guru gopinath's family – the perumanoor tharavad – has two hundred years of tradition in kathakali. the kathakali artist champakkulam paachu pillai, who was known for his performance in thaadi and kaththi roles in kathakali, was his elder brother. bheeman paramu pillai alias unda paramu pillai, a court dancer (kathakali) of travancore was his maternal grandfather.