Shobha Deepak Singh reinvents her mythological ballets every year, says Mansi Bhansali
The staging of mythological plays was avidly awaited and widely watched earlier. But with the spread of modern technology, the depiction of mythology has increasingly moved to the small screen. And it is to keep the audience intact for her shows that Shobha Deepak Singh, director, Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra, annually updates the Krishna ballet.
Focussing on some of the lesser known facts about Krishna’s life as the preserver of the universe, the 41st edition of Krishna will be staged on the occasion of Janmashtami till August 15. Highlighting the uniqueness of the show, Singh said, “The show will be same with slight changes in costume, choreography, ornaments and also in the treatment of the story to give the audience a new experience in the Krishna ballet.” Pre-interval, it will be focussed on the early life of the Krishna where he used to dance with his gopis known as Raas lila and become the divine consort of Radha rather than her beloved lover. After interval it will be showing the episodes of Mahabharata imparting the Gita upadesha and Gandhari’s curse.
Singh said that the audience, which troops in to watch the show, was increasing every year. She added, “We are the only institution which performs this dance drama. Mythology doesn’t mean living in the old days and understanding the scenario of that time in the Sanskrit language. In fact, with time it is becoming contemporary in all aspects like music, dance and a cinematic approach to engage the audience.”
The ballet commenced around four decades ago. Singh believes that the show in itself has witnessed a lot of changes. “I’ve been doing this since 1977. I just saw the blend of dance drama more appropriate in comparison to relying on the spoken words or known gestures. I consider it as a universal language to promote any tribal form of our country.”
In the current scenario of sensitivities in the country, she said, “The message of victory from the time of Kurukshetra is more compatible with recent times. In the Mahabharata, it clearly shows how a person isolates himself against his brothers. Though violence is embedded in the plot, the aim is of securing the harmony and peace in a bloodless way, which is more important.” She believes all art forms should co-exist. “I’ve recently seen the images where people were wearing slippers with Ganesha’s picture imprinted on them which is completely unacceptable. Conflicts erupt when people start defining religion. I have seen various artistic pictures of lord Vishnu, Shiva, laxmi and transcripts of Mahabharata and Ramayana, being depicted in the most neutral and amazing manner,” she said.
The show is using the best technology in the lighting to provide the special effects. She added, “Being the organiser, it is my responsibility to use new technology to make the show engaging and interesting for the spectators.”
Singh, who is also an accomplished photographer, tells us that it’s a question of time management. “While I’m doing my shows I always take out some time to click pictures. Over 40 years I have been photographing the performers.” Expecting a large number of spectators, Singh advises amateur artists, “In order to succeed in the field of art and culture, one needs to have patience to learn the art. One of the characters of our show Krishna is playing Raja for the first time and she is just 19 years old. So, this is the dedication one needs to inculcate.”