His chakkars send you into a spiritual state, his eye movements generate a romantic high and his concept probes the conscience of the audience. With Astad Deboo it is impossible to measure where Kathak gives way to Kathakali. Call it contemporary or classical, his dance lifts the spirits and satiates the soul in turn. The experience was no different when he performed at The Everlasting Flame International Programme to celebrate the multicultural ethos of the Parsi community. Called Elemental Divine, Astad brought alive the value of air, fire, earth, water and space in Zoroastrianism. “I am not propagating my culture, I am underlining its philosophy which everybody can relate to,” says Astad, who is about to complete five decades on stage. From collaborating with Manipuri drummers to performing on the Great Wall of China, Astad continues to push the boundaries. Here he takes questions on his experience with Martha Graham technique, the socio-political context of his productions, taking dance to open spaces and choreography in films.
Excerpts:
On the state of contemporary dance
The umbrella has increased but it is still an uphill task. Also, the word contemporary is loosely used. I meet dancers who say they do contemporary but don’t have the basic technique. The flexibility acquired through Zumba and Hip Hop as contemporary is fine but that’s not really contemporary. It has its market for young people and I am not denouncing their talent or enthusiasm but there is no deep content in it. If somebody wants to develop deep content by using these styles, there is a possibility but I haven’t seen any of these Hip Hop and Jazz dancers doing something meaningful. It is more of entertainment. Most of them want quick recognition. Riyaz ki toh baat hi nahin hai….
On his tryst with combing the tradition with contemporary thought
The word contemporary means present and now and each one has his own creative process to defining it. Like most of my themes are not coming from the Hindu mythology and if they are there is a universal appeal. Even when I talk of the value of fire in Elemental Divine, I do it in a way that Hindus who worship agni get it. I don’t like to be put into a box. In the production my Manipuri drummers recite two poems from Avesta, our holy book. Now staunch Parsis can say why I am allowing non Parsis to recite from Avesta but my point is if the prayer is being said in its pure form with all sincerity one should not mind who is saying it. Like I recite ‘Raghupati raghav raja ram’ with bhakti bhava. However, today the scenario is getting so fanatic, which is disturbing.
On its refection in the dance and theatre world
Not really. Not that I have seen. The dance fraternity is secular. Right now I am creating a performance on Bulleh Shah’s “Maati kudam karendee yaar” (The soil is in ferment, o friend).
On finding body language and acceptance
There was a lot of scepticism. Though Uday Shankar did creative work but he amalgamated most of the Indian dance forms. I brought in a new body language. Here everybody wanted to put you in a box. That this part has come from Kathak and this has come from Kathakali. The minds were very insular and closed. Usually critics, who praise me now, used to say this is not dance and if it is dance then it something foreign. Yes, I did go to the West to study to discover my body but I was not trying to imitate the West. When we study Indian classical dance the technique is very different compared to what you study overseas. For instance, except for Kathak and one position in Odissi you never stand straight. Kathak was something I was introduced to as a kid whereas I learnt Kathakali to strengthen my vocabulary of body movements after returning from the US.
Things were not different in the U.S. either. When, in search of new language of movement, I learnt the Martha Graham technique my body was already formed in one way. It was like when a westerner tries to learn Indian classical dance, despite dedication and hard work, it becomes difficult to delineate the bhava of bhakti and shringar. Similarly, I could not do a split. So I tried to take in whatever went with my body. There I was boxed all over again as I was told they would like to see an Indian classical from an Indian.
There was acceptance in metro cities but the real acceptance came when I was invited to perform at strong classical festivals like the Khajuraho and the Elephanta Festival.
On the socio-political context of contemporary dance
My present work with Manipuri drummers is political in nature. In the production “Rhythm Divine: River Runs Deep” I have brought out the unrest in Manipur. Despite all the turmoil and angst in their daily life they are still holding on to the tradition. I have interpreted some of Manto’s works and then there is Muktibodh’s “Lakdi Ka Ravan”, where I have presented today’s politician as Ravan.
On pushing boundaries
Classical dancers are still repeating Krishna-Radha episodes but there are some are using dance to explore the feminist debate. However, the experiments are coming at a slow pace. Recently I saw Shakespeare in Kathakali. For a layman it was just like Kathakali. There has to be a contrast. It didn’t do anything for me.
It depends on how much one wants to push the boundary but sometimes cultural police doesn’t permit us. I like to take the dance from the temples to other natural surroundings. I have performed on the wall of Mehrangarh Fort. Recently I performed in Maheshwar on the banks of the Narmada. The idea is not to use these spaces as the backdrop but to bring them into the performance. Some people say it is dangerous but I have no fear of heights. At Mehrangarh, the wall was 50 feet high and four feet wide. If I had been jumping around it would have been called a gimmick but I make the arches and other architecture part of the performance.
On choreography in films
Bollywood wants tamasha and dhamaka, something I don’t want to do. In Gaj Gamini there was a bit of tamasha because of music but my choreography was still distinctively subtle. I want to work with filmmakers who really need me and not those who replace choreographers according to the dates of stars. When Mani Ratnam worked with me on Raavan he waited for me. And if you remember it was not for a song but a stunt scene that he wanted me to choreograph. Similarly, Vishal Bhardwaj waited for me for Omkara.
On the changing profile of sponsors and audience
Eventually, you can’t say that you are doing it for yourself. This is sheer arrogance. As an artist you need an audience particularly if it is your livelihood. There are no raja-maharajas to patronize and there are very few corporates who are supporting classical arts consistently. The good thing is audience has become discerning and as for contemporary the feeling that bahar se aaya hai to achcha hi hoga is waning.
