BENGALURU: Ever wondered how interesting it would be if Sita and Draupadi, two of the most powerful female characters in the history of Indian epics came together for a conversation? You might not have to wonder any longer as a rendition of Ramayana and Mahabharata through a face-to-face conversation between Sita and Draupadi is coming to the stage with Sakhi, a Bharatanatyam and contemporary dance theatre adaptation. “The idea is to tell the story of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata together through the eyes of Sita and Draupadi as friends or sakhi so it can be more relatable,” says Aneesha Grover, dancer and producer of the show.
Adding to Grover, the director of the show, Jyotsna Shourie, emphasises the innovative approach of combining dance and theatre. “It’s quite a theatrical kind of production with the actors speaking on stage that has not been done earlier,” says Shourie, who is also the founder of Keelaka Dance Company.
The 80-minute-long production draws directly from Valmiki’s Ramayana and Vyasa’s Mahabharata. While the events are rooted in these ancient texts, the conversations between the two characters are a work of creative fiction, adding a fresh perspective to these timeless tales. Noting the significance of portraying these characters in a new light, Grover highlights that rather than adhering to traditional depictions, Sita and Draupadi are presented as strong, multifaceted women, demonstrating a range of emotions from devotion to resilience.
“They understand their divine purpose and act according to that so they have a sense of agency,” she explains. Shourie adds that it has been a deliberate attempt to keep their will at the centre of the narrative, “A woman can be very devoted, but she can also be stubborn or angry or show a range of other emotions.”
Grover further adds that this modern interpretation is especially important for connecting with younger audiences, who may not fully relate to the conventional portrayals of these mythological figures. “We have more women writers and performers and they have to find a way to relate to these characters. Somebody like me as a millennial can’t be playing that typical Sita. It will not feel natural to me and the audience will not relate to it,” she shares.
Central to the choreography is the theme of fire, a symbolic element deeply ingrained in both characters’ lives. Sita’s ordeal by fire, known as Agni Pariksha, and Draupadi’s birth from fire are pivotal moments in their respective epics. “They meet in this metaphorical fire and we have used this fire as a metaphor for society – a society that moulded these women and typecast them into the role of an ideal woman,” says Grover.
(Sakhi will be staged on April 3, 7 pm at the Bangalore International Centre, Domlur. Visit bangaloreinternationalcentre.org for more details)