Talents-in-waiting
LEELA VENKATARAMAN
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Young artistes have something to say in their own way, but not many forums to perform.
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Meenu Thakur
Watching youngsters like Meena Thakur in her Kuchipudi recital at the India International Centre brings home the truth of the performance scene in dance, where even proliferating platforms are unable to accommodate talented youngsters knocking at the door of opportunity.
After training under Swapnasundari, Meenu Thakur for the last few years has been the disciple of the Kuchipudi couple Guru Jayarama Rao and Vanashree Rao. The dancer was brave to present a recital almost entirely abhinaya-based, without the razzle-dazzle of nritta, such a vital component of Kuchipudi. With confident bearing and contained exuberance, Meenu projected rare maturity, her Ashta Nayika recital beginning with a montage of fleeting but convincing introductory glimpses of all the eight heroines.
Right from the Vasakasajjika nayika who decorates her person and her chamber, in anticipation of the beloved, Meenu Thakur winsomely caught the heroine's eager expectation gradually transforming to anxiety and disappointment, her interpretation based on the Kshetrayya padam in Pantuvarali "Intaproddaya ninka vaademi vaccani", very tunefully sung by vocalist Venkatesh. The Virahotkanthita nayika based on a Surdas pada, wilting away in the ache of separation from Krishna, aggravated by memories springing with the colour and gaiety of Holi ("Anganame sab Holi khelen"), saw the dancer's expressional intensity. The Svadhinapatika portraying a nayika's confidence from being fully cherished by the loved one came from interpreting a Kshetrayya padam in Kalyani, "Etuvanti vani".
Nanditha Mazumdar
Pattabhirama's Kedaragowla javali "Koppamettula rakayundunura" provided the textual framework for the jilted angry Khandita heroine. The haunting Charukesi raga for the ashtapadi "Yamihe kamiha sharanam" showing the vipralabdha burning in the anguish of neglect from Krishna, and the Abhisarika in "Keshi Mathanam Udaram" in raga Piloo wherein Radha's burning desire, reminiscing on her first intimate moments with Krishna, wants her sakhi to fetch him, were both based on Jayadeva's Gitagovind verses.
In the traditional Kuchipudi mould from Bhama Kalapam, in Devagandhari, was the Kalahantarita blaming Krishna for being too lost in his love for the other wife Rukmini, rendered with saucy zest, typical of Satyabhama's character.
Supama Banerjee's very mellifluous singing of the Rabindra Sangeet in non-rhythmic savoured pace provided an ideal format for portraying the Proshitabhartrika, pining for the lover away on work, the stormy night aggravating her loneliness. Given her obvious interpretative abilities, more stillness with less covering of space in intense moments would have increased the impact. A spirited Hamsanandi tillana provided the right contrasting tone for the finale. Jayarama Rao led the accompanying team with sensitive vocal support, Keshavan (mridangam) and Annadorai (violin) providing right orchestral support.
HCL Series
Motherhood and its immediate aftermath having kept Nanditha Mazumdar away from the dance arena for a while, the dancer heralded her re-entry with a Bharatanatyam recital at the Stein auditorium under the HCL Concert series. Groomed in the Vazhuvoor bani of Bharatanatyam initially under Padmini Ravi (Bangalore) and now under S. Kanaka, Nanditha, gifted with supple grace has a pleasing, dignified stage presence. The varnam in Shankarabharanam, "Sakhiye inda jaalam enadi", saw the dancer bring to the fore her command over nritta and interpretative felicity. Amply sprinkled with elaborations strung round each musical statement, the interpretative start had the nayika through many ways cajoling the sakhi into conveying her message of love to the Lord. While the dancer has all the ingredients needed, what she requires more of in her dance is the assertive quality. There is too much of flowing grace all moving at an even keel, without any high points of emphasis. Even in the excellent teermanams including some fine new nritta sequences strung by the guru, whose authoritative nattuvangam set the tone with Sriganesh's mridangam, the dancer's rendition, while rhythmically exact, had a monochromatic tone sans modulation through accenting of key syllables, punctuating the rhythmic segments with a thrust, making even the unaccented portions stand up in contrast. The abhinaya section whether portraying the nayika intrigued by the lack of response from the beloved, or expressing the bhakti-filled nature of Hanuman, the composition based on a lyric from Arunachala Kavirayar's Ramanatakam, while pleasant, with more of internalisation would benefit. Vidya Srinivasan weaving embellishments round each musical line of the varnam niraval-fashion was good, though in the upper notes her voice sounded strained.
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