In kathakali, no character is purely evil – each deserves dignity, says Sadanam Harikumar

The multi-talented Sadanam K Harikumar is oddly unsung.

Perhaps that is because performs in so many different styles. Harikumar is a dancer who performs in both the kathakali and bharatanatyam styles, a singer in kathakali and Carnatic traditions, a designer of dance costumes, a sculptor, painter, a percussionist who plays the chenda and also a playwright.

While many younger artists have won state and national awards, Harikumar, 68, has failed to attract much official recognition. Barring the Kerala Sangeeta Natak Akademi award, he has none worthy of display on his mantlepiece.

Some people would think that practising so many different forms would result in only a superficial grasp of each. But Harikumar does not believe this is true.

“Perhaps I am not a master of one, but I am a servant of many, and that service itself is a kind of mastery,” he said.

Harikumar elaborated, “Kathakali gave me the grammar of performance, Carnatic music gave me melody, sculpture gave me form, and playwriting gave me narrative. I don’t separate them – they are all currents of the same energy. I cannot claim to be any one of them, I just do them.”

On July 18, the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Mumbai will stage Shoorpanakhankam, a kathakali play Harikumar...

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