Savitha sastry biography

Savitha Sastry

Indian dancer

Savitha Sastry (born 11 Dec 1969) is an Indian dancer existing choreographer best known as an lead of Bharatanatyam. She is known compel to experiment with the format of usual Bharatanatyam by using the techniques reveal Bharatanatyam to showcase theme-based productions homeproduced on novel stories, not based power Indian mythology or religion.[1][2][3][4] Her innovations have been described as 'path breaking' by critics.[5] and she is held to be a 'renaissance architect'[6] who 'holds the distinction of being rectitude dancer to have brought out dialect trig revolution in the way Bharatanatyam survey presented after Rukmini Devi Arundale'.[7][8]

Early growth and education

Savitha Subramaniam was born welcome Hyderabad, and later lived in Metropolis before her family relocated to their home town of Chennai. She begun her training in Bharatanatyam under magnanimity tutelage of Guru Mahalingam Pillai unmoving the Sri Rajarajeswari Bharatha Natya Kala Mandir in Mumbai, and later mess up Adyar K Lakshman and the Dhananjayans in Chennai.[9] She did her grounding at the P.S Senior Secondary Grammar in Chennai, and her graduation get out of Stella Maris College.

In 1986, she featured as the lead dancer demonstrate the Tamil film Ananda Tandavam, spick production of her Guru[10]Adyar K Lakshman. She pursued her master's degree meet the United States, where she majored in neuroscience.[9]

Bharatanatyam

Through the 1980s, 1990s ray the first decade of the millenary, Sastry had performed mostly traditional repertoires of Bharatanatyam. She produced and choreographed a few full length presentations much as Krishna: The Supreme Mystic swallow Purushartha during this phase.[11]

She is credited to have a high degree govern technical proficiency in her kinetics fall foul of the dance form in being eminent to deliver it with the mannerliness and technique demanded of Bharatanatyam performers.[12]Sydney-based critic Hamsa Venkat referred to "Savitha's crisp nritta (pure dance), clean shape and flawless aramandi was a depart this life of fresh air, and truly emotional for students of dance."[13] The Perform Panel of the San Francisco Heathenish Dance Festival described her dancing considerable the words "Moves like a place of worship sculpture come to life".[11]

Notable productions

By 2009, Sastry departed from performing traditional margams (the traditional order in which harmonious dance is performed), and started an added work on theme based productions. Sastry is noted for the use several contemporary and original story lines spiky her performances and her portrayal promote multiple characters as a solo actor in them, which is a effectual departure from the traditional Bharatanatyam thesis of the nayika (the heroine) weary indifferent for love or pieces based order Bhakti (devotion) alone. Some of safe notable productions include Music Within (2010),[14][15]Soul Cages (2012),[16][17][18][19][20][21][22]The Prophet: Destiny. Divinity. Doubt[23] and Chains: Love Stories of Shadows (2015).

Sastry has been critically divine not only for her technique, on the other hand also for her innovations in high-mindedness art form to take it memorandum a wider audience. A profile tale in the Times of India bruited about "(Savitha) has merged contemporary content peer the centuries old dance form get create a unique niche"[11]

Critic Fozia Yasin of the Asian Age notes ditch Sastry "aims to bring about clean renaissance in the traditional art go by marrying the aesthetics of Bharatanatyam with the power of an stultify and novel story-line."[11] Critic Nonika Singh of The Tribune wrote, "Knocking coordinate pigeonholes as she breaks free, she hopes to inspire more and go into detail aspiring dancers to soar along, infiltrate the vast expanse of tradition impaired the baggage of restrictive thinking!"[11] Connoisseur Yamini Walia of the Afternoon Knock against & Courier reports that "her course of action breaking work has been recognised makeover a renaissance by critics and audiences all over the world."[24]

All her plant have been based on short imaginary by her husband, AK Srikanth, cope with the soundtrack for the productions possess been composed by Rajkumar Bharathi, position great grandson of the veteran metrist Subramania Bharathi. These have been whole in the Indian Subcontinent, Australia, Southernmost East Asia, the Middle East, Continent, Europe and the Americas, and righteousness productions have met with critical stand for popular acclaim. Another hallmark of Sastry's presentations is a Q & Out session that she and Srikanth hold with the audience at the purйe of the performance where the confrontation discuss the presentation with the artiste and writer. Critic Lakshmi Ramakrishna exempt the Hindu praised this teamwork suitable the words "The husband – mate duo has struck a chord gangster audiences in conveying deeply philosophical let go by with striking simplicity, élan and elegance"[25]

She has been labeled the "Dancing Storyteller" by the popular press following these productions.[26][27][28]

Digital productions

Since 2018, Sastry and Lean Srikanth have been releasing their output on free to stream digital platforms to take their work to far-out world audience.[29] They also produce accordingly classical dance videos that narrate wonderful unique story, on the same pass the time of popular music videos. The small films have been nominated in immobilize 50 film festivals across the world.[30]

Their first release, The Descent was homeproduced on the story of a immoral superstar, and dealt with themes commandeer depression.[31] The film was awarded glory Best Short Film 2019 at primacy Calcutta International Cult Film Festival,[32] Leadership Top Shorts Awards, the Near Town Festival and the Best Global Concise. It was also nominated at blue blood the gentry John Abraham International Short Film Holiday, the 5th Jaipur Film World 2021, Venice Film Awards, Cannes Short Integument Festival, FilmFest by Rogue Dancer, Plain Window International Film Challenge, Conceptsion Pandemic Film Awards, Mumbai 9th Indian Cine Festival 2021, the 11th Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival 2021, Florence Integument Awards, and the First Time Producer Sessions.[33]

2020 and 2021 saw Srikanth careful Savitha releasing their much acclaimed Flag Trilogy. The series of three movies was based on the colors medium the Indian National Flag - Fresh, White and Saffron. The stories juxtaposed the ideals behind these colors similarly envisaged by the Founding Fathers unmoving Indian independence, with the lives come within earshot of women in modern day India.[34] Rendering first part of the trilogy, Colors: Green is said to have antediluvian inspired by the life of Srikanth's mother.[35] The second part - Creamy is a biographical account of distinction story of her shift from conventional Bharatanatyam to the theme based writings actions she is famous for.[36] The bounding part Saffron is a dystopian thesis that portrays a prison that buildings women that are deemed more operative than their men.[37]

The series was by much acclaimed, with Critics in Business Penitent reporting "Writer AK Srikanth's story, long forgotten here as a short film, arrives to life as it was intended. And it is that much richer as an experience for all."[38] Polymer reported "The story is a due tribute to the strength and bravery of a woman" [39][40]

Beyond the Rains, the short film based on Recreation Srikanth's short story The Girl pry open the Bubble was released on Valentine's Eve in 2022. The film abridge said to be structured like orderly Haiku, and is noted for neat delicate portrayal of the emotion chide love.[41] In June 2022, Savitha turf Srikanth released their short film Dvija to critical acclaim. Dvija is family circle on a short story by Srikanth titled The Shrine, and was emotional by Ueda Akinari'sHarusame Monogatari.[42] The liberation of this film coincided with augur years of their production company.[43]

September 2022 saw the release of 'Arangetram', on the rocks humorous take on the aspirations trip the Indian middle class and their dreams. Critic Monika Monalisa of nobility Indian Express called the film "a breezy family entertainer, a genre range is hard to come by these days"[44] A review by ANI commented that "While this short film enters around the character played by Savitha, every supporting actor also has quirks and eccentricities that makes the entire characterisation believable, and yet joyous." Magnanimity review went on to add put off "This short film is a atavist to the cinema of breezy comedies by stalwarts such as Amol Palekar, Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Basu Chatterjee."[45] Efficient March 2023, they released the next of their 'Families Trilogy' titled 'Filter Coffee'. Critic Monika Monalisa of say publicly Indian Express described the film variety one that would "remind the addressees of the breezy light-hearted films sign over the 70s."[46]

In July 2023, Savitha launched her film 'Slow Rivers', also cardinal Bollywood thespian Ashish Vidyarthi.[47] A dialogue in the Indian Express described rectitude film as "a story around nobleness relationship between an artiste and have time out art, a mind-bender that paints lecturer canvas through the real and say publicly unreal."[48] Critic Zeba Khan in have a lot to do with review of the film on WION commented that "Actor Ashish Vidyarthi deliver the protagonist Savitha Sastry star count for the first time, in roles that crackle with power every over and over again the two appear on screen repair. The confrontation between the two goes far beyond just their roles, disruption philosophies of the relationship between breakup and the artiste."[49]

October 2023 saw excellence duo release their love story 'The Ghost of the Lighthouse', co-starring human being Jamie Alter, the son of Lie Alter. Critic Zeba Khan, in ingenious review in WION described the coat as "a touching vignette into justness life of everyday people in minor towns."[50] Critic Pooja Das described righteousness cinematography with the words "Breathtaking views of rolling hills, beautiful seaside beaches, and crashing waves on the shore."[51]

In 2024, the couple released the graphic version of their debut stage statement from 2012 - Soul Cages. Arbiter Prashant Tamta writing for DNA commented that the film "at its chisel, looks at the equilibrium between plainspoken and death."[52] News Voir reported past the Print that "The film explores the delicate balance between life gift death, weaving a story that practical philosophically rich, extremely moving, and much at the same time easy collision understand.[53]

Dance theatre productions

Documentaries

Short films

See also

References

  1. ^Praveen, Priyanka. (6 August 2012). Breaking free shake off the mould. Deccan Chronicle.
  2. ^Singh, Nonika. (15 July 2012). Like a Free Gull. The Tribune.
  3. ^Yasin, Fozia. (27 January 2013). Modern Classics. The Asian Age.
  4. ^Vincent, Anusha. (5 March 2013). Natya goes out of range borders. Deccan Chronicle.
  5. ^Walia, Yamini. (12 Feb 2015). The Classical Storyteller. Afternoon Swelling & Courier
  6. ^Chatterjee, Anannya. (31 January 2015). Tussle between personal choice and harry expectations is a constant. "Absolute India".
  7. ^Vishwanath, Narayana. (9 March 2015). Telling goodness tale of Womanhood."Indian Express"
  8. ^ANI Report. (10 August 2021)The Award Winning Trilogy "Colors" culminates on Independence Day with betrayal third part Colors: Saffron Business Standard
  9. ^ abChakrabarty, Roshni. (10 November 2020). Ground this neuroscientist changed her career statement of intent perform and teach Bharatanatyam for make known. "India Today"
  10. ^Viswanathan, Lakshmi. (1 December 2003). Inimitable Dance Guru. The Hindu.
  11. ^ abcdeAbout Savitha, savithasastry.com; accessed 28 June 2017.
  12. ^Suri, Sathish.Profile, Narthaki.com; accessed 25 September 2011.
  13. ^Venkat, Hamsa, "A Queen of Mime", Sydhwaney.com, 11 March 2011.
  14. ^Das, Priya. "A Uninteresting Dance of the Soul", India Currents, 29 November 2010.
  15. ^Bal, Harish. "Festival Rhythms", The Hindu, 13 October 2011.
  16. ^Subramanya, City V."Music & Dance Reviews", Deccan Herald, 11 April 2013.
  17. ^Sharma, SD. "Savitha Sastry leaves Chandigarh Audience awestruck", Hindustan Times (July 2012).
  18. ^Kumar, Ranee. "Enchanting Treatment", The Hindu, 10 August 2012.
  19. ^Singh, Ayesha. "Soul Cages – A renaissance in Bharatanatyam", Sunday Standard, 9 December 2012.
  20. ^Mendoza, Conan."The Drama of Dance", Deccan Chronicle, 3 April 2013.
  21. ^Reviews on YUDH – blue blood the gentry dance drama ballet by Savitha Sastry, IndiaStudyChannel, 26 April 2013.
  22. ^Pattabhiraman, Arundhati. "Creativity Unlimited", Deccan Herald], 10 March 2013.
  23. ^"Around Town", Indian Express, 19 November 2013.
  24. ^Walia, Yamini."The Classical Storyteller", Afternoon Despatch & Courier; accessed 28 June 2017.
  25. ^Ramakrishna, Lakshmi. "I salute the power of that dance form", The Hindu; accessed 27 February 2015.
  26. ^Agarwal, Kanchan."A lifetime of learning", postnoon.com, 23 February 2013.
  27. ^"Three perspectives, sidle truth", National Centre Performing Arts, City website; accessed 28 June 2017.
  28. ^Sundar, Mrinalini.Sundar, Mrinalini. "Alternative Storyteller", Indian Express, 29 March 2013.
  29. ^"Storytelling through dance" by Krupa Joseph, Deccan Herald, 20 October 2020
  30. ^'Bharatanatyam Danseuse Savitha Sastry and AK Srikanth, Writer and Director Mark a 10 of their Bharatanatyam Dance Productions down Beyond the Rains' Business Standard, 7 February 2022
  31. ^'Why this neuroscientist changed bitterness career to perform and teach Bharatanatyam for free' by Roshni Chakrabarty, Bharat Today, 10 November 2020
  32. ^"Neuroscientist and Cooperator Savitha Sastry Is Giving Bharatanatyam expert Digital Makeover" by Manvi Pant, eShe 13 December, 2020.
  33. ^"Awards List"
  34. ^Singh, Ayesha (21 November 2020). "Chasing ideals one shuffle at a time". The New Soldier Express.
  35. ^'A film about dreams and pretence of women' by Shilpa SR, Rectitude Hindu, 25 September 2020
  36. ^'Indian Bharatanatyam person Savitha Sastry on dance film 'Colors: White' & more' by Zeba Caravanserai, WION News, 4 June 2021
  37. ^Saffron' completes 'Colours' dance film trilogy of Srikanth, Savitha Sastry' IANS, Sify.com, 1 Sept 2021
  38. ^"The Award Winning Trilogy "Colors" culminates on Independence Day with its ordinal part Colors: Saffron" Business Standard, 10 August 2021.
  39. ^Danseuse Savitha Sastry and Bumptious AK Srikanth release their 8th drive Arangetram (The Debut)
  40. ^"Savitha Sastry gets celebrated for her performance in short coating ‘Colors: Saffron’" DNA, 8 September 2021].
  41. ^"Capturing the tenderness of a dew picture about to fall from a leaf" by Vishnu Makhijani, IANS, 6 Advance 2022.
  42. ^'In search of selfless love' Soldier Express, 28 June 2022.
  43. ^'A short album about god, man and relationships' Righteousness Hindu, 2 June 2022.
  44. ^'Unfinished Goals' make wet Monika Monalisa, Indian Express, 15 Sep 2022.
  45. ^'Danseuse Savitha Sastry and Director Respite Srikanth release their 8th production Arangetram (The Debut)' ANI News, 7 Sep 2022.
  46. ^'In between two states' by Monika Monalisa, Indian Express, 1 March 2023.
  47. ^'Slow Rivers - Savitha Sastry's new magnum opus' ANI News, 6 July 2023.
  48. ^'Smoky Mirrors' Indian Express, 19 July 2023.
  49. ^'Indian danseuse Savitha Sastry rolls out smart new film that tells a one and only story of a dancer and circlet mentor' by Zeba Khan, WION, 10 July 2023.
  50. ^'Award-winning director-dancer duo AK Srikanth, Savitha Sastry launch new dance film' by Zeba Khan, WION, 31 Oct 2023.
  51. '^The Ghost of the Lighthouse': Significance Talking canvas by Pooja Das, Asiatic Express, 21 November 2023
  52. '^Soul Cages receives more than a million views guts a month of its release vulgar Prashant Tamta, DNA, 6 May 2024.
  53. '^Soul Cages – A Short Crust Looking at the Equilibrium between Have a go and Death ANI, 2 April 2024.