Bharatanatyam dancer Malavika Sarukkai is all set to present her solo production "Anubandh" at the Jamshed Bhabha Theatre of the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA) on March 12, to commemorate 50 years in dance.
Known for her rather unusual presentation of Bharatanatyam that moves away from the traditional repertoire, she talks to Deccan Herald about how the pandemic has changed her, the art she creates and her not-so-traditional choices when it comes to dance.
A winner of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and the Padma Shri, Sarukkai also talks to us about how she has evolved from creating pieces like "Tari" to a whole production on the five elements. Here are the edited excerpts from the interview.
I saw you perform "The Unseen Sequence" seven years ago at the Music Academy in Chennai. That was about your journey in dance. Now you've completed 50 years as a dancer. What has changed since then?
Since the pandemic, we have changed. That has made an impact on an emotional and personal level. That's how I created "Anubandh." It is a response to what I saw in the world.
We do not notice a lot of things when we're busy. When the world stopped because of the pandemic, I had time to pause, see, and reflect on the beauty of nature or the violence around us.
"Anubandh" is very different from "The Bhagavad Gita" that I had produced immediately before the pandemic. That was about the battle within us; it was philosophical. This production is about how the collective and human beings respond to nature. It reinforces our links with the sun and moon, the primary elements. It also honours the entire "panchamahabhuta" (the five elements).
You have moved away from the traditional Bharatanatyam "margam" or the repertoire. Why do you continue to do so?
The repertoire made sense, but Bharatanatyam is a language. So you take the language and create your vocabulary. One should not look at dance as a repertoire; it must be considered a language. While my production has elements from the repertoire like "adavus" (rhythmic patterns put together) and traditional hand gestures, it is not presented traditionally. By doing this, I am expanding the vocabulary of dance. When one looks outside the conventional "padam" or "javali," it comes with responsibility and a lot of fun.
How do you make your art relatable to the young and the non-rasika audiences?
If I think about it, the question may arise: Would a love song like a "javali" appeal to a young audience? If I told young people that my piece is about them and what is happening around them--like climate change--that might make it more relatable. My pieces are, in that sense, contemporary. Also, I do not think I want to choose between the Sabha audience and outside.
This talk about creating for the masses makes me wonder if classical dance is meant for the masses. I create for the people. How will I make something true to me if I keep thinking about this?
If I were to perform at a temple "utsavam," I would perhaps perform the Ramayana. But "Anubandh" has the potential to reach college students.
I have a problem with restrictive art. If a piece is good, I should be able to present it anywhere--India or abroad.
You wear a rather unusual style of costume for Bharatanatyam. The "kaccham" style is usually worn by Kuchipudi artists.
I do it because I want to and believe it goes with the movements I choose for my productions. The aesthetics are better with the "kaccham" style. I wore traditional costumes for several years; my dressing sense changed as I matured. Outfits should also match our temperament, and I think "kaccham" compliments my temperament. My dance has changed over the years, and so has my costume.
Why did you choose to move from the traditional repertoire?
It is simple. I felt I had to move on. I did it for 20 years, and I thought I had to discover more and do so much more. So, for 20 years, I did the "margam." And the next 30 years I spent doing other productions.