W hile the nation marches to the tune of ‘Nari Shakti’, the city got another opportunity to cheer on women power as four women artistes mesmerised the packed audience at the Nishagandhi fete, with the tales of gutsy Vasavi, Andal, Kannagi and Rambha, women of yore who refused to kowtow to expectations and, as a result, became immortal.
The production, ‘Antaram,’ was led by Mohiniyattam danseuse Gopika Varma, Bharatanatyam exponent Krithika Subrahmanian, Kuchipudi dancer Yamini Reddy and veteran actress Suhasini Maniratnam.
A spectacular blend of classical dance, drama, visuals, music and theatrics, the two-hour-long performance featured stories that are as inspirational today as they were centuries ago. Gopika, who conceptualised the production and depicted the valorous Kannagi, is “overwhelmed” by the response to the production in the city, her hometown, where, incidentally, Kannagi is revered as Attukal Bhagavathy. She talks about the creative process behind ‘Antaram’, her growth as an artiste and her belief in the resilience of women and womanhood in face of adversity. Excerpts from the interview...
Conceptualising ‘Antaram’
The idea took off from a conversation between myself and Suhasini, while we both were attending a book release in Chennai. We got talking about abhinaya and how it can be utilised to show how women are not as weak or meek as society perceives us to be. Women have an innate strength that often makes us more resilient than men. Each tear that I have shed in my life has given me the power to overcome obstacles and there are plenty of women out there who do the same.
There are myriad examples from mythology and contemporary life too that reaffirms it, powerful stories that need to be told. Krithika, whose dance company Namaargam, does huge productions, developed the concept into a full-fledged production and brought Yamini into the fold too.
Zeroing in on the characters
We wanted to highlight South Indian classical dance traditions and as such wanted stories from each of the southern states, with each story representing different aspects of feminine aspiration. Young Vasavi of Penugonda [Telengana], who sacrifices herself in a bid to escape the advances of a lecherous king, for example, represents the expansion of mind over body. She is portrayed through Kuchipudi by Yamini.
Krithika takes up the story of the playful Kodhai who becomes Andal, the deity of Srivilluputhur temple in Tamil Nadu, through her devotion to Lord Vishnu. Andal’s story, told through Bharatanatyam, illustrates the capacity to envision and attain the ideal. Kannagi, as we know, is a study of valour and vigour.
Rambha, enacted by Suhasini, is a scholar-dancer from Kandy, Sri Lanka, who knows her mind. She becomes the beloved of Emperor Mohammed Adil Shah, is immortalised in Bijapur’s Gol Gumbaz, and is the connecting thread that represents liberation. She is the consummate woman who embodies the dynamism and strength of these iconic characters.
Interwoven in the narrative are the stories of contemporary women such as air hostess Amrita Ahluwalia, who prevented an ‘Arabi Kalyanam’, and Kodhai, a grandmother from the agraharams of East Fort, who is boxed in by her family and by convention. All the parallel storylines are brought to life by Suhasini.
Challenges of combining three classical dance traditions with each other and with contemporary theatre
Right from the outset we were determined that we would not compromise on the quality of dance and that we would not attempt anything that we could not do.
Krithika, Yamini and I stuck to pure dance giving Mohiniyattam, Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam equal space, while Suhasini explored her histrionic skills and, with the help of choreographer Kala master, her dance skills too. With that established, there were no great challenges. The creative process was an equal measure of fun and hard work. We each worked on our individual pieces, pitching in with inputs when necessary. We’d Whatsapp our ideas to each other, with last messages from Suhasini, especially while she was writing the script, going out at 2.30 a.m. and resuming at 6.30 a.m.
You seem very keen on collaborations with other artistes…
I am a people person and like sharing my craft with others. Also, art has to move on if we want it to survive. We now have to take art to the masses rather than the other way around. I believe that such collaborations, which finely balance tradition with modern performance styles, are the way forward.
How have collaborations with other artistes changed the artiste in you?
I’m always on the lookout for improvement and the more you share the more you learn. As an artiste you have to give your 120 per cent and expect to get back only 60 per cent. We learn to let go of our egos and learn to be ready to accept criticism and praise with equal candour. You learn not be afraid to speak our mind.I have been a dancer for 40 years now and I feel that the time has come for me to expand my horizons in Mohiniyattam.
I want to do a lot of theatre and explore abhinaya, knowing that I have now reached a space where I am not bothered by convention. Much like how the four heroines take challenges head on, I’m going to practise what I preach!
Upcoming projects
I am very excited about a collaboration with Malaysian Odissi exponent Ramli Ibrahim and Kathak dancer Shama Bhate. It’s going to be an international production on the Mahabharata, a completely musical production with no lyrics.
Meanwhile, we’ll be touring West Asia and the United States with ‘Antaram.’
