Sparkling recital
V.V.RAMANI
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With firm footwork and clean lines, Malavika Raghunathan held audience attention.
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Photo: R. Shivaji Rao
Malavika Raghunathan.
After the initial stage of learning, assimilating, even mimicking the teacher, there comes a stage, when the teacher slowly weans him/her away even while continuing to wield influence. Malavika Raghunathan who performed at the TTD Hall, is at this juncture of her dance career, because it is here that the artiste in a person blossoms.
`Vaishnava Vaibhavam,' which she presented was a collection of compositions addressed to Lord Ventakeswara. The programme began with a pushpanjali followed by Thodaya Mangalam in Ragamalika and Thalamalika. The different forms of Vishnu were depicted in this song `Jaya Janaki Ramana.' Lalgudi Jayaraman's Shanmugapriya Varnam, `Devar Munivar Thozhum Paadam' was the main item and the simple theermanams revealed the dancer's talent. Her firm footwork combined with angasuddham on a tall lithe frame held viewers' attention.
Well-rehearsed
The sancharis portraying Ahalya, Gajendra Moksham and Mahabali episodes were well-rehearsed representations. Of special interest was the attention given to details which added spark to abhinaya — Sita standing on her toes in the Sita Swayamvaram sequence in `Jaya Janaki Ramana' and the yagam sequence in the Vamana episode in the varnam.
`Vadavarayai Matthaki' has restricted scope for a young girl to express with Mukhabhinaya because one needs to internalise with Narayana and understand the essence of the song. It is not the right choice as a post-varnam number especially for a young girl. Portraying vaatsalya bhava, Malavika sparkled in the Tulsidas bhajan `Tumaka Chalata Ramachandra.'
The blindfold-playing sequence and adorning the child were captured beautifully with her eloquent eyes. A Balamuralikrishna tillana completed the recital. Malavika is a competent dancer trained well in her art form. She now needs to focus on evolving further by internalising stories, moods and emotions in order to scale further heights, for it is the artist's manodharma which produces rasa. Radha Bhadri's melodious voice brought out the mood of the song with right emotions. Meenakshi Chittaranjan's (the guru), nattuvangam was competent but a little more variety in rendering jatis would add interest. Kalaiarasan on the violin embellished the vocalist and Shakthivel on the mridangam sparkled throughout, especially in the charanam segment of the varnam where his flourishes added verve and tempo.
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