In fleeting moments of Malavika Sarukkai’s portrayal of Yashoda searching for Krishna, audiences can almost see the mischievous child dancing on stage. It’s this rare emotional depth that sets Sarukkai apart from many of her contemporaries. Her performances aren’t just technically brilliant—they’re alive, intimate, and powerfully resonant. It is this combination that the 66-year-old brought to the stage with Darshan, where she presented four choreographies as part of the sixth edition of the Madhavi Festival. Organised by the Madhavi Foundation for Creative Excellence, the festival is a tribute to Madhavi Gopalakrishna—mother of noted dancer Rama Vaidyanathan.
While many classical dancers remain rooted in tradition, Sarukkai has distinguished herself by fearlessly reinterpreting and reimagining Bharatanatyam without ever compromising its core values. Bharatanatyam has traditionally centred around mythology, devotion, and romantic themes, but Sarukkai has carved a unique path by choosing narratives rooted in nature, social consciousness, and contemporary relevance. Years ago, she paid a dance tribute to Saalumarada Thimmakka, a rural environmentalist from Karnataka who planted over 250 trees in an arid region. “I chose to do her story rather than perhaps a love song where the woman is waiting for her lover. I’ve done all that! Now I’m looking around and seeing all these fantastic stories around me. I’d rather tell those,” she says.
This shift wasn’t sudden. It was the result of years of internal questioning and artistic evolution. “I started questioning why am I doing these pieces? Why can’t I dance to something about trees or nature?” she shares. Most dancers follow the traditional margam structure as a rulebook, but Sarukkai began to see beyond it. “In the initial years, I looked at dance as a style. Now, I was able to see it as a language,” she adds. With the encouragement of her mother, Saroja Kamakshi, she embraced her identity as a free spirit in the classical space—a rare and bold choice.
Her latest production Beeja—Earth Seed, which premiered in March and is set to travel to Delhi this September, is a compelling example of how Sarukkai continues to break new ground. Told through the voices of the deer, the tree, the swan, and the birds, Beeja explores the life force of the planet and humanity’s impact on it. The inspiration, once again, came from trees. “Years ago, I was travelling in Landour and came across a tree which had a sign board stating ‘I was once a seed that held its ground’ and it remained with me as a life lesson. That’s the core of Beeja,” she reflects.
In a cultural space where entertainment often becomes the priority, Sarukkai’s approach is refreshingly uncompromising. “Classical dance has a very profound significance. I’m not interested in making it entertainment. I want the audience to look at classical dance and the artistes with the respect they deserve,” she asserts. Born in 1959 in Tamil Nadu, she began training in Bharatanatyam at age seven under Guru Kalyanasundaram (Thanjavur school), Guru Rajaratnam (Vazhuvoor school), and later in abhinaya under Guru Kalanidhi Narayanan.
“I was always a dreamer. I remember going to college one day, looking at the trees and then heading to class where nothing made sense to me. I went back home and declared that I just wanted to dance and my mother was so happy about it. She knew I could dance before I knew it!” she says with a laugh.
As the founder of Kalavaahini Trust, now celebrating its 10th year, she also invests in the future of dance. “Kalavaahini is all about valuing the younger dancers, and providing them performance spaces,” she says. “Classical dance,” she concludes, “is a lifetime of tapasya. I have been dancing for 53 years and I’ll continue to define dance as long as I can, but what happens to the next generation?”
For her, the metaphor of trees continues to resonate deeply: “A seedling whose roots go deep can weather the storms. It’s the same with humans,” she says. In every way—from her fearless storytelling to her spiritual connection with nature—Sarukkai continues to be a dancer unlike any other. Not content with just following footsteps, she plants new roots.