Arts and Theater

Sandhya Raju: Dancing to Delight

A danseuse, a member from two of south India’s most prominent business families and now an actress, Sandhya Raju is hard to slot under one role. In an exclusive interview with Hashtag India, she speaks to Mallik Thatipalli about her foray into acting and why dance is a passion…

Belonging to two of south India’s most prominent business families (her father PR Venketrama Raja, is the Chairman of Ramco Group, while her father-in-law, Byrraju Ramalinga Raju, is the founder of Satyam Computers Services Ltd) Sandhya Raju prefers to charter her own path. As a dancer, founder of Nrishinkala Academy, a Kuchipudi dance school and now an actor, she dons many a hat with ease.

Dance as a passion

“I started trained with the great Vempati Chinna Satyam who was an institution unto himself. I was consumed and captivated with his larger than life personality. He was six feet high, wore a white dhoti and looked like a freedom fighter,” recalls the kuchipudi exponent. Living just down the lane from the iconic Padma Bhushan awardee who taught the likes of the late Tamil Nadu CM, J Jayalalithaa, Hema Malini and Bhanupriya, Sandhya remembers coming home, tossing her bag and running to his home where he used to teach to almost 200 students. Having learnt under his tutelage for almost a decade, she feels that her personality was shaped during this period.

Never without a break

Dance is sadhana through which one loses oneself. It is all consuming and all pervasive. Sandhya agrees and adds, “It is the biggest passion of my life, greater than even falling in love. It is an intense process and the thought of looking perfect in my teacher’s eye and making him proud really drove me.”

She confesses with a smile that when she got married the only question on her mind was if she could keep dancing, something which her in-laws not only agreed but also welcomed her by arranging her to perform at Hyderabad’s Ravindra Bharati.

It was exactly this dedication towards dance that made her start Nrishinkala, a dance school which teaches Kuchipudi. Shinkala means a chain used to bound an elephant, and Nrishinkala translates into being unbound or free. The ethos of the academy is twofold as the founder explains, “At times, I feel that it is a living museum where I can preserve what was taught by my guru. The authenticity with which he taught us the art form can be passed on to another generation. Secondly, it is where I explore the dance form which I learnt and inculcate new vocabulary into it. The academy explores these two dimensions parallelly.”

Making a debut on the silver screen

Performing Kuchipudi on stage and facing the camera are two different things. Sandhya makes her debut through Natyam, a film centered around dance, as the name suggests. Incidentally, she acted in a short movie of the same name a couple of years ago (completely different from the movie) which was very well received.

Sandhya explains, “I was dabbling in theater at that point of time and yes, though the short film was a precursor to my acting career, it is not related to the movie. Natyam’s director Revanth Korukonda wrote a script about a commercial movie based on dance and he believed that people wanted to see a women centric movie about dance.”

Different roles

Sandhya isn’t only acting in the movie but is also the costume designer, production designer and choreographer for Natyam. She recalls, “It was mentally taxing of course as each subject is an ocean. But as they say, what doesn’t break you, only makes you stronger. Each time, I got into a role, I had to wear a different hat which was simultaneously exciting and tiring.”

The experience helped the artist disassociate herself from the vanity which comes with being an actor, which is inevitable considering that an actor is the cynosure of all eyes. She agrees and adds with a smile, “An actor is consumed by oneself: their role, their expressions and their character. As I was involved in various roles, I saw the movie as a whole and understood what was best for the movie. For example, when I was acting, I suddenly saw that a vase didn’t match the backdrop of the set, so all roles culminated bringing out the best in me. That I had a forgiving director helped too.”

For an artistic person like herself, the movie is more in line with the K Vishwanath genre of Telugu film where classical arts take centerstage. Sandhya nods saying, “I wanted to create an opportunity for myself and this is the stage for that.”

Life in Covid-19 and the future

Natyam was supposed to be released in May but got postponed due to the second wave. The actress wants to wait it out for a couple of months till the pandemic slows down for a release. The trailer though was much appreciated and reached a lot of people.

The last one year has been full of lockdowns and isolation. Sandhya put it to good use when she spent time to be with family, learnt to cook, and created eight new dance choreographies. She signs off saying, “I could be still knowing that the world around me was still. Natyam was an intensive process so it gave me some breathing space.”

Quick Takes:

A movie centered around dance I like: Swarna Kamalam

Director I want to work with: Nandini Reddy

Dancer I admire: Bijayini Satpathy

July 1, 2021

#Dance, Sandhya Raju

Reviving the art of storytelling: Chitrakathi

The once popular Chitrakathi, storytelling through paintings, is brought back to life by the Gangawane family in Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg. Ketki Gadre interviews the last family practicing this art form to delve into their motivations and the supporters who have aided them on this journey. After a long day of trekking the Western Ghats around Bhogwe Beach in Sindhudurg, my luxury resort, Coco Shambhala, suggested an unusual activity – an art class. They agreed to it and invited Chetan Gangavane, a third-generation Chitrakathi artist working to revive this art form. Chitrakathi Art While setting up the art activity, Mr Chetan briefs me about the 11 art forms his community (Thakar) has been involved with for generations. His family currently practices three art forms unique to Maharashtra: String puppetry, Chitrakathi, and Shadow puppetry. “Chitrakathi involves storytelling through art on a 12×15” or 12×18” canvas, which can take 1-3 days to complete, depending on the painting’s intricacy. Traditionally, these paintings depicted scenes from mythological epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata, accompanied by live singers playing instruments. Therefore, Chitrakathi artists needed not only painting skills but also the ability to sing and play instruments,” explains Mr. Chetan. The Thakar community, an Adivasi tribe living in the forests, gained recognition for their art from the erstwhile warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. He brought them out of forests and closer to towns and provided them opportunities to perform art shows during festivals. In return, the community assisted the king by spreading messages of social enlightenment through their art. The artists earned their livelihood for many years through food or monetary donations. However, over time, attitudes shifted, and people stopped donating food and began treating them with disrespect. The Gangavane family is the last Thakar community to practice this centuries-old art form. The rest gave up with

Arts and Theater

Nurturing Artistic Talent: Sunaina Misra’s Vision for Artiste Culture

In the vibrant world of contemporary art, one name stands out for its unique approach to nurturing and managing artistic talent: Goa-based Sunaina Misra. As the founder of Artiste Culture, Sunaina has revolutionized how artists are managed, helping them navigate the complexities of the art industry. Her agency works directly with artists worldwide, assisting them in making connections and developing the skills needed to elevate their creative careers. Surabhi Goel had the pleasure of sitting down with Sunaina to discuss her background, the origin of Artiste Culture, and her vision for the future. I always grew up in an environment where my mother encouraged me to explore art in various forms, painting or visiting galleries. She wanted me to find my passion, so she enrolled me in different classes, from basketball to art. By age 15, I started working with an artist in Lucknow, helping him in his studio. There, I discovered my knack for organizing and managing artistic tasks, such as typing resumes and basic computer tasks. This experience sparked my interest in art management. Later, I pursued my Master’s in Art and Design Management in Newcastle, which solidified my understanding of the field. After various roles, including working for an art start-up and a museum, COVID-19 hit, leading me to start Artiste Culture. A blend of necessity and passion drove me to create a platform to support artists during uncertain times. The inspiration came from identifying gaps within the industry. Artists often struggled with managing their careers while focusing on their art. I wanted to create a space where artists could focus on creating while we took care of everything else—finding exhibitions, writing citations, and managing logistics. My vision was to build a multicultural and diverse environment that supports artists from all over the world. Over time, Artiste

Arts and Theater

5 Prolific Women Contemporary Indian Artists to Watch for in 2024

In 2023, women artists from India achieved new heights and were lauded worldwide. With Amrita Sher-Gil’s work ‘The Story Teller’ becoming the most expensive Indian artwork ever sold, Google honouring Zarina Hashmi for her life’s work, and Nalini Malani winning the 2023 Kyoto Prize, Indian women artists in both modern and contemporary art are gaining momentum. This year, contemporary Indian women artists continued to wield their creativity as a powerful force, shaping the art scene and contributing to the evolution of societal narratives. With 2024 upon us, the recognition and interest Indian women artists receive will only continue to rise. Sneha Gautam, Senior Vice President at AstaGuru Auction House, lists some eminent women artists whom art enthusiasts and collectors should watch for in this year. Nalini Malani: Among the trailblazers in the contemporary art scene who are making an impact on a global scale is painter and multimedia artist Nalini Malani, recognised for her innovative use of technology and distinctive visual language. Born in Karachi in 1946, she studied at Sir J.J. School of Arts and became one of India’s video art pioneers. Malani’s work often explores themes of feminism, war, and the human condition, challenging viewers to engage with complex issues in new and thought-provoking ways. Her dedication to seeing the artist as an activist and her exploration of womanhood through various media has indelibly impacted India’s contemporary art. Bharti Kher: Influential contemporary Indian artist Bharti Kher was born in London to Indian immigrant parents in 1969. She captivates with her avant-garde creations that transcend traditional boundaries and is best known for works constructed with many bindis. Renowned for her thought-provoking sculptures and installations, Kher often explores themes of identity, mythology, and the female form. With a unique artistic vocabulary, she challenges conventional notions, using unconventional materials to craft

Arts and Theater

Art on Your Fingertips

Rooftop is a community-driven art experiences marketplace App that makes traditional Indian art forms accessible to the world. This App is a one-stop destination for all art needs, which is bridging the gap between Indian artisans and art lovers all over the world. This first-of-its-kind art technology company endeavours to curate art and recreational activities based on traditional art. Bindu Gopal Rao in conversation with the Founder of Rooftop, Kartik Gaggar. Rooftop was started to help the arts and artists. “Whilst travelling I came across so many different indigenous artists that were struggling to create value for their crafts. I was impressed with their skills and the passion with which they continued to love their heritage despite the challenges. When I started Rajasthan Studio, I wanted to bring art lovers closer to the artists and regenerate value for the arts. In 2020, when the pandemic hit, this provided me with an opportunity to revamp and pivot to a digital/online space with Rooftop. This enterprise was a brainchild of long hours of work, tears, and a zeal to make Indian traditional arts mainstream again,” explains Kartik Gaggar, CEO & Founder, of Rooftop. So how does it work? Rooftop works for art lovers and artists. It intends to connect the two and create revenue and value for different art forms scattered around the country. Rooftop onboards artists and experts based on their level of skills and love for their craft. The team record either workshops or courses with them to then market the same to different target audiences ranging from simple art lovers to hardcore artists. They also have subscription plans for people who are passionate about learning and upskilling. “Subscription is a great way to consume art and courses are great as it also gives you a personal connection with the