# Brinda Master

Brinda Gopal, known professionally as Brinda Master, is an Indian dance choreographer and director who primarily works in South Indian cinema. She has choreographed dance sequences for various Indian films. She has won one National Film Award for Best Choreography, Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Choreographer, twice and Kerala State Film Award for Best Choreography, four times.

## Early life

Brinda Gopal was born into a family of seven girls to Mani Iyer, a caterer, and a homemaker in Erode. An elder sister Jayanthi, first started dancing and acted as heroine in two films – Uthiripookkal and Poottatha Pookkal. Brindha's second sister Girija, learned Bharatanatyam at Kalakshetra; and went to work with choreographers Thangam and later Raghuram Master, whom she married later, and also become an independent choreographer. Kala, a leading choreographer, is her elder sister.
One of her nephews, Prasanna Sujit, is also a film choreographer. One of her niece Gayathri Raghuram, daughter of late Raghuram Master and her sister Girija is also a choreographer and an actress. She has also introduced her another niece Keerthi, daughter of Jayanthi Master and wife of actor Shanthanu Baghyaraj, as an anchor in her dance reality show Maanada Mayilada.

## Career

Through the Bollywood film Insaf Ki Pukar she started her career as an assistant choreographer in 1987.She became independent choreographer with the 2000 Tamil film Mugavaree which features Ajith Kumar and Jyothika in lead roles. She was awarded the 'Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Choreographer by the state government at Tamil Nadu State Film Awards in 2000 for her work for that film.

## Selected filmography

Key :
| † | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
As Director & Choreographer :
| Years | Films | Director | Choreographer | Notes |
| 1987 | Insaf Ki Pukar | No | Assistant choreographer | Hindi Film |
| 1988 | Aakhari Poratam | No | Assistant choreographer | Telugu Film |
| 1988 | Janaki Ramudu | No | Assistant choreographer | Telugu Film |
| 1989 | Prem Pratigyaa | No | Assistant choreographer | Hindi Film |
| 1991 | Phool Aur Kaante | No | Assistant choreographer | Hindi Film |
| 1993 | Jaagruti | No | Assistant choreographer | Hindi Film |
| 1997 | Arunachalam | No | Yes | |
| 1997 | Preminchukundam Raa | No | Yes | Telugu Film |
| 1998 | Daya | No | Yes | Malayalam Film |
| 1999 | Naanu Nanna Hendthiru | No | Yes | Kannada film |
| 1999 | Minsara Kanna | No | Yes | Tamil Film |
| 2000 | Mugavaree | No | Yes | Tamil Film |
| 2003 | Kaakha Kaakha | No | Yes | Tamil Film |
| 2004 | Madurey | No | Yes | Tamil Film |
| 2005 | Chandramukhi | No | Yes | Tamil Film |
| 2005 | Udayananu Tharam | No | Yes | Malayalam Film |
| 2006 | Aathi | No | Yes | Tamil Film |
| 2006 | Sillunu Oru Kaadhal | No | Yes | Tamil Film |
| 2007 | Deepavali | No | Yes | Tamil Film |
| 2007 | Sivaji: The Boss | No | Yes | Tamil Film |
| 2007 | Azhagiya Tamil Magan | No | Yes | Tamil Film |
| 2007 | Vinodayathra | No | Yes | Malayalam Film |
| 2008 | Calcutta News | No | Yes | Malayalam Film |
| 2008 | Dasavathaaram | No | Yes | Tamil Film |
| 2008 | Vaaranam Aayiram | No | Yes | Tamil Film |
| 2011 | Engeyum Kadhal | No | Yes | Tamil Film |
| 2011 | Velayudham | No | Yes | Tamil Film |
| 2013 | Kadal | No | Yes | Tamil Film |
| 2013 | Thalaivaa | No | Yes | Tamil Film |
| 2013 | Bullett Raja | No | Yes | Hindi Film |
| 2014 | Maan Karate | No | Yes | Tamil Film |
| 2014 | PK | No | Yes | Hindi Film |
| 2015 | Kaaki Sattai | No | Yes | Tamil Film |
| 2016 | Rajinimurugan | No | Yes | Tamil Film |
| 2016 | Remo | No | Yes | Tamil Film |
| 2017 | Kaatru Veliyidai | No | Yes | Tamil Film |
| 2018 | Kaala | No | Yes | Tamil Film |
| 2018 | Sarkar | No | Yes | Tamil Film |
| 2019 | Nerkonda Paarvai | No | Yes | Tamil Film |
| 2020 | Darbar | No | Yes | Tamil Film |
| 2021 | Sulthan | No | Yes | Tamil Film |
| 2021 | Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea | No | Yes | Malayalam -Tamil Bilingual Film |
| 2021 | Annaatthe | No | Yes | Tamil Film |
| 2022 | Hey Sinamika | Yes | Yes | Debut as director; Tamil Film |
| 2022 | Don | No | Yes | Tamil Film |
| 2022 | Ponniyin Selvan: I | No | Yes | Tamil Film |
| 2023 | Thugs | Yes | Yes | Tamil Film |
| 2023 | Ponniyin Selvan: II | No | Yes | Tamil Film |
As Actress :
| Year | Films | Role(s) | Notes |
| 1994 | Nammavar | Nirmala | Debut Acted Film |
Music Video :
| Years | Songs | Works | Notes |
| 2022 | "Gandhari" | Director & Choreographer | Music Video |

## Awards and honours

| Year | Award Category | Winner |
| 1997 | Filmfare Award for Best Choreography – South | Preminchukundam Raa |
| 1998 | National Film Award for Best Choreography | Daya |
| 2000 | Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Choreographer | Mugavaree |
| 2003 | Filmfare Award for Best Choreography – South | Kaakha Kaakha |
| 2005 | Kerala State Film Award for Best Choreography | Udayananu Tharam |
| 2007 | Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Choreographer | Deepavali |
| 2007 | Kerala State Film Award for Best Choreography | Vinodayathra |
| 2008 | Kerala State Film Award for Best Choreography | Calcutta News |
| 2017 | Vijay Award for Best Choreographer | Kaatru Veliyidai |
| 2021 | Kerala State Film Award for Best Choreography | Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham |