Acharya Anusuya Banerjee introduced her disciple, Aankita Ganguly, in style on April 14 at Gyan Manch. Rangpravesham is as much a disciple’s debut on stage as an exam for the guru. And Aankita did her guru proud. She started off on the right note by offering Pushpanjali to Lord Shiva, her guru and accompanists and rounding it off by a namaskaram to the rasiks. The kreethi with the mudras set to slow strains of Karnatik vocal was quite enduring. However, Ganguly was found wanting when it came to expressions as evident in Dasarkriti . The yearning for Lord Vitthala seemed forced. Her angbhangi was stiff and lacked fluidity. However, her zealous training showed in her near-perfect execution of the different items be it Jathiswaram, Thillana, etc. Ganguly has the makings of a top-notch performer.
Shibani Chattopadhyay
In Arun Bain’s exhibition of paintings and graphics at the Academy of Fine Arts, one may imagine of having a glimpse of a star being born. Bain has not fallen back on tradition or leaned on current trends, but worked out a visual language that is personal and communicable. Secondly he has selectively reversed the laws of gravitation and we see people, umbrellas, cars and autorickshaws floating in space while birds and helicopters crawl on the ground. He draws with charcoal and then overpaints the drawing thinly. He lets it dry until the two ingredients jell and set. The surface is as important to him as depth.
Sandip Sarkar
Conceptualised and choreographed by the kathak exponent Sanjay Bhattacharya, Srabosti School of Music’s Nrityanjali (Gyan Manch, April 16) was a welcome break. Kathak-e-Utkarsh depicting the history of Kathak was an innovative concept with dance items interspersed with verses read out by Nivedita Bhattacharjee and Indraroop Chakraborty. The balance between innovation and tradition reached its height in the second half of the programme named Panchtatva. Highly experimental in composition, the importance of the five eternal elements of nature was expressed in a blend of body, mind and soul. But what left an ever-lasting impression was the kathak on skates that raised this dance style to the heights of modernity. Sanjay’s bhava, nritya and his grip on rhythms and the colourful costumes were praiseworthy.
Saheli Mitra
