Methil Devika

Methil Devika (born 1976) is an Indian dance research scholar, educator, performer and choreographer from Palakkad.

Dr. Methil Devika
Born1976 (1976) (age 45)
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
NationalityIndian
Occupation
  • Dancer
  • Academic
Known forMohiniyattam
Spouse(s)
  • Rajeev Nair
    ​
    ​
    (m. 2002; div. 2004)​
  • ​
    (m. 2013)​
ChildrenDevang Rajeev

Early life

Methil Devika was born in 1976 in Dubai, where she attended the The Indian High School.[1] She has two elder sisters, Radhika Pillai and Methil Renuka. Writer Methil Radhakrishnan is her maternal uncle, and writer V. K. N.'s wife Vedavathi is her maternal aunt.

She attended St. Thomas Convent School and then Mercy College before obtaining an undergraduate degree in Commerce from Government Victoria College in Palakkad.

Education

She completed a Masters in Business Administration from Madras University with a first rank,[2] and a master's degree in Performing Arts from the Rabindra Bharati University with a first rank and gold medal.[3] She completed a Ph.D in Mohiniyattam from Bharathidasan University, Tamil Nadu, 2013.[2] She has been a lecturer in the Department of Post-graduate Studies (Mohiniyattam/Kathakali/Koodiyattam)[4] and at the Research Department of Kerala Kalamandalam University, Kerala.[5] She was also Head of the Department of International Students at Kerala Kalamandalam University.[6]

Career

Methil Devika is an educator, scholar and proponent of the Indian Classical Dance form of Mohiniyattam.[7][8] Her performances at dance concerts in the USA, Europe, Australia, Esplanade theatre Singapore, and for major festivals like the Kerala Fine Arts Society[9] and the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar youth festival,[10] have been praised for how she has redefined Mohiniyattam by exploring universal human emotions. Devika has given lecture-demonstrations and paper-presentations in various schools and institutes in India and at universities abroad propagating Mohiniyattam and Malayalam literature, music, and poetry through her art.[4] She has curated festivals such as the five day 2017 Chilanka Dance Festival in Thiruvananthapuram.[11]

She also appeared in a 2015 theatre adaptation of the play Naaga with her husband, Mukesh,[12] and his sister, Sandhya Rajendan, directed by Suveeran.[13] Later in 2017 she made her film debut in Humans of Someone directed by Sumesh Lal.[14]

In 2018, Devika appeared in and provided the narration for the short film documentary Sarpatatwam, based on her interpretation of the work of an 11th century poet. She set the lyrics to music, choreographed and performed the dance, also serving as co-director and co-producer.[15]

Personal life

Devika married Rajeev Nair in 2002 and settled in Bangalore[1] where they had a son, Devang.[16] Divorcing soon after Devang's birth, Devika relocated to Palakkad, and opened "Sripada Natya Kalari",[1] a dance school in Palakkad.[3]

She married popular Malayalam actor Mukesh on 24 October 2013.[5] It was also his second marriage.[17]

Awards

She won the State honour Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy Award for Mohiniyattam[18] for 2010 and the National Award Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Award instituted by the Kendra Sangeetha Nataka Academy for 2007.[19][20] She also won the Devadasi National Award from the Government of Orissa in 2010.[6] She received the Nirod Baran Award from West Bengal for her proficiency in dance theories and practice.[6] Devika is an 'A' graded artiste in Doordarshan and was empaneled in SPIC MACAY (Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture Amongst Youth),[18] Delhi. She is an empaneled artiste with, and fellow of the Indian Council of Cultural Relations Delhi. She won the Madras Music Academy's Best Dancer Award in 2016 for the mid-year fest.[21]

References
  1. Paul, G. S (12 August 2011). "Dance scholar and performer". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 10 July 2018.
  2. "Dancing to the tunes of life". Deccan Chronicle. 16 February 2017. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
  3. Yiyyvadi, Sreevalsan (2 October 2017). "MBA and the Maestro". Outlook india. Retrieved 10 July 2018.
  4. Rupera, Prashant (19 April 2013). "Methil Devika interacts with students in the city". The Times of India. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
  5. "Malayalam actor Mukesh marries dancer Methil Devika". India TV. 25 October 2013. Retrieved 10 July 2018.
  6. Chakra, Shyamhari (8 October 2010). "Dance divine". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
  7. "So much divine energy in Khajuraho: Methil Devika". INDIA New England News. 7 March 2016. Retrieved 10 July 2018.
  8. Panchamakesan, C. S (24 November 2016). "Masterly Mohiniyattam". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 10 July 2018.
  9. Bal, Harish (19 January 2017). "Evenings of ragas and rhythm". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
  10. "Your music - Recurrent Note". India Today. 2 May 2008. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
  11. Nampoothiri, Hareesh N. (24 February 2017). "Steps of talent and skill". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
  12. Kumar, P. K. Ajith (9 August 2015). "All set for a new innings on stage". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 10 July 2018.
  13. Paul, G. S. (20 August 2015). "Marrying myth and mystery". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 10 July 2018.
  14. Prakash, Asha (24 January 2017). "Methil Devika makes her film debut". The Times of India. Retrieved 10 July 2018.
  15. Nagarajan, Saraswathy (20 September 2018). "In tune with the dance of the serpent". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
  16. Khan, Shiba (11 April 2014). "Mukesh and wife Devika make their first public appearance - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
  17. Pillai, Radhila C (9 November 2013). "My marriage with Mukesh is an arranged one: Methil Devika - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 10 July 2018.
  18. M, Athira (22 June 2012). "Art in motion". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 10 July 2018.
  19. "Kavalam - guru non-pareil". The Hindu. 30 June 2013. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
  20. "Bismillah Khan award for Methil Devika". The Hindu. 5 March 2008. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 10 July 2018.
  21. M., Athira (29 December 2016). "Exploring new idioms". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
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