BENGALURU: City-based choreographer Masoom Parmar is adding a new element to the extensively-toured play, Chitraa. A modernised English translation of Rabindranath Tagore’s Chitrangada based on the Mahabharata, the upcoming production will include dance sequences, unlike its earlier performances. Masoom was equally excited and careful when asked to choreograph the play, turning it into a dance drama.
“If it is Tagore’s work, you don’t want it to get too abstract. This is why I have not added any pure dance forms, but a free mix of contemporary, Kathak, Bharatanatayam and Odissi. The challenge was to not make it too crass,” says Masoom Parmar, who managed the dance production for critically-acclaimed stage musical Mughal-E-Azam and Hindi film Mirzya. He feels the classical dance format for Chitraa has been “used, abused, misused and overused” to an extent that the play become more about dance than the story.
“I wanted to ensure 95 per cent of it is drama. I read through the script and included dance sequences at three points, to convey words through movement. For example, love-making scenes have been represented through choreography,” he says, adding,” I broke down each sentence and experimented it on myself before training the cast.”Interestingly, none of the cast members are trained dancers. The underwent a devised module with workout sessions for strength and stamina. “I would teach them through day-to-day instances. While teaching a particular step, I would ask them to imagine drinking a glass of water and then pouring some of it over their heads. The audience needs to feel the story rather than just see it,” says the freelancer, associated with multiple dance companies.
The play revolves around dark-skinned Chitraa, who prays to the Gods to turn her into a more feminine, fair woman to impress her lover, Arjuna. The introduction has 40 lines of poetry penned by Prataya Saha, who is directing the play along with Shatarupa Bhattacharyya. Live music will accompany this period drama, which will be staged at Ranga Shankara, JP Nagar, today at 7.30 pm. It is a Red Polka Productions in association with Lahe Lahe.