HYDERABAD: It is certainly Shobana’s best show so far: “Bhav” is highly creative, immensely aesthetic, and enormously loveable. It is quite different from her usual showy, Bollywood inspired glittery dramas where the “spectacle” dominates mostly to create magic.
Brought to Hyderabad by Eleven Point Two and staged at Ravindra Bharati on Sunday evening, people did love “Bhav”, and its uniqueness. Carnatic vocalist Abhishek Raghuram’s brilliant singing enhanced Shobana’s supremely elegant dance which she is noted for: dance drenched in sinuous grace and unmatched energy.
“Bhav” opened with a crisp invocation by her students that was followed by Shobana’s “Siva kama sundari” that soon gained momentum and swiftly closed with a fast and brisk rendition. Then came the varnam, which is Shobana’s forte.
Before taking up her favourite pada varnam in Shankarabharanam- “Saamiki sari evvare” (Tanjore Quartet’s)- Shobana explained how in those days in the absence of internet, the nayika depended on her “sakhi” to take messages and also how the heroine used to pine differently.
The shringara rasa was well brought out in the various forms and degrees of separation (virahavastha) of the nayika, who yearned endlessly for her lord, Brihadeeswara. During the second verse that is dedicated to lord Tyagesa, the procession of the lord was very well portrayed creating imageries. During the costume change, Abhishek’s “Kaavave kanya kumari… neeve gathi yamma… sukumaari” in Sahana, oozed with devotion and angst of a pious devotee.
Most attractively dressed in unique headgear and ear ornaments (with elements of dance attire of the Far East), the team came on the stage to enact “The History of Dance”. The chiselling of a dancer’s statue perfectly matched with Abhishek’s melodious “taanam’ where each note synced with each movement. Cleverly used visuals (swaying coconut trees, graceful elephants) were in harmony with the Sopana sangeetham: various dance forms like Theyyam,
Odissi were born amidst visuals of fire and Konark ruins. Shobana burst into “teenmaar” with much gaiety and vigour to the snow-clad Himalayan landscape.
While establishing the various vrittis like Arabhati, Bharati, Kaishiki, Sattvati, the young dancers manifested sculptures on temple walls with vigorous martial dance movements; small segments of Arabhi pancharatna kriti Saadhinchene were charmingly used like flourishes in the exuberant “paramananda…aananda”. Allauddin Khilji’s invasions on India and the destroying of temples, introduction of Kathak, Vijayanagara Empire etc. were the historical references used.
The finale was “Bhavayami Raghurammam”, Swati Tirunal’s classic compositon. Epitomizing Rama in various stages through various episodes, Shobana’s abhinaya reached its peak during the Sita Swayamvaram, especially the hasya rasa she portrayed had the audience in splits.
The coming together of Shobana and Abhishek, both maestros in their own right, is perhaps the best that has happened in recent times. While inspiring, their creation has also raised the benchmark for many future productions.
It is better if Hyderabad audience refrains from clicking pictures and making videos especially when the announcement was made repeatedly, not to do so. Nothing can be worse than the beautiful Shobhana and her even more beautiful dance showcased on the social media in badly captured videos.