Fest falls flat
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The Kuchipudi festival featured mediocre performances.
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Photo: K. Gajendran
Stage rage A moment from the dance item `Mahishasura Mardhini'
The two-day Kuchipudi dance ballet festival (Nritya Roopakotsavalu) drew troupes from Andhra that have not really been famed for this particular genre. Though the thematic presentations chosen were majestic (going by the titles) and crisp in terms of the time factor (two ballets an evening), they were not up to the expected mark. The imposing Mahishasura Mardhini by Guru K.V. Satyanarayana of Eluru (Satya Kuchipudi & Janapada Nritya Academy) was regal only in attire, lyrics and settings. Satyanarayana looked too much of a veteran to don female roles and as Parashakti was not inspiring to say the least. Pure nritta is the forte of Shakti as well as Shiva at least in dance parlance. Since it was far from being realised in this case, the principle of substitution was adopted which was welcome to a certain extent.
Arresting portrayal
Ajay as Goddess Kali who devours the demon Raktabheeja was simply superb both in stature and skills. He personified the female energy in being graceful and wrathful, lithe and livid. He has the right amount of masculinity with a touch of feminine that best suits mythological roles like these, which also form the crux of Kuchipudi genre. Ch Srinivas as Mahishasura and Raktabheeja, the two demonic powers that force the goddess to use hidden powers to annihilate them, gave an impressive performance. The Trinity created by the mighty Goddess - Brahma, Vishnu, Maheswara and their consorts (but for Parvathi) pranced about like a pair of amateur artistes. The characters, giving lip movement to the pravesha daruvulu (traditional introductory verses) looks weird especially when (unlike in olden times) they have a vocalist and orchestra to lend the voice and music. It is high time, our Kuchipudi teachers and artists take care to rectify such slips and fine-tune the production without losing out on the essence of the traditional art.
Bizarre show
What is now being touted, as Kuchipudi is neither the quintessential, archaic art form nor a sophisticated aesthetic presentation? It borders on the bizarre. And this can be avoided if the dance has to retain its place in the classical natyam category. Vocal by K Suryanarayana and Shanti, nattuvangam by Mohan, tabla by Kalyan made for a reasonably good orchestra.
If Mahishasura Mardhini had an aged male playing the role of Devi, the second production by Vijayawada-based Sri Nritya Academy (Bhagavatula Venkatarama Sarma) had a female donning the role of Krishna in its playlet, Bhagavad Gita. Sowmya painted in indigo blue wore a perpetually blank expression irrespective of the scene in progress.
Facing the audience at all times and retorting to the jibes of Duryodhana and others at the rayabharam scene was a visible flaw in Sowmya's portrayal of Krishna. While all other characters like Bheesma, Drona, Dritharashtra, Gandhari, Karna and Arjuna delivered their dance dialogues with more conviction, Krishna the key figure of Bhagavad Gita ballet, let the presentation down. To top it, Sowmya's dancing skills were also mediocre.
Misconceptions remain
The two court dancers were worthy of their roles. Despite a good orchestra, Bhagavad Gita turned out to be more drama than dance.
Unlike the Kuchipudi tradition, when there is a mixed troupe, is there a need for a female to play a male role?
Popular misconceptions of Devi Parasakhti being huge and crude of figure and Krishna being feminine should be shed and an insight into great literary writings will provide the choreographers with a correct physical concept of mythological characters.
All the same, the Department of Culture's effort to extend unstinting support and patronage to Kuchipudi dance form in one of the premier auditoriums like the Ravindra Bharati is laudable.
RANEE KUMAR
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