Why purists love to hate the plucky Gautami Patil

Ajit Pawar has instructed party men to stay away from her ‘racy’ shows, but that has not dented Gautami’s popularity

PUNE: Gautami Patil, a Lavani dancer popular in western Maharashtra, upped her game to reposition herself as an artiste who performs to “DJ music” in order to net a wider audience. Her 8,49,000 following on Instagram garnered over the last year has eased her from traditional stage shows into people’s living rooms. She is the star draw at birthday parties, wedding receptions, engagements and other celebratory occasions.

Gautami Patil’s performances are known to draw large crowds, such as this one in Nashik, on May 16. (Uday Deolekar)

In many ways, ‘brand Gautami’ is a contemporary rendering of an old tradition when dancers performed at baithaks for a patron, also documented in Marathi films of the 1970s and ’80s.

Last year, she emerged as a performer from the districts with a “dance mix” video shot in Sangli. In it, she is seen performing to a mish-mash of popular Bollywood and Marathi film songs with a smattering of Lavani moves thrown in. Viewers equally balked and exalted at her racy moves. It brought her instant stardom.

Managing crowd

Today, crowds throng the 26-year-old Dhule born artiste’s performances and cops are summoned to keep fans in check. On Wednesday, police from Bhosari, near Pune, booked Amit Shankar Lande, a youth activist from Kasarwadi, for not seeking permission before planning an event.

Her fame has not gone down well with purists. Popular Lavani artiste Megha Ghatage does not take kindly to the tag of ‘Lavani Queen’ bequeathed upon Gautami. She has “appealed to the state government to take strict action against such performances in front of women and children”.

Mindful that her performances during a party’s event would tarnish its image, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar instructed workers in February this year not to organise “such programmes” in their regions. Pawar’s decision came soon after Ghatage raised the issue.

“Maharashtra has a great legacy of traditional dances whether it is Lavani or other form of folk dance. These programmes should be held in a way that everyone – from children to the elderly – enjoys them,” said Pawar. “We have learnt that such functions are being organised across the state. I don’t want NCP workers to hold such events.”

Another artiste and an NCP leader, Surekha Punekar said, “There are many kinds of Lavani programmes; today’s young artistes must understand the traditional folk art. I can teach them if they wish. Performers must know how to drape the saree in a correct way, unlike women like Gautami. We cannot allow them to taint the culture of the state.”

Prominent writer and former Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan president Sadanand More had advised Gautami to “introspect” on her dance. “Gautami Patil is popular in her field but she has spoiled the culture of Lavani,” More had said, adding, “Every tradition and folk dance form has a cultural framework. The art evolves and grows over the years. If someone tries to tamper with it, people will raise questions.”

Dancing to her moves

Despite the resistance from traditionalists and the powers that be, Gautami has managed to captivate an audience. Her list of invitations has continued to grow. By her own admission, she has between 22 to 25 shows a month, each performance netting approximately ₹2 lakh.

She silences critics saying her choreographed performances “are not mere Lavani but dance on DJ”, underscoring the mix of contemporary Bollywood and Marathi film songs to which she dances in “western moves” and intermittently weaves in traditional Lavani. One of her most popular performances is titled ‘Sabse Katil Gautami Patil’ – people pay big bucks for the shows, often leading to a breach of law and order. This prompted police to make it mandatory for organisers to pay for extra bandobast.

Till last year, Gautami was like any other dancer from rural Maharashtra, with a handful of shows. She shot into limelight when a video of her dance mix in Sangli, in 2022, was shared on social media. Earlier this year, during Holi, she performed in Pune. It was organised by a group of youngsters near the Sinhagad College Institutes in Narhe where thousands turned up.

Within months, her troupe was flooded with invites despite the controversies. “I like the way she dances and her new style. Her performance is absolutely crazy. Though she is criticised for her bold steps, her fans will continue to attend her dance events whenever possible,” said Suraj Chavan, a college student and one of the organisers of the event.

Dreaming big

Born to a middle class family at Shindkheda village, Dhule district, Gautami moved to Pune for higher education after studying till Class VIII. But once in the city, academia was cast aside and she gave in to her deep love for the art, albeit without any formal training. She tested the waters by performing at various festivals and cultural events that drew a limited number of people.

“Despite my love for dance, I started young due to financial constraints at our home,” said Gautami. She started as a back dancer in Lavani groups and gradually became the lead dancer. “I am the first dancer from the family.”

Over the last year, it is not just her equity but also her audience that has changed – many women turn up at her shows today. “I feel good about the fact that women have started appreciating my shows. It puts to rest all the accusations of obscenity hurled at me. There is a greater acceptability of my dances,” she said.

Next stop? “Global recognition,” she said.