian films.

Besides Adoor Gopalakrishnan, major directors like Chen Kaige (China), Abbas Kiarostami (Iran), and Ousmane Sembene (Senegal) are in the roll of honour at Nantes.

 The Indian Express

25 November 1998