WATCH OUT FOR English play Lights Out, on September 17 Bangalore, Monday,16 September 2013 6|Entertainment at Ranga Shankara, J P Nagar Harmony of music, mime and metre erforming a Bharatanatyam duet is a Pdemanding task. It calls for total involvement, perfect understanding, precise coor- dination and matching talents. It is a testing time to perform duets both for the performers and the Guru-choreographers. Hail the Bharatanatyam duet held at JSS auditorium by Bhumija and Supraja trained under the veteran ambassa- dor Kalakshetra of Chennai professor M R Krishnamurthy, popularly known as Kitty Sir. It was a completely eloquent composition, calling to mind poetry, theatre, mime and mu- sic harmonised with the great- est care and absolute perfection of movements. The sisters moved gracefully across the stage, often mirror- ing each other’s motions and performing perfectly in unison. Their dance was filled with en- ergy too. It provided a look at how different choreographers and dancers create duet perfor- mances. The evening focused on usual pairings and was filled Bhumija and her sister Supraja (extreme right) perform a Bharatnatyam duet; (right) singer Sanjay Subramanyam with expansive movements. The dancers lunged and sliced, set a lively tempo to the per- tion could underscore the sub- Supraja’s abhinaya for a javali ually he settled down to come language. The raga expansion scooped and swept according formance. The ragamalika tleties of the technicalities and era raaraa (Khamach) was back to his usual elements. was marked by classicism to the demands of the intricate jathiswara (mishra chapu) artistry of Bharatanatyam. mature. The duet ended with The Narayanagowal varna and sound approach. He laya. They stepped together and evidenced the nritta abilities of The latter half of the eve- Pharaz tillana rendered by both was the opening number. covered all the facets of diverged to dance separately, the dancers. A familiar Shabda ning highlighted the histrionic the dancers. Rightly too, he saluted the pre- the raga in his expan- froze into attractive freezes and Sarasijakshudu jalakamaade talents of the sisters. First, it siding deity of the temple Sri sive and system- struck clear gestures. The duet (Kalyani) was neatly enacted. was Bhumija who dwelt upon ENTHRALLING RECITAL Venugopalakrishnaswamy atic elaboration. pieces had an array of artistic Mysore Sadashivarao’s a Kshetrajna pada. Set to In the Gokulashtami concert through Koteeshwaraiyer’s resources. Dhanyasi varna Ee maguva bo- Kambhoji raga the pada Baala series being held at a serene Sri Venugopaladeva in Darbar A a j a The first half of the evening’s dhinche is yet another dancers’ vivate is addressed to Krishna. Sri Venugopalakrishna Swamy raga. Thyagarja’s Nenendu ve- Giridhar programme saw both of them favourite composition. In this She sketched the nayika who Temple premises the renowned dukudura (Karnataka Behag) t u a a j a performing together. Their tal- varna, the nayaka and nayika reminds her hero Krishna of singer Sanjay Subramanyam was sung with short and schol- apana ba- ent, artistry, stage presence and are locked in a direct conversa- their childhood days since arly swaras. Mukhari alapana naake leja in good grip over the medium got tion. The nayika pleads with her when they have been in love and the krithi Enthani ne varn- was interestingly developed integrated beautifully to a love- nayaka to come back to her. with each other. Adapting a ART ARENA intunu with swaras set a lively in different speeds. It was able chemistry of delight. She wants to know as to Akka Mahadevi vachana to M SURYA PRASAD mood. A brief Athana alapana crowned with a ragamalika Accompanied appropriately why he is indifferent and angry Bharatanatyam abhinaya was [email protected] followed by Sadashivarao’s swaravinyasa. Tamil songs like by Aparna (nattuvanga), Radha towards her. She reminisces the a good idea indeed. With a Vachamagochara was classic. Karpuram narumo kamala Badri from Chennai (vocal), glorious moments spent with shloka prelude Supraja was Poochi Srinivasaiyengar’s mighty (Khamach raga, drawn from Dr Natarajamurthy (violin), him. admired for her interpretation enthralled the audience with kriti Sri Venkatesham varam was Andal’s Nachiyar Tirumoli), Mahesh Swamy (flute) and Bhumija and Suprija visua- of Holeva kangala. Bhumija his profound singing and art- rendered with all respects to its Petra thai (Viruttam in the every dynamic mridan- lised that pining nayika and as Andal and Supraja as sakhi istry. Excellently accompanied structure and bhaava. Edayya Sindhubhairavi, senchu rutti gist Lingaraju (mridanga), nayaka in their excellent presen- explicated Vaarenamaayaram by S Varadarajan (violin), gathi in Nata raga was sung in a and Nadanamakriya ragas) Bhumija and Supraja opened tation. The nritta and nrithya drawn from Andal’s Nachiyar Neyveli Venkatesh (mridanga) telling manner. and Arar asai padar (Muthu their duet with a traditional interspersed liberally not only Tirumoli and portrayed Andal’s and Guruprasanna (khanjari), Sanjay captivated the rasikas Thandavar) drew instant ap- trishra Alarippu. The neck contained varied intricacies of dream sequence in which she Sanjay had a weighty list of with his raga, tana and pallavi plause. Before concluding movements and the gradually laya but also brought to the fore finds herself being wed to Lord compositions for the evening. set to Valachi (in Hindusthani it with a mangalam, he sang increasing pace of the rhythm the dancers’ mastery over them. Venkateshwara who arrives at Though at the outset, one is Kalavathi). It was surprising Radha sametha Krishna warmed up the artistes and Almost 40 minutes of delinea- her place in a grand procession. missed his usual punch, grad- to hear the pallavi line in Hindi (Yamunakalyani). Romance is what Prachi wants Uppi’s Shrimathi -Town actress Prachi Sandalwood. “I am conve- in Bollywood,” says Prachi. is XYZ in Telugu Desai is a frequent visi- niently going to blame it on LONG TIME NO SEE Btor to Bangalore. Her lack of time. My commitments hrimathi, starring various endorsements bring in Bollywood don’t give me Though, Prachi says she’s , was a re- her here most often. “I have enough time to do a short on time due to work, she’s Smake of the Hindi fallen in love with this city. I film. The Kannada industry has not seen much on and off the film , which had always come here on a short made beautiful films. I don’t screen. Is it a go-slow policy at Akshay Kumar, Kareena trip because of my profes- understand the language, but work? “There is no such plan. Kapoor and Priyanka sional commitments but I have seen a few of films and I never thought I would do Chopra in pivotal roles. this time, I have decided to not just Kannada but other one film at a time but it that’s Shrimathi opened to stay back for a day and see southern language movies too. how my fate has worked out. mixed responses and a lot more of Bangalore. I There is an inherent simplicity I have to be careful about my did average business. like the mix of different in every film. The way they are choices. Everyone knows what Now we hear, that the cultures here; people directed and executed are the a cut-throat industry it is and dubbed version of the are always looking for- best things about the stories. wrong choices and mistakes Kannada film will be re- ward to experimenting. In spite of not knowing the lan- are not forgiven. I consciously leased in Telugu titled The variety I find here is guage you can instantly connect try to look for work in different XYZ. Upendra is popular great,” says Prachi who to the story and characters. It genres. Be it Rock On!!, Once in Tollywood and enjoys a had accompanied friend would be great to do a Kannada Upon A Time In or huge fan following there. Adhuna Bhabani Akhtar film. I am hesitant because I Bol Bachchan, these are a few Apparently Upendra’s last on her trip to Bangalore re- don’t know the language. Once examples of the different kind film, Super was released cently. “I share an amazing I let go of that inhibition, then of films that excite me. I am in Telugu and was a box- bond with Adhuna since the as an actor and a performer, it choosy and this is why I have office hit. Gajula Manikya time I worked with her on will be a wonderful experience,” been seen in a very few films,” Rao has bought the rights Ragini Dwivedi’s my first film, Rock On!!. We she says. she says. to Shrimathi. Apart from have maintained our friend- Not long ago actor Diganth, Prachi says she’s going Upendra, Shrimathi wardrobe woes ship from those days. This known as Doodh Peda of through various film scripts starred Celina Jaitley and trip is not just a pro- Kannada industry, was sup- as of now. “As I am busy with Priyanka Upendra. agini Dwivedi’s faced a tough fessional commitment posed to debut in Hindi with my brand endorsements and — Express Features time at the recent SIIMA 2013 but something I am a film, London 1920, in which professional commitments, RAwards. She did receive the doing for my friend," he was cast opposite Prachi. But I am reading a lot of stories. critic’s award for her role in Shiva but she adds. eventually he backed out of the But I am waiting for that one unfortunately, a wardrobe malfunc- KANNADA project because the film’s sched- script to come my way, a ro- Poetry slam tion while she was performing on- ules were being postponed often mantic story. I am inclined stage has attracted all the attention. HOPEFUL and also because Prachi was no towards films based on love. oetry, a much-neglected facet of literary art and While dancing to a song, Ragini’s One wonders, longer part of it. “It’s wonderful It's something I haven’t done culture today, is now picking up in the city with bikini top didn’t hold up under her with Prachi when you get the opportunity to till now.” Pplatforms being created for poets. net ensemble. Rather than shrivel coming down to work with actors from different Then she must be excited to Urban Solace is hosting its 146th Evening of Poetry with embarrassment, the actress is IT city so often, industries. It’s unfortunate that be in the sequel to Rock On!!. from the Heart, where litera- keeping her chin up. “It was not as if why the actress we couldn’t work out the dates “It is amazing when you are ture patrons have the chance to I welcomed it. It was incidental and in her has not for this particular film. I was accepted by the audience and hear out a different voice every something I need to forget and move seized an op- committed to another film that you feel the love and adula- Tuesday evening while sipping on from. The moment I realised that portunity in time and couldn’t accommodate tion from them. It has been on tea. something had gone wrong, I slipped the schedules for London 1920. special for me, Adhuna and Sitanshu Shekhar will be the off into the wings. Thankfully, the If Diganth and I have to act to- Farhan Akhtar. It’s been the poet in the spotlight at Urban background lights were black and gether, it will happen if not now, film to bring me to this stage Solace on September 17. So if blue and I had my hair in the front,” then later. I have heard he is al- in my career. But all this talk you're looking for some words Sitanshu Shekhar says Ragini, who was immediately ready doing well out here. And of a sequel, I hear it only from of inspiration midweek, head to attended to by Lakshmi Manchu and he’s only at the start of his ca- the media,” says Prachi. Urban Solace on Annaswamy Mudaliar Road this Tuesday Pooja Gandhi back stage. reer. He will find a better debut — A Sharadhaa at 7 pm. Later, Ragini went on the stage Another event for budding poets is 100 Thousand Poets to pick her award. “I was there to for Change. It will take place on September 21. So if you're get my award and happy to receive I am waiting for that one script to come my way, a poetically inclined and have something to say, here's your one. I will definitely not sit and chance to voice out your concerns on issues such as global mourn over something that hap- romantic story. I am inclined towards films based warming, women's rights, pollution, poverty or education. pened for no fault of mine,” she on love. It's something I haven’t done till now. It will be held at Atta Galatta, Koramanagala at 5 pm. To says. Atta girl. — Prachi Desai, register, visit www.100tpcbangalore.wordpress.com. — A Sharadhaa actress — Express Features