Mallika Sarabhai, who will be in the city this week to present the 38th Vikram Sarabhai International Art Festival, shares with Tania Roy the theme for this year’s show, working with son Revanta and connecting with youngsters
It’s hard to come across a magnetic personality as Mallika Sarabhai. Dancer, choreographer, publisher, activist, writer, actor and an IIM alumna, she has been contributing a lot to the betterment of society. Through powerhouse performances, stirring speeches and effective campaigns, she has been raising awareness about issues of immediate concern.
For more than two decades now, she has also been working with people at the grassroots and marginalised and displaced communities. This week, Mallika will be in Pune to showcase a three-day event as part of the 38th Vikram Sarabhai International Art Festival. Mallika and Darpana Academy for Performing Arts (which was started by her parents Mrinalini and Vikram Sarabhai) has chosen ‘displacement’ as the theme for the annual fest this time round.
“I have been working with displaced communities in Gujarat for many years. Their numbers keep increasing along with their struggles and plight. Sadly, the middle class and the government remain immune to their problems. Which is why we need to bring this issue to light,” says Mallika speaking to us prior to the event.
On the first day of the show, January 10, she and Darpana Academy for Performing Arts will be presenting Unearthed, which is an adaptation of a Gabriel Garcia Marquez short story by Gowri Ramnarayan. “Along with Yadavan Chandran, with whom I have been working for the past 13 years, I have conceptualised Unearthed. It’s a story of displacement from the self, when we don’t have the courage to unmask ourselves and make the other the culprit for all our insecurities. Instead of looking within, we look outside for self-worth and happiness. Unearthed deals with displacement on a micro level,” explains she.
The second day’s performance LDR (long-distance relationship) deals with displacement on a more macro level. Integrating dance, theatre, texts, poetry, video and music, Revanta Sarabhai questions the fundamental nature of distance and ‘how can we find togetherness when living separately.’
Shares Mallika, “LDR is humorous but poignant all the same. It talks about the vacuum LDR creates when you are far away from home and your loved ones.”
Ask the mother of two whether she would be comfortable having her children involved in LDR and Mallika promptly replies, “I have always given them the freedom to choose what they want in life, especially because I have enjoyed the same kind of freedom too. That said, Amma has always said that her marriage survived because of viraha! However, nothing replaces the face-to-face and skin-to-skin connection.”
The mother-son duo co-choreographed their first show when Revanta was just 16 years of age. “Revanta started travelling with me and watching my stage productions since he was five years old. I have always tried to take both my kids, Revanta and Anahita, for my shows which were a huge learning experience for them. Revanta has a great respect for the creativity and integrity of my work, and he does take my feedback seriously,” shares Mallika.
Sunday’s show The Damned, which will have Darpana dancers and London-based Dutch choreographer Naomi Deira staging a show on large-scale industrial displacement, will move the audience. “The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says that an estimated 65 million people in India have been displaced and not more than 20 per cent have been rehabilitated. Of the 20 per cent, only one per cent have been properly rehabilitated. Which is why we thought of exploring the theme. When we performed The Damned in Ahmedabad in December 2013, the entire audience was shaken and teary,” informs Mallika.
About reaching out to youngsters on issues like displacement through performing arts, Mallika says, “As long as you can make it appealing to the youth, they will understand. Also, it’s not true that youngsters have distanced themselves from performing arts. In fact, I have been constantly giving talks in schools and colleges and connecting with the youth. If you can stand on the same window as them, listen to their stories, interpret and present them in a manner they will find interesting, you can connect.”
Mallika is confident that the youth of India will get to see positive changes. “Like many others, AAP’s policies are closest to my dreams. Hopefully, the millions of youngsters will see a better India,” she signs off.
The Performances
Unearthed: Friday, Jan 10; Mallika Sarabhai and Yadavan Chandran create a visually spectacular piece of physical theatre with an adaptation of a Gabriel Garcia Marquez short story by Gowri Ramnarayan.
LDR: Saturday, Jan 11; Revanta Sarabhai explores the myriad complexities and displacement brought on by long-distance relationships.
The Dammed: Sunday, Jan 12; Along with Darpana dancers, London-based Dutch choreographer Naomi Deira gives voice to the marginalised and internally displaced in this multi-media dance theatre production.