Kerala   

On a mission to popularise Kuchipudi

Anupama Mohan. — Photo: S. Ramesh Kurup

Few heroines in Indian classical dances are as enchanting as Satyabhama in Kuchipudi. But until a few decades ago, women did not have the privilege to play this most feminine and graceful of female characters, as Kuchipudi was performed only by men, and mostly in ballet form. Vedantam Satyanarayana Sarma's portrayal of Satyabhama still inspires awe among spectators.

Times have changed, and now it is women who often play the male roles in Kuchipudi. Anupama Mohan is one dancer who made a mark in playing male roles. Her `Narada' was so good that she was even nick-named after the divine sage.

"Once I met the dance critic Subbudu after so many years. He could not recognise me at first; then he took a closer look at my face and said `Narada'," says Anupama, who was in Kozhikode recently. "I have done many other roles but I guess people loved to watch my `Narada'."

Her teacher

It was guru Vempatti Chinna Satyam who spotted Anupama's talent to excel in male roles. "I consider myself lucky that I could learn Kuchipudi from the great master himself. I am, in fact, one of his senior-most disciples. Many dancers were training with him at the time, like Sobha Naidu, Manju Bhargavi and Hema Malini," she recalls.

She trained under Chinna Satyam for 16 years. "I have become whatever in life because of the training I received from him," says Anupama, who was born in Nellore, Andhra Pradesh, before moving to Chennai.

Anupama, who is herself a teacher now, says she learnt so much about teaching from Chinna Satyam. "He somehow had great faith in me and would ask me to teach others even while I was young. I had a great time being part of his troupe, which was brimming with talent. We did a lot of shows around the world in the `70's." Anupama is now settled in Kochi with her husband Mohan, well-known film director, and has two children. She had acted in two films directed by Mohan, `Randu Penkuttikal' and `Vatakaveedu.'

Anupama is the director of Satyanjali Academy of Kuchipudi, Kochi. "I have a lot of dedicated students at my academy who do not see dance as something useful only for the schools and college youth festivals," she says. "What you see in youth festivals is not the real Kuchipudi; it is much more than dancing on a plate with a pot on your head. Unfortunately, the children are led to believe Kuchipudi is just that." Anupama's aim is to popularise Kuchipudi in Kerala. "I am happy that more and more people want to learn Kuchipudi here. And I have always found that the young dancers here are quick learners," she says.

P. K. AJITH KUMAR

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