The similarities between Kabuki and Kathakali are numerous, says Angela Paljor
To most people, the soft Japanese dance forms and the rigorous Kathakali might not have any similarity. But look closely and the bright colours and the exaggerated expressions of eyes and actions do bear a resemblance. And it is to showcase this that the Embassy of Japan organised a performance of both recently to mark the 60th anniversary of Japan-India cultural exchange.
First up was a Kathakali performance by the members of The International Centre which was followed by Onoe Kikunosuke V, one of the renowned artists who performed kanegamisaki, the well-known masterpiece of Kabuki and Japanese music. The performance was based on the legend of Anchin (monk) and Kiyohime (daughter). Its Jiuta (folksong) version is Kane Ga Misaki. The dance describes the feelings of a girl in love and the devotion of a woman by an emotional and elegant performance to the tune of Jiuta music.
Kikunosuke is the eldest son of Onoe Kikugoro VII, a legendary Kabuki performer. As a performer he has not restricted his performances to male roles (tachiyaku) but has explored the female roles (onnagat) as well.
Kikunosuke portrayed the role of Kiyohime of Kane Ga Misaki with subtle yet impressive expressions.
Talking about the similarities between the two art forms, Kikunosuke said, “While I have seen Kathakali performances on screen, this was the first time I have seen one live. The performance was overwhelming with the sound of the drums synchronised with the hand and eye movement. And somewhere down the line, I do feel that the roots of Kabuki are linked to Kathakali.”
Emphasising on the roots of the two arts forms, he added, “Whenever we look back to see how an art form came to being, we always see an element of dedication and it being performed as an offering to God. In this sense, in Kabuki there is something known as jaguar which is placed in front of the stage and it is said that God comes and resides on it. So the whole performance is done as an offering to God, which is similar to Kathakali.”
Moreover both Kabuki and Kathakali are performed for the audience and give a particular message to them while at the same time being dedicated to divinity.
Talking about how he felt while performing in India, he shared, “I feel honoured to be a part of the 60th anniversary of Japan-India cultural exchange at the Japan embassy, here in India. Earlier when I was
practicing, I could see the garden outside with a very large tree and I was later informed that it was planted by the current emperor of Japan when he was here earlier and I feel that the cultural relationship between the two countries have grown stronger just like the tree.”
While Kabuki is a huge success in the Western world, Kikunosuke hopes to see the same in India. “It is a huge movement that has been set in action with cultural exchanges taking place everywhere. Kabuki has been performed in India after a gap of 40 years and I hope there will be a day when we will see as many Kabuki
performances in India as in the west. In fact, I am looking forward to see more Indian art forms being available in Japan.” Kikunosuke will be performing an adaptation of Mahabharata at Kabuki-za theatre in Tokyo in October.