Savitha Sastry (born 11 December 1969) is an Indian dancer and choreographer best known as an exponent of Bharatanatyam. She is known to experiment with the format of traditional Bharatanatyam by using the techniques of Bharatanatyam to showcase theme-based productions based on novel stories, not based on Indian mythology or religion.[1][2][3][4] Her innovations have been described as 'path breaking' by critics.[5] and she is considered to be a 'renaissance architect'[6] who 'holds the distinction of being the dancer to have brought out a revolution in the way Bharatanatyam is presented after Rukmini Devi Arundale'.[7][8]
Savitha Subramaniam was born in Hyderabad, and later lived in Mumbai before her family relocated to their home town of Chennai. She started her training in Bharatanatyam under the tutelage of Guru Mahalingam Pillai at the Sri Rajarajeswari Bharatha Natya Kala Mandir in Mumbai, and later with Adyar K Lakshman and the Dhananjayans in Chennai.[9] She did her schooling at the P.S Senior Secondary School in Chennai, and her graduation from Stella Maris College.
In 1986, she featured as the lead dancer in the Tamil film Ananda Tandavam, a production of her Guru[10]Adyar K Lakshman. She pursued her master's degree in the United States, where she majored in neuroscience.[9]
Bharatanatyam
Through the 1980s, 1990s and the first decade of the millennium, Sastry had performed mostly traditional repertoires of Bharatanatyam. She produced and choreographed a few full length presentations such as Krishna: The Supreme Mystic and Purushartha during this phase.[11]
She is credited to have a high degree of technical proficiency in her kinetics of the dance form in being able to deliver it with the grace and technique demanded of Bharatanatyam performers.[12]Sydney-based critic Hamsa Venkat referred to "Savitha's crisp nritta (pure dance), clean lines and flawless aramandi was a breath of fresh air, and truly inspirational for students of dance."[13] The Audition Panel of the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival described her dancing with the words "Moves like a temple sculpture come to life".[11]
Notable productions
By 2009, Sastry departed from performing traditional margams (the traditional order in which classical dance is performed), and started her work on theme based productions. Sastry is noted for the use of contemporary and original story lines in her performances and her portrayal of multiple characters as a solo performer in them, which is a marked departure from the traditional Bharatanatyam theme of the nayika (the heroine) pining for love or pieces based on Bhakti (devotion) alone. Some of her notable productions include Music Within (2010),[14][15]Soul Cages (2012),[16][17][18][19][20][21][22]The Prophet: Destiny. Divinity. Doubt[23] and Chains: Love Stories of Shadows (2015).
Sastry has been critically lauded not only for her technique, but also for her innovations in the art form to take it to a wider audience. A profile story in the Times of India reported "(Savitha) has merged contemporary content with the centuries old dance form to create a unique niche"[11]
Critic Fozia Yasin of the Asian Age notes that Sastry "aims to bring about a renaissance in the traditional art form by marrying the aesthetics of Bharatanatyam with the power of an intelligent and novel story-line."[11] Critic Nonika Singh of The Tribune wrote, "Knocking down pigeonholes as she breaks free, she hopes to inspire more and more aspiring dancers to soar along, in the vast expanse of tradition minus the baggage of restrictive thinking!"[11] Critic Yamini Walia of the Afternoon Despatch & Courier reports that "her path breaking work has been recognised as a renaissance by critics and audiences all over the world."[24]
All her productions have been based on short stories by her husband, AK Srikanth, and the soundtrack for the productions have been composed by Rajkumar Bharathi, the great grandson of the veteran poet Subramania Bharathi. These have been performed in the Indian Subcontinent, Australia, South East Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and the Americas, and the productions have met with critical and popular acclaim. Another hallmark of Sastry's presentations is a Q & A session that she and Srikanth have with the audience at the end of the performance where the audience discuss the presentation with the performer and writer. Critic Lakshmi Ramakrishna of the Hindu praised this teamwork with the words "The husband – wife duo has struck a chord with audiences in conveying deeply philosophical thoughts with striking simplicity, élan and elegance"[25]
She has been labeled the "Dancing Storyteller" by the popular press following these productions.[26][27][28]
Digital productions
Since 2018, Sastry and AK Srikanth have been releasing their productions on free to stream digital platforms to take their work to a world audience.[29] They also produce short classical dance videos that narrate a unique story, on the same lines of popular music videos. The short films have been nominated in over 50 film festivals across the world.[30]
Their first release, The Descent was based on the story of a fallen superstar, and dealt with themes of depression.[31] The film was awarded the Best Short Film 2019 at the Calcutta International Cult Film Festival,[32] The Top Shorts Awards, the Near Nazareth Festival and the Best Global Short. It was also nominated at the John Abraham International Short Film Festival, the 5th Jaipur Film World 2021, Venice Film Awards, Cannes Short Film Festival, FilmFest by Rogue Dancer, Open Window International Film Challenge, Conceptsion International Film Awards, Mumbai 9th Indian Cine Festival 2021, the 11th Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival 2021, Florence Film Awards, and the First Time Filmmaker Sessions.[33]
2020 and 2021 saw Srikanth and Savitha releasing their much acclaimed Colors Trilogy. The series of three films was based on the colors of the Indian National Flag - Green, White and Saffron. The stories juxtaposed the ideals behind these colors as envisaged by the Founding Fathers of Indian independence, with the lives of women in modern day India.[34] The first part of the trilogy, Colors: Green is said to have been inspired by the life of Srikanth's mother.[35] The second part - White is a biographical account of the story of her shift from traditional Bharatanatyam to the theme based productions she is famous for.[36] The concluding part Saffron is a dystopian premise that portrays a prison that houses women that are deemed more successful than their men.[37]
The series was hugely acclaimed, with Critics in Business Standard reporting "Writer AK Srikanth's story, while here as a short film, comes to life as it was written. And it is that much richer as an experience for all."[38] DNA reported "The story is a befitting tribute to the strength and courage of a woman" [39][40]
Beyond the Rains, the short film based on AK Srikanth's short story The Girl in the Bubble was released on Valentine's Eve in 2022. The film is said to be structured like a Haiku, and is noted for its delicate portrayal of the emotion of love.[41] In June 2022, Savitha and Srikanth released their short film Dvija to critical acclaim. Dvija is based on a short story by Srikanth titled The Shrine, and was inspired by Ueda Akinari'sHarusame Monogatari.[42] The release of this film coincided with ten years of their production company.[43]
September 2022 saw the release of 'Arangetram', a humorous take on the aspirations of the Indian middle class and their dreams. Critic Monika Monalisa of the Indian Express called the film "a breezy family entertainer, a genre that is hard to come by these days"[44] A review by ANI commented that "While this short film enters around the character played by Savitha, every supporting actor also has quirks and eccentricities that makes the whole characterisation believable, and yet joyous." The review went on to add that "This short film is a throwback to the cinema of breezy comedies by stalwarts such as Amol Palekar, Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Basu Chatterjee."[45] In March 2023, they released the second of their 'Families Trilogy' titled 'Filter Coffee'. Critic Monika Monalisa of the Indian Express described the film as one that would "remind the viewers of the breezy light-hearted films of the 70s."[46]
In July 2023, Savitha launched her film 'Slow Rivers', also starring Bollywood thespian Ashish Vidyarthi.[47] A review in the Indian Express described the film as "a story around the relationship between an artiste and her art, a mind-bender that paints its canvas through the real and the unreal."[48] Critic Zeba Khan in her review of the film on WION commented that "Actor Ashish Vidyarthi and the protagonist Savitha Sastry star together for the first time, in roles that crackle with power every time the two appear on screen together. The confrontation between the two goes far beyond just their roles, into philosophies of the relationship between art and the artiste."[49]
October 2023 saw the duo release their love story 'The Ghost of the Lighthouse', co-starring actor Jamie Alter, the son of Tom Alter. Critic Zeba Khan, in a review in WION described the film as "a touching vignette into the life of everyday people in small towns."[50] Critic Pooja Das described the cinematography with the words "Breathtaking views of rolling hills, beautiful seaside beaches, and crashing waves on the shore."[51]
Bharatanatyam is an Indian classical dance form that originated in Tamil Nadu. It is a classical dance form recognized by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, and expresses South Indian religious themes and spiritual ideas, particularly of Shaivism and in general of Hinduism.
Sangeetha Krish (née Adamalayan) is an Indian actress, dancer, television presenter and reality show judge who predominantly appears in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam films in supporting roles to character roles. She is known as Rasika in Malayalam movie industry. Making her acting debut in the mid-1990s, Sangeetha is best known for her performances in the films Khadgam (2002), Pithamagan (2003), Uyir (2006), Dhanam (2008) and Masooda (2022).
Rukmini Vijayakumar is an Indian choreographer, Bharatanatyam dancer, and actress. Along with her performances on stage, she has appeared in films such as Ananda Thandavam (2009), Bhajarangi (2013), Kochadaiyaan (2014), Final Cut of Director (2016), Kaatru Veliyidai (2017), and Sita Ramam (2022)
Joyce Kakariyil Paul is a Bharatanatyam dancer, exercise physiologist, and anthropologist from India. Classically trained in Bharatanatyam from Kalakshetra, she is known for her technical acumen, rigour, and precision. Paul had her initial dance training under Padmashri Leela Samson and further training under Prof C.V. Chandrasekhar and Janardhanan Sir among others. She has trained in Mohiniattam, the classical dance of Kerala. In 2003, she founded Arpan Performing Arts, an organization dedicated to promoting the folk and classical traditions of India, where she currently serves as its creative director.
Sastry may refer to:
Nandini Ramanna, better known by her stage name Bhavana Ramanna, is an Indian actress who works predominantly in the Kannada film industry. A Bharatanatyam dancer, she has received three Karnataka State Film Awards and acted in Shanti, a film that entered the Guinness Book of Records. Bhavana Ramanna is the director of HomeTown Productions, a production house that conducts dance and music shows.
Soul Cages is a solo Bharatanatyam Dance Theatre production choreographed and performed by Savitha Sastry. It is based on a short story of the same name by AK Srikanth, and featured music by the Chennai-based music composer Rajkumar Bharathi, the great grandson of the veteran poet Subramania Bharathi. The production premiered on 28 January 2012 at New Delhi’s Kamani Auditorium, and has since played in over 20 cities. The presentation was received with critical and popular acclaim.
Soul Cages may refer to
Yudh is a solo Bharatanatyam Dance Theatre production choreographed and performed by Savitha Sastry. It is based on a short story of the same name by AK Srikanth, and featured music by the Chennai-based music composer Rajkumar Bharathi, the great grandson of the veteran poet Subramania Bharathi. The production premiered on 2 February 2013 at Mumbai’s NCPA Auditorium and has since played all across India. The presentation was received with critical and popular acclaim.
M.G. Srinivas is an Indian actor, film director and screenwriter who works in Kannada cinema. He made his debut as a director in the Kannada film industry with Topiwala (2013), a commercial entertainer starring Upendra. He made his debut as a lead actor in Srinivasa Kalyana (2017).
The Prophet is a solo Bharatanatyam Dance Theatre production choreographed and performed by Savitha Sastry. It is based on a short story of the same name by her husband AK Srikanth, who is also the Producer of the show. The music is by Rajkumar Bharathi, great-grandson of the freedom fighter and veteran poet Subramania Bharathi. The production premiered at Bangalore’s ADA Ranga Mandira Auditorium on 20 October 2013. The presentation has been highly acclaimed for its unconventional and intense denouement.
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Parshwanath Upadhye is an Indian classical dancer, choreographer and teacher. He is trained in the traditional Mysore style of Bharatanatyam.
Sucheta Bhide Chapekar is an Indian classical dancer and choreographer. She is an exponent of Bharatnatyam. She is the founder of "Kalavardhini", a trust supporting the teaching and propagation activities in classical dance, where she also teaches Bharatnatyam. She has been a recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2007).
Yudh may refer to:
Chains is a solo Bharatanatyam Dance Theater production choreographed, directed and performed by Savitha Sastry. It is based on a trilogy of short stories written by her husband AK Srikanth, who is also the producer of the show. The soundtrack was scored by the Chennai-based music composer Rajkumar Bharathi, the great grandson of veteran freedom fighter and poet Subramania Bharathi. Unlike Savitha’s other productions, Chains is not a work of fiction but is entirely based on true lives. The production premiered at Mumbai’s NCPA Auditorium on 31 January 2015, and is highly acclaimed for its nuanced delivery.
Geeta Chandran is an Indian Bharatanatyam dancer and vocalist. Trained in Carnatic music, she is a visionary and celebrated artist in Indian classical Bharatanatyam, recognized for her work in theatre, dance, education, videos and films.
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Patruni Sastry, popularly known as Patruni Chidananda Sastry or Suffocated art Specimen is a Expressionist dancer, performance artist, visual artist, model and drag queen.
The Colors Trilogy is a series of short films with themes based on women juxtaposed with the ideologies behind the three colors of the Indian National Flag. The trilogy is delivered through the Indian classical dance form Bharatanatyam. The films Green was released in 2020, and the second and third films "White" and "Saffron" were released in 2021.
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