‘Navarasa Sadhana’

Evolving from India’s classical performance traditions, ‘Navarasa Sadhana’ is a profound actor training methodology rooted in the Natyashastra and developed by theatre master Guru G. Venu. The practice explores the inner landscape of emotion through breath, movement, and stillness, guiding the actor to transform their internal experience into genuine expression. It is a process of self-discovery that leads to the authentic evocation of the nine rasas, or emotional states, forming the essence of Indian aesthetics. 

The workshop will be led by Guru G. Venu, an eminent theatre practitioner, performer, and scholar renowned for his pioneering work in reviving and teaching Koodiyattam and Nangiar Koothu, India’s oldest living Sanskrit theatre traditions. Founder of Natanakairali in Kerala, he has devoted his life to the research, documentation, and training of traditional theatre, shaping how classical forms converse with modern dramaturgy today. 

Joining him is Kapila Venu, an internationally acclaimed Koodiyattam and Nangiar Koothu artist known for her deeply expressive performances and mastery of abhinaya (expression). Trained under her father, Guru G. Venu, and the legendary Kalamandalam Girija, Kapila brings rare emotional depth and contemporary sensitivity to ancient forms, performing across major global festivals and academic forums. 

Together, they offer an unparalleled opportunity to experience ‘Navarasa Sadhana’, a living dialogue between tradition and transformation, discipline and emotion, form and feeling.