Actress MP brings an Indo-Georgian ballet fusion to town, says Angela Paljor
When Raj Kapoor became a cultural icon in Russia with his stardom, he visited Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, in 1954, and invited its national ballet, Sukhishvili, to perform in India. Dreamgirl Hema Malini, who debuted with Kapoor, is all set to reclaim that legacy. She has put together an Indo-Georgian dance fusion called Synergy, as a tribute to the 25 years of cultural relation between the two countries, post the disintegration of the Soviet bloc. This will be showcased in four cities – Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai.
“Synergy is an international platform that celebrates the friendship between the two countries through an ensemble of art and culture. While the first half of the show will be dedicated to Georgian dance forms, including their powerful warrior dance, it will be followed by popular Indian dance forms – Bharatanatyam from the south, Kathak from the north and Pung Cholom (with male dancers) from the northeast,” shares Hema, who is loved by the Russians and the Georgians for her role in her film, Seeta Aur Geeta.
The event will roll from September 10 and is free, says Hema, who has invested her resources and invited many of the film fraternity to witness the performance. “I have requested Shiamak Davar to choreograph the last two minutes of the show. It will be interesting to see how he plays with the different art forms,” she adds.
With 30 dancers and a live orchestra of 40 artists from Georgia and 40 Indian dancers, including Aditi Mangaldas’ Kathak performers, Vaibhav Aankhen’s Bharatanatyam dancers and the Northeastern folk performers, the stage will be buzzing with energy. “All the artists are young and my organisation, Jaya Smriti, named after my mother Jaya Chakravarthy, will be hosting it. My mother always wanted a platform where young artistic minds could be promoted and through Synergy I am trying to pay my tribute to her.”
The danseuse-actress doesn’t want to stop here; she is bent on taking this cultural extravaganza to the next level. “If this venture turns out to be successful, which I am sure it will, next year we will be bringing in Russian folk performers.”
The idea of putting together an international show came to Hema when she witnessed the zeal and energy among the Georgian dancers during a visit to Tbilisi. “I was astounded by the energy these young artists had. They would jump in the air, land on their knees and still wouldn’t stop for a breath or pause. They would continue with their show. It was me who had to take a pause to understand what had just happened. As a performer, I found that energy and focus infectious.”
While the excitement of the date coming closer is obvious on her face, Hema is disheartened by the fact that India lacks performance spaces where artistes can practise and mount shows. “I have addressed the issue in the Parliament and I am positive that the government will work towards it. It is vital for the youth who take a keen interest in our folk and classical dances. One must remember that even if there is a growing craze for the Western and the new Bollywood dance styles, we always have an audience for this section.” Is somebody listeningIJ