Rajashree Warrier is more than a Bharatanatyam dancer for Malayalis. Once a popular TV anchor, her persona changed over the years, as she grew from a dancer to an artist who used the language of art to convey life, literature, emotions, her own self....
Having trained under her guru V Mydhili, Rajashree explored nuances of Bharatanatyam. She used art to express how she saw life around her. She showed Kerala that there is more to art than just winning competitions or performing on stage.
In a freewheeling interaction with TNIE, Rajashree opens up about her art and life. Excerpts:
Can you tell us about your journey into Bharatanatyam? We have heard that you started with Kerala Nadanam...
That was when I was three. But after I started learning Bharatanatyam, I immersed myself in it. Bharatanatyam has aided me in my mental pace and independence.
You are known as a dancer with a difference. How do you view this description?
When you create a new path, the first response would be criticism. Thankfully, in my case, people understood most of what I wanted to communicate. I took the initial criticisms, too, as accolades.
What does dance, as an art form, mean to you?
It is about how we interpret the word. This was instilled in me by my guru, V Mydhili. She made me realise the depth of the art form.
Now, the concept of guruthwam (teacher’s blessings) seems to be outdated. How important is it to you?
I would not describe my relationship with guru as one of devotion; I see it more as samarpanam (submission). I learned the art with the understanding that I had the freedom to ask questions. So, I do not view guruthwam as something complex.
Does your family have any background in arts?
No, but they have been deeply appreciative of it. I think of myself more as an enthusiast. If you are an enthusiast, you will find a way.
You went to Chennai after initial training here…
Yes, for a short while. In Chennai, I learnt from Jayanthi Subramaniam. Jayanthi akka has a very giving nature, and I think it was Mydhili Teacher who made me capable enough to study under her.
That was a time when I was away from my guru. I could not bear that, so I stopped pursuing dance for a while. I went to Jayanthi akka to fill that void. I told her that when I looked at her, I saw Mydhili Teacher – coincidentally, they both look similar.
If anyone asks me if I have ever seen God in real life, I would not say no, that is how deeply connected I am with my guru.
You were part of a generation that prioritised career choices such as medicine and engineering. Yet, you chose dance….
I was adventurous. My parents never questioned my choices. In fact, right from a young age, they taught my brother and me that whatever decisions we made, we alone would be responsible for them. I took part in events during my SSLC exams, but my parents never stopped me.
You learnt music as well, right?
I did my UG and PG studies in music. Back then, I used to sing for small-scale concerts. My father advised me to pursue music, as it would benefit my dance.
Have you received film offers?
Yes, but I never took any of them up. I never felt cinema would be a suitable platform for me. I do not like obeying people. Also, I do not fancy seeing myself on the big screen. I am not a conventional beauty. So, no, not cinema.
You did TV shows…
I learned a lot there, and I was also able to expand my reading. I did
those shows, because depending on others — be it financially or for anything — has always been difficult for me.
Yes, people recognised me due to that (TV show), but that was not enough. I wanted to be known for who I truly am.
Bharatanatyam has always been seen as a Chennai-centric artform. How difficult is it for Malayali dancers to gain access?
It is not easy. Often, I am asked, ‘What do you have to say to aspiring dancers who seek to make it big?’ My answer is always: ‘Nothing’. My progression in dance was slow. I used to perform at temple festivals at a time when the very idea was looked down upon. Today, as you know, temple festival slots are much sought-after. People who once dismissed temple dancers as ‘second class’, now hail them.
Apparently, a lot of NRIs are taking these slots. And most of them are doing it for free...
Kerala does not have too many performance avenues. But during temple festivals, dance is an integral component. Rich folks come down and perform for free. In doing that, they not only rob the dancers here of an opportunity, but also make it difficult for local dancers to get paid for such performances.
Have Malayalis established their space in Bharatanatyam?
Today, yes. Earlier, you had to pay to dance at some sabhas. I have said a loud ‘no’ to such practices. I have not lost anything by doing so.
How important are youth festivals?
There are very talented students and teachers, who may not be performers. They cannot survive just by teaching; they need a source of income. Such festivals are a huge source of income. Personally, I have never trained for a 10-minute performance. In college, the requirement was 15 minutes. I took part in two university festivals. My connection with youth fests ended there. That said, we cannot dismiss youth festivals. Where else do we see so much talent concentrated in one place?
There is concern over quality…
That arises from the approach. Teachers are forced to turn anyone into a dancer. Parents push children into dance, whether they have the aptitude or not.
How important is innate talent in dance?
Until arangettam (debut), not much. But after that, the dancer needs to grow, evolve, and push forward. That is when talent starts to matter.
Nowadays, we see people starting to learn dance even past 30. How do you view this trend?
Many of them must have probably wanted to learn much earlier but did not get an opportunity. Protima Bedi started learning quite late, yet she became one of the greatest Odissi dancers. Age or learning does matter. Dance requires a deeper understanding – of literature, of emotions, of life.
How important is physical beauty for a dancer?
The body must be nimble, able to move. Beyond that, the shape of the nose or the length of the legs have no relevance.
But in youth festivals, appearance is a criterion…
I once asked a makeup artist why they were whitening the children so much. The answer shocked me: ‘If I don’t apply this much makeup, the parents will complain.’ It’s absurd. Such unnecessary elements can strip away individuality.
How would you compare between men performing Bharatanatyam and Mohiniyattam?
Bharatanatyam balances lasya (grace) and tandava (vigour). In Mohiniyattam, the emphasis is more on lasya, which society associates with femininity. But lasya isn’t limited to women. Kelucharan Mohapatra’s Odissi performances embodied mature femininity. Lasya isn’t limited to a woman’s body alone. It’s far beyond that. Lasya and tandava exist in everyone. They are not gendered.
Nowadays, Bharatanatyam includes male perspectives in lasya pieces. What is your take on that?
Let multiple perspectives come in. The Kshetraya padam ‘Choodare’ explores the jealousy a woman experiences. Most padams and javalis (choreography pieces) were written by men, and they portrayed women as jealous, insecure, longing. But men, too, experience these. How else was Meghasandesham written? Expressing emotions was once considered a weakness in men… but that is changing.
Tradition has handed down a long list of female protagonists in dance. Isn’t it time we add men to it as well?
I always do. I represent male protagonists, too. Ones with deep insecurities. The men I see around me find their way into my stories – men who are jealous, men who are enraged by a woman’s beauty, men who try to silence her when they see her talent.
When women express something, people often assume it must be related to their personal life…
When my book Narthaki was released, the cover had my photo on it. Many people bought it. Later, someone messaged me on Facebook, saying, ‘You tricked me. I read it thinking it was your autobiography, but I did not understand anything’ (smiles). That book was my deep observation of art. Just by looking at the cover, some people assumed it was about my personal life. Isn’t that how we all are?
You had once said that your life truly began after you became a single person…
If society continues to restrain us, we naturally seek spaces that offer the most comfort. I found freedom in dance.
To what extent does society support a woman who fully dedicated herself to dance or any form of art?
I believe it is a blessing to have a partner who is not insecure. A space free from such insecurity is important. Marriage is about two people knowing each other. I have been through a very difficult period. I was alone, and society asked me and my daughter many questions. I survived. But what they asked my daughter, who was then a child, is still there in my mind. I still have a lot to say about that.
When will you open up?
I will express it through my creative work; I cannot convey it through words. My words are different. Society has mastered the skill of wounding with words. I have decided that no one can wound me. But a child does not know… if a child is hurt, does not the mother suffer the most? That wound has never left me. People often say that experiences make a person stronger. Is that true? Don’t they make a person more sensitive? This is a society that judges a person based on marital status. To a child who does not have a ‘complete family’, society keeps asking questions even when they know it can cause pain.
You emerged from the same society. The journey must have contributed to it, right?
A journey does not just build strength; it also leaves deep wounds. But we transform those wounds into strength… sometimes, unknowingly. Yet, the wounds never truly disappear.
Have you ever wanted to leave this place and move to Chennai?
No, I never felt that way. My father and mother were very brave. When I say my daughter is my friend, people laugh. But it is possible. Also, at my core, I am a lone wolf. I like being that way. I socialise a lot, yet I do not have many close friends. I have been able to do my work well here. Then, why should I leave?
In some discussions, it is said that Bharatanatyam originally belonged to the Isai Vellalar community but was later taken over by Tamil Brahmins. What is your perspective on this?
That is a very sensitive topic. It was justified at that time. But the way what was taken, and how that was shaped — the rights and wrongs — are an entirely different inquiry for me. I might write a book on this.
How important is lifestyle for a dancer?
If you ask me specifically about Kalamandalam, they have decided to not make it compulsory to wake up at 4am. It is not the old times. Also, there will be performances, after which they will get back. It is not that we don’t need discipline, but things should change according to the time.
Food choices?
I think it is a matter of personal preference. Rather than controversies, there should be healthy discussions.
Should there be an accrediting agency for dance schools?
We already live in a system where people see each other as separate. If dance also comes under strict regulation, where is the freedom to live and create? Art has always grown organically. However, some now claim that only institutionalised training is correct. I disagree.
Coming to interpretations, how much freedom can an artist take while interpreting original works?
Do you know Shakunthala? Where did you read about her first?
Abhijnana Shakuntalam?
Abhijnana Shakuntalam itself is an interpretation. The Shakuntala in Mahabharata is slightly different. When I said Shakuntala, which Shakuntala came to your mind? It must be Kalidasa’s. So, only when you interpret something, the focus falls on it. But those interpretations that totally undo characters should not be termed so.
How important is acceptance to you?
We cannot do any work thinking that everyone should accept our work. The only thing we can aspire for is that my work should reach those people who can see it without bias. Once, I was performing in Delhi. The scene was about Rama pursuing Maricha disguised as a golden deer at Sita’s behest. Sita later wonders why she could not stop her mind that galloped like the deer, and why did she have to urge Rama to go behind it. I showed this through a mudra, and only one person in the audience understood. That was Leela Omchery (classical singer and researcher). It would be foolish to insist that everyone should understand.
What changes have you noticed in the artform?
Today, there are too many meaningless movements – a jump here, a big flourish there, etc. The audience expects more of this now. Till about four or five decades ago, perfection was more about elevating oneself spiritually through the artform. Over time, perfection began to be associated with the angular symmetry of the physique.
You have an intellectual aura — has this intellectualism affected you as a dancer?
I do not consciously inject ‘intellectualism’ anywhere. However, I believe I have an inherent ability to view things from varied perspectives.
When talking about a piece like ‘Manasa Sancharare’, Kuchela’s grief is expressed, but think about his wife. I see it from the woman’s perspective. Feminism is not a battle for me. It’s about creating my own space, where I can speak my mind.
Traditional dance forms could appear problematic in a feminist thought process...
If I take a Kshetrayya padam or an Annamacharya composition, I ensure a feminist interpretation. In one of the pieces, a woman is addressed as ‘bajari’ (a loose woman). Man does not see what it feels like when he degrades a woman. A dancer can show him that. It is also beyond gender because women also refer to other women this way. Are single women who live in society attacked by men alone and loved by other women? No, women attack women more than men. A dancer can show them, too, what it feels like at the receiving end.
Your upcoming projects?
I am afraid to plan. I could not even follow the timetable I had created during my school days! Live in the present, and tomorrow shall be dealt with. That’s my motto.
Do you still practise regularly for a long time?
Depends on my mood – we are women, our bodies do not stay the same every day. I practise according to how much my body and mind can take.
Is there anything that you would want to change in your life?
No. During my school days, I had wanted to go to Kalakshetra. My parents did not allow it, so I wrote a letter to Chitra Visweswaran, but never received a reply. At the previous Nishagandhi Festival, I was chosen to give the award to Chithra ma’am. I told her about my letter. Fortunately, I got a great guru here. I realised that the guru’s native place does not matter.
Once, when asked if you would want to be reborn as a woman, you replied yes….
Of course, I want to be reborn as a woman. I think women are more sensitive towards their surroundings. Also, on a lighter note, being a woman is nice, we can wear beautiful saris!
TNIE team: Cithara Paul, Aparna Nair, Varsha Somaraj, Anuradha L R, Uthama S, B P Deepu (photos), Pranav V P (video)