KOCHI: A meeting of Kerala Kalamandalam’s administrative board on Wednesday decided to make all its courses on performing arts gender-neutral, a move that will now make male students eligible for admission to courses hitherto reserved exclusively for girls, including mohiniyattam and nangiarkoothu.
The decision has been taken amid the controversy created by dancer Kalamandalam Satyabhama, who had made racist remarks against dancer R L V Ramakrishnan, brother of late actor Kalabhavan Mani, and criticised the practice of men performing mohiniyattam.
“The administrative board decided to make all courses at Kalamandalam gender neutral from the next academic year. Till now, we were admitting only girl students in mohiniyattam and nangiarkoothu courses. From the next academic year, we will be admitting boys to these courses. They can pursue the courses from Class VIII to postgraduation,” Kalamandalam Vice-Chancellor B Ananthakrishnan told TNIE.
During TNIE’s Express Dialogues series in March last year, Kalamandalam Chancellor Mallika Sarabhai had said she will look into allegations of gender discrimination at the institution and ensure all students get admission to every course.
Kathakali in schools
Considering the lack of patronage for kathakali course among male students, Kalamandalam will forward a proposal to the government to start kathakali courses in schools. Classes will be held six hours a week in schools having enough interested students, said Kalamandalam VC B Ananthakrishnan.
PG courses in mohiniyattam and kuchipudi from next yr
The administrative board also decided to start PG courses in mohiniyattam and kuchipudi from the next academic year. Kalamandalam will also start a new course in theatre and performance making which will help students explore opportunities in experimental theatre, participatory performance and three-dimensional lighting. Students graduating in this course will be able to work independently and explore opportunities in allied sectors.
Administrative board members Kalamandalam Gopi, Kalamandalam Kshemavathi, Kalamandalam Sivan Namboothiri, Neena Prasad, Kalamandalam Latha Edavalath, A V Satheesh, P Venugopal, K B Rajanand and under-secretary in the department of culture Subhashini Thankachi attended Wednesday’s meeting.