PARAMESWARAVIJAYAM: ORU CHUTTIKKADHA (Triumph of Parameswaran: A Story of Chutti

PARAMESWARAVIJAYAM: ORU CHUTTIKKADHA (Triumph of Parameswaran: a story of Chutti) is a documentary film on the art and characteristics of ‘chutti’- the phenomenal facial make up in Kathakali and Koodiyattam, along with the life of Shri. Kalanilayam Parameswaran, made in the year 2008 by P.R.Sreekumar. Kalanilayam Parameswaran is the doyen of ‘Chutti’- the phenomenal facial make up in Kathakali and Koodiyattam, the traditional and classical art forms of Kerala. His canvas for painting is human face. The chutti artiste (make-up artist) with his talented fingers moulds the face of the actor to that of the character. Thus the face is turned into a painting as well as a sculpture. He has done ‘chutti’ on almost all the well known Kathakali and Koodiyattam artistes of Kerala during his 50 year long career. He visited Europe, USA, Russia and Japan with different Kathakali troupes. He is the author of a valuable book on the subject in Malayalam titled ‘Chutti-Kalayum Sastravum’ (Chutti – Art and Science) in 2011. This has been well received by the artists and students of both Kathakali and Koodiyattom. He won several awards including M.S.Namboodiri Award (1987), T.N. Namboodiri award (1992), Chalakkudi Nambissan Award (1998), Senior fellowship of Central Human Resources Development Ministry (1998-2000), Unnayivarrier Award of Kalanilayam in 2003, Kerala Kalamandalam Award in 2011, Gurupooja Puraskaram of Kerala State Sangeeta Nataka Academy in 2011, Pottayil Ramakrishna Pillai Award in 2017 etc. This documentary film has won several awards including 1. Best Documentary in the Kerala Film Audience Council Video Film Festival 2008, 2. Film Critics Television Awards 2008 for Best Documentary and 3. Jury’s Special Mention for Direction in Kerala State Television Awards 2008. and participatied in the following International Festivals: Punta del Este Documentary & Fiction Festival 2010, South America. 2nd International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala, 2009.