Prabal Gupta, A most sought after Performer, Choreographer and a Research Scholar, is a prominent name in the world of Kathakali. He is a disciple of the Central Sangeet Natak Academy Awardee and the legendary Kathakali Exponent and Research Scholar Guru Sri Sadanam Balakrishnan. Prabal is a versatile Kathakali Dancer and can portray both Purusha Vesham and Stree Vesham with ease.Initially trained under Kalamandalam Govindan Kutty and later under Guru Sri FACT Padmanabhan, Prabal continues to learn under Guru Sadanam Balakrishnan and specialize in the Keezhupadam style of Kathakali.
PurushPrabals diligence and perseverance for Kathakali soon captured the attention of the critics and the connoisseurs of dance leading to establish himself as one of the finest exponent. His most sought after research article The Art of Kathakali Then and Now A Comparative Analogy which speaks about soloism in Kathakali and The Biological Nomenclatures of StreeVesham and its Aesthetic transformation while performing Kathakali Streevesham by a male carried under eminent research scholar Padmashree Sunil Kothari are published in various research journals. Prabal is also a graded artist of Doordarshan and is empanelled by the expert committee of the council for the ICCRs reference panel of artists under the Ministry of External Affairs, Govt. Of India. Prabal is also recognized as an OUTSTANDING artist by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India for Festivals of India, Abroad.
Prabals choreographic works have been presented in the most prestigious choreography festivals of India and abroad. He was also invited as an Ambassador to the United States of America to promote Kathakali through workshops, Lecture demonstrations and workshops. Prabals recent research paper Influence of English Literature on Kathakali presented at the International Bangalore Centre in collaboration with TARI with portraying Navarasams taking episodes from Shakespearean dramas have been widely accepted. He is well acclaimed for his three major research productions Lady Macbeth an adaptation of William Shakespeares Macbeth, Cleopatra an adaptation of William Shakespeares Anthony and Cleopatra in Kathakali and Manasa Charitam an adaptation of Bengals folklore Manasa Mangal with lyrics in Sanskrit as a jugalbandi of Kathakali and Painting.
