Kudamaloor Karunakaran Nair (1916-2000) was a pioneering Kathakali artiste who brought to prominence female characters in the classical dance-drama from Kerala in south India. Kathakali gained a lot through Karunakaran Nair's artistic contributions as his professional career coincided with that of the legendary Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair. With his charming face and graceful feminine movements on the stage, Kudamaloor, as he was simply known (by his place of birth), gained name as the ideal heroine opposite Krishnan Nair's protagonists. Kudamaloor's prominent roles like Damayanti, Lalita, Kunti, Mohini, Rukmini, Devayani, Sairandhri and Draupadi complemented Krishnan Nair's lead roles like Nalan, Karnan, Rugmangadan and Keechakan.