Bharatanatyam doyen Malavika Sarukkai: 'Classical dance makes us feel and empathise'

Malavika Sarukkai (Image: Twitter/IANS)

Bharatanatyam and Malavika Sarukkai are like 'conjoined twins' – often mentioned in the same breath. The veteran danseuse who has captivated audiences with her performances for over 50 years, continues to exude vitality. There's always magic in her movements – the complex gestures and facial expressions weave stories that open up an entirely new world.

Sarukkai, who has been awarded some of the most prestigious titles, including the Padma Shri and Sangeet Natak Akademi award, recently returned to the stage with Anubandh – Connectedness in Delhi. The solo dance creation, presented by HCL Concerts, reflected the artist's response to the isolation, loneliness, and trepidation arising from the pandemic.

In a freewheeling conversation, Sarukkai opened up about her journey as a Bharatanatyam dancer, the motivation behind Anubhandh – Connectedness, and more. Excerpts:

Your solo production, Anubandh, commemorates the completion of 50 years in dance. Looking back, what do you think has changed significantly in the field, and how is it promoted and practiced in India and abroad?

Completing 50 years as an active dancer and choreographer feels like a milestone, and a marathon. In the field of classical dance, there is no end to discovering oneself and the dance.

However, dance these days tends to project the physical capability of a dancer and artist more than asserting the emotional intensity and depth found in classical dance. There is a certain 'packaging' of dance to appease viewers’ expectations today. This is what I feel has changed in the field of dance.

Could you tell us about the theme in Anubandh – Connectedness?

The world was chaotically silent and in pause mode during the pandemic, which was gravely unsettling. I needed to anchor my observations and feelings. Anubandh – Connectedness, at a deeper level, is about learning to co-exist and live life with a sense of connectedness and inclusivity. At a time of uncertainty in a fractured world, Anubandh is a call to the transformative power of hope.

The production seeks to reclaim our primordial relationships with the sun and the moon, as also with the Five Great Elements, the Pancha Mahabhutas, as they are honoured in India – Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, and Space. The work reinforces our deep links with the generosity of the Earth, the rejuvenating powers of Water, the caressing pleasure (sukha) of the Wind, the eternal depth of sorrow (dukha) in Fire, the wonderment in sensing Space, and knowing that the same life-breath pervades all.

The credits for creative collaboration go to Sumantra Ghosal, while music production and sound design were taken care of by Sai Shravanam. Appreciation for support with the incredible light design goes to Niranjan Gokhale.

Before 'Anubandh', you had produced 'The Bhagavad Gita'. Do you think your style has evolved since then, since most of us went through an emotional transformation during the pandemic?

I think in the two years of the pandemic, when all performance spaces closed and all programmes were cancelled, I went into a kind of 'retreat space' with my dance. This allowed me time to reflect, chisel, and deepen my understanding of dance. This is what kept me afloat in those bleak months.

Your performances are truly experiential. Is there a conscious effort at your end to create a certain vocabulary?

Classical dance, when presented with conviction and intensity, is experiential in nature. It makes us feel and empathise. In order to ensure that the dance movement vocabulary communicates, it must be 'lived in the moment', not repeated as a habit. That is the challenge in dance – how does one refresh oneself?

(Image source: Twitter/Om Routray)

How have you tried to captivate the attention of the younger generation of audiences?

Arts and culture can be viewed, consumed, and savoured at many levels. Classical dance can be presented at different venues and spaces. For example, if it is at a temple festival, there will be thousands in the audience. If presented at a conference, it will be for a cross-section of members, if presented in a baithak style-setting, it will be more informal, and if presented like Anubandh – Connectedness at Delhi, it is more formal and sophisticated in presentation, and open to a larger public.

Classical dance cannot be in competition with big entertainment, which draws in thousands of viewers primarily because the purpose of big-scale entertainment and dance is different. This is what distinguishes and differentiates them from each other.

I would encourage the younger generation to be adventurous in spirit and discover artists of serious intent who take art to a different level of experience. I urge them to be open-minded to give themselves a chance to evaluate their experiences.

Your costume, too, is very different from traditional Bharatanatyam dancers. Why is it so?

I believe as an artist evolves, many things shift and change including themes, interpretations, dance structures, and techniques. The artist renews herself, and costumes also change in the course of these things. These days, I prefer a costume which is streamlined, non-fussy, and allows me to feel the full flow of the dance. Hence, I wear costumes designed by Sandhya Raman from Delhi.

Do you believe that with greater digitisation, arts and culture is gaining more prominence? Or is it the other way around?

Personally, there can be no substitute for offline and real-time performances, because it is only then that you feel the full force of dance and receive its tremendous impact. Digitisation has its advantages in some sense – it can be an addition to offline performances, as it can build interest in offline performances.