Gokulnath (C) along with his college students and their world document certificates
When Okay Gokulnath factors his finger at her, 10-year-old Andrea Varghese walks to the nook the place gymnastics mattresses have been piled. She picks one out and proceeds to contort her physique in methods unimaginable.
A scholar at Gokulnath Distinctive Expertise Academy (GUTA), a circulate arts faculty in Chennai, Andrea is likely one of the few left at GUTA who doesn’t but have a Guinness World Report to her title; her father Varghese Joseph informs us she is practising every day to alter the established order. Her goal? Attempt to obtain the utmost variety of backwards roll while staying contorted!
Okay Gokulnath
GUTA is the brainchild of Gokulnath, who’s an actor-performer-filmmaker-dance and stunt choreographer all rolled into one. Since March 2020, Gokul, his group of trainers at GUTA (which he operates in Arumbakkam and Virugambakkam within the metropolis) and their college students have collectively set 16 Guinness World Information. “You would say this [records] is changing into a USP for us,” he smiles.
His academy in Arumbakkam is on the primary ground of a industrial constructing on Valluvar Avenue, just a few paces down the highway from Jai Nagar Park close to CMBT bus terminus. The scholars embrace a four-year-old woman who Gokul factors to and says, “She may give us 30 push-ups simply.” The world information the scholars have set vary from ‘Most rotations of a hula hoop on one toes while in head stand place in a single minute’ to ‘Most juggling catches on a stability board in a single minute’.
Growing curiosity
The 36-year-old Gokul began GUTA in 2018, and for some time had aligned it with that of choreographer Kala’s dance studio in Anna Nagar. In February 2020, he moved to the house in Arumbakkam. Lockdown started quickly after.
A scholar at GUTA
“A scholar pitched the thought [of attempting world records] throughout lockdown. I discovered that there have been a number of classes in circulate arts that could possibly be tried and accomplished inside a minute. These have been additionally a part of their classes, and so doing this was useful in retaining the scholars’ curiosity [during lockdown],” says Gokul, a outstanding face in tv. He and his group practice college students in varied circulate (circus) arts like hula hoops, rolla bolla, poi spinning, juggling,
silambam and even trapeze.
Gokul’s curiosity in circulate arts, he says, began as a university scholar. His publicity on TV — Gokul was the runner up in season three of
Kalakka Povathu Yaaru , which was received by actor Sivakarthikeyan; he had additionally taken half in reveals like
Naalaiya Iyakkunar and
Maanada Mayilada in addition to showing in movies like
Ambuli 3D ,
Magalir Mattum and
Airaa amongst others — additionally helped.
A scholar at GUTA
“My work on TV took me to 26 completely different nations the place I met many road performers and from whom I took courses. I had additionally attended workshops on circus arts each overseas and in Goa. However in Tamil Nadu there’s little or no curiosity in circulate arts,” he remarks.
With 16 information within the kitty, GUTA is planning to recruit dad and mom as nicely of their pursuits. Final week, Gokul enlisted the assistance of oldsters in a world document try — passing a hula hoop alongside a human chain of 100 folks in underneath 5 minutes; an try which was unsuccessful. He, nonetheless, insists he’ll redo the try till he will get the specified outcome.
Says Indu Sukumar, whose son Adhav trains at GUTA and just lately tried to set a document by climbing a fleet of fifty stairs while hula-hooping, “The youngsters are extra involved in such actions. My son is now into juggling as nicely. He’s additionally getting ready to present the (aforementioned) document try a second attempt.”
Okay Gokulnath
And for some like Mithun TS, who works within the IT trade, coming to such courses helps him meet like-minded dad and mom and bond over their youngsters’ gymnastics talents. “It additionally retains the kid occupied particularly right now when on-line courses occur,” he provides.
For the youngsters, circulate arts has earned them recognition — amongst classmates and lecturers at school. Those with information to their title are afforded the lengthy finish of the rope in terms of teachers, if it helps with their follow.
For Gokul, that is changing into a lifestyle. He says, “My subsequent document might be with my spouse. We might be making the most important origami coronary heart for Valentine’s Day.” On February 4, nonetheless, the Guinness World Information licensed Gokulnath and his companion as the brand new document holders within the aforementioned class, having made an origami coronary heart that measures 3.82 metres x 3.35 metres.
Gokulnath will be contacted on 7338827800.