DR PADMA SREE KALAMANDALAM GOPI ASHAN

12th January 2025

BOOK LAUNCH

BY DR PADMA SREE KALAMANDALAM GOPI ASHAN.

CONGRATULATIONS 

Congratulations to the great Dr Padma Sree Kalamandalam Gopi Ashan, affectionately known as Gopi Ashan, for a super book launch in Trissur yesterday on 11th Jan 2025. It was wonderful to see ashan look so happy and appreciated surrounded by family and friends. I liked how ashan said "You can put the poems in a bin, but I won`t stop"!

Photo Dr Padma Sree Kalamandalam Gopi Ashan.                                                                       Photo credit Garry Laybourn

THE CHARACTER

I remember when ashan kindly agreed to come with us to England and how he always thought so deeply about the character that he was performing. What the characters were saying and how they related to each other.

CHANGED THE STORY.

Ashan changed the new story that we were performing, called Hima Sundari, by creating, writing and adding an entire section at the beginning of the play. This scene established the deep love of the prince for the beautiful princess.

Ashan understood that without this new section there would be no reason for the prince to search the land to find the princess, after she refused to come with him and ran away, be totally devastated when he thought that she had died and ecstatic when she woke up from a deep sleep. Ashan always thought about the words that the characters were saying and how the poetry could improve the meaning within the story.

VISION

Through his incredible vision and creative genius Kathakali progressed significantly and ashan`s stunning performances became the rare global treasure that we are fortunate to have today.

THANK YOU

For this great gift, and the huge contribution that ashan made to Kathakali in Kerala, the UK and worldwide, we are eternally grateful.

We convey the appreciation of thousands of people all over Britain who were fortunate enough to experience ashan`s writing, remarkable creativity and outstanding performances.