The aesthetics of Yudh
Her striking red bindi leaves a lasting impact — a dot that diverts attention several times between the conversation. But those eyes speak, and manage to help us recall the magic of Bharatanatyam dancer Savitha Sastry, who brings with her, her production, Soul Cage, which she performed in Chandigarh last year.
Her striking red bindi leaves a lasting impact — a dot that diverts attention several times between the conversation. But those eyes speak, and manage to help us recall the magic of Bharatanatyam dancer Savitha Sastry, who brings with her, her production, Soul Cage, which she performed in Chandigarh last year.
And she’s back — this time with Yudh: Three Perspectives; One Truth, being showcased today at Tagore Theatre, Sector 18, Chandigarh, at 7 pm.
Informing us about her production, she says, “The story has been written by my husband, AK Srikant — an original production that is very close to my heart. I usually dance to stories written by him. Yudh will throw light on three perspectives — that of God, Satan and human beings. It’s not a story that is bound by any religion, nor does it refute any.
The music, which is strictly based on Indian ragas, would leave the audience in wonder, as they discover dashes of international sounds.”
Confident of her performance being liked by the audience, Savita adds, “Even though it is a solo performance, at no point would the absence of a group strike the audience. In fact, you might just end up thinking that a group might have detracted from delivering the elegance of the story.” Yudh has so far been performed at NCPA, Mumbai, and Hyderabad. Post Chandigarh, she plans to take it to Bangalore, New Delhi, Chennai, Pune and Sri Lanka.
Ask her about the most important part of her performance and she says, “My recognition depends on my audience. For me, the audience is the chief guest.”
Her performance halls, however, have not always been jam-packed. “There are just two things that an artiste fears — the hall being empty and the audience not liking the show. And I have faced both. When the audiences don’t like your performance, it’s time for some introspection.
It’s time to drop your ego and changing your presentation of work. And if the hall is empty, it’s time to pull up your PR’s socks. That’s when we try different approaches. Then again, not every place offers the kind of audience that has the same kind of taste for the art form. But, even if 10 people come to watch your show, they’re important,” she concludes.