Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair, also spelt Kunju Nair, (1908-1981) was a prominent Kathakali

Kathakali

Kathakali is a highly stylized classical Indian dance-drama noted for the attractive make-up of characters, elaborate costumes, detailed gestures and well-defined body movements presented in tune with the anchor playback music and complementary percussion...

 exponent of the 20th century and the first principal of Kerala Kalamandalam

Kerala Kalamandalam

Kerala Kalamandalam , lately renamed as Kalamandalam Deemed University of Art and Culture, is a major centre for learning Indian performing arts, especially those that developed in the southern state of India, with the special emphasis on Kerala. It is situated in the village of Cheruthuruthy in...

, the premier performing arts institute of Kerala

Kerala

or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....

 in south India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

. . A Padma Shri

Padma Shri

Padma Shri is the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan...

 awardee , Kunchu Nair was a frontline disciple of the legendary Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon

Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon

Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon was a pivotal figure in the history of Kathakali, having played a crucial role in remoulding and refining its grammar in the famed Kalluvazhi tradition of the classical dance-drama from Kerala in south India...

, and was noted for his subdued portrayal of lead Kathakali roles like Nala

Nala

Nala , a character in Hindu mythology, is the king of Nishadha Kingdom, son of Virasena. Nala is known for his skill with horses and culinary expertise. He marries princess Damayanti, of Vidarbha Kingdom, and their story is told in the Mahabharata. His main weakness is gambling...

n, Rukmangada

Rukmangada

Rukmangada is the name of a character in Hindu mythology. He was a great devotee of Vishnu.-Legend:Rukmangada was looked upon as a good and pious king. He is happily married to Sandhyavali and the couple have a small son named Dharmangada...

n, Dharmaputrar, Bhima

Bhima

In the Mahābhārata, Bhima is one of the central characters of Mahabharata and the second of the Pandava brothers...

n, Arjuna

Arjuna

Arjuna in Indian mythology is the greatest warrior on earth and is one of the Pandavas, the heroes of the Hindu epic Mahābhārata. Arjuna, whose name means 'bright', 'shining', 'white' or 'silver' Arjuna (Devanagari: अर्जुन, Thai: อรชุน, Orachun, Tamil: Arjunan, Indonesian and Javanese: Harjuna,...

n, Brahmana

Brahmana

The Brāhmaṇas are part of the Hindu śruti literature. They are commentaries on the four Vedas, detailing the proper performance of rituals....

n (in the storyplay Santanagopalam) and Parasuraman (Sitaswayamvaram) besides in anti-hero slots like Ravanan and Duryodhanan.

A native of Vazhenkada

Vazhenkada

Vazhenkada is a village, known for its Kathakali heritage, on the banks of the river Thootha in Malappuram district of Kerala in southern India...

, now in Malappuram

Malappuram

Malappuram is a municipality in the South Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 33.61 km2. It serves as the administrative headquarters of Malappuram district. As per the 2011 census Malappuram urban agglomeration is the fourth largest UA in kerala with a total population of...

 district, Kunchu Nair was initiated into Kathakali by gurus Kariyattil Koppan Nair and Kalluvazhi Govinda Pisharody. Subsequently, he became a disciple of Pattikkamthodi. Kunchu Nair, who also taught at the PSV Natyasangham in Kottakkal

Kottakkal

Kottakkal is a town and a municipality in Malappuram District in Kerala, south India. It has 32 Wards. The National Highway 17 separates the municipality from Edarikkode Panchayath on some part in the west. It is an Eranadan town located 12 km south-west of Malappuram, the district...

, has eminent disciples like Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody

Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody

Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody is a leading Kathakali artiste known for his restrained portrayal of character roles in the classical dance-drama of Kerala in south India. A frontline disciple of Padma Shri Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair, he excels in virtuous pachcha, anti-hero Kathi and the semi-realistic...

, Kottakkal Sivaraman

Kottakkal Sivaraman

Kottakkal Sivaraman was an acclaimed performing artiste who revolutionised the portrayal of female roles in Kathakali, the classical dance-drama from Kerala in southern India...

, Nelliyode Vasudevan Namboodiri

Nelliyode Vasudevan Namboodiri

Nelliyode Vasudevan Namboodiri or Nelliyod Vasudevan Namboodiri is a Kathakali artiste noted primarily for his vibrant portrayal of the villainous chuvanna thaadi roles of the classical dance-drama from Kerala in south India...

 and Kottakkal Chandrasekharan

Kottakkal Chandrasekharan

Kottakkal Chandrasekharan is a senior Kathakali artiste known for his portrayal of the virtuous pachcha and anti-heroic Kathi roles in the classical dance-drama from Kerala in south India....

. Vazhenkada Vijayan

Vazhenkada Vijayan

Vazhenkada Vijayan is a senior Kathakali exponent and a retired principal of Kerala Kalamandalam, the performing art institute where he was trained in the classical dance-drama from Kerala in southern India...

, an ex-principal of Kalamandalam, is his son. Kunchu Nair died in 1981 after prolonged illness.