Moving out of our Comfort Zone by Nitya Gupta

I first heard of “Chitrangada” in Dec last year in my living room, when Mou (show director) brought the idea of doing a classically inspired show. Not just any classical story, but one of Rabindranath Tagore’s most famous tales. I instantly loved the idea, but……Will it really work? Having put out successful Bollywood style productions in the last 2 years, I thought Pratidhwani had found its “niche”. It’s easy to make people laugh, but to portray one of Tagore’s strongest plays in a dance ballet is HUGE!! Were we up for the challenge, I wondered? And so we set sail on this unknown voyage....a few brave souls...

However...as the days passed, more talent started pooling in, the choreography became more breath-taking, the set design became more intricate, and the production became bigger and grander. And now when the show is at our door step, I just sit back amazed…..I am proud of the awesome Pratidhwani team for undertaking this unique project. With this production, we are not only taking Pratidhwani to new heights, but are providing a platform for many talented artists to perform in one of the biggest dance productions ever to be staged in this area.

As if the production wasn’t challenging enough, I also have the opportunity to perform one of the toughest forms of Indian Martial Arts, Kalaripattu from Kerela (NO, being married to a Malayali has nothing to do with this :P), choreographed by Sunil Sharma. Additionally, I have the challenge of depicting the emotions, antics and strength inherent in Kamdev (God of Love) exclusively through classically inspired dances which is interesting for someone like me who is not classically trained.

To sum it all up folks, please don’t spend most of Aug 22 listening to your friends talk about the fabulous show you missed the previous night. Find a babysitter, finish your laundry, tell your boss that you are not working that weekend and take your better half to experience the grandest ballet production this side of town.

Nitya