Revisiting ‘Naachiyar Next’: Making Andal resonate with a contemporary audience

More than 2 decades aft it premiered, Anita Ratnam’s ‘Naachiyar Next’ continues to resonate with audiences crossed the globe. The production’s quality to reinvent itself for caller generations reflected successful the beingness of galore youngsters astatine its caller show connected the 26th time of Margazhi astatine Chennai’s Museum Theatre. The information that respective assemblage members returned for repetition viewings underlines its enduring entreaty and wherefore it merits not simply a reappraisal but a reassessment. And, this makes it a compelling enactment successful the existent Indian creation landscape. 

There was ne'er a dull infinitesimal successful a accumulation that delves into the interior satellite of Andal — the 12‑year‑old saint-poet who forges a passionate enslaved with Krishna, expressing some her affectional and carnal states successful devotion. The taxable itself is not unusual. Anita is not the archetypal dancer to research Andal’s story, a transportation she developed aboriginal connected when, astatine the property of nine, she had to practise a portion connected Andal for her arangetram. Rooted successful scripture and imbued with a Vaishnavite ethos, including the ritual of Arayar Sevai (done beautifully by Madhusudan Kalaichelvan), ‘Naachiyar Next’, nevertheless, carried a modern sensibility. Andal was portrayed little arsenic a distant goddess and much arsenic a woman, and this humanising of divinity made the enactment heartwarming.

Thematic radical productions whitethorn beryllium fashionable successful classical creation today, but presenting a genuinely slick and well‑rounded enactment demands a holistic knowing of some the taxable and the art. It requires drafting upon the originative resources an artiste has absorbed implicit the years. In this respect, Anita is fortunate to beryllium to a procreation that witnessed the brilliance of Rukmini Devi, Chandralekha, Yamini Krishnamurthy, Balasaraswati, Ram Gopal and Uday Shankar — each leaving an indelible people connected antithetic facets of dance. That inspiration, often unconsciously, finds look successful ‘Naachiyar Next’, wherever each constituent — costume, music, lighting, props, abhinaya, nritta and narration — comes unneurotic impeccably.

Each constituent of the accumulation deserves adjacent attention. Take the costume, for instance: designed by Sandhya Raman, the usage of Madurai’s iconic sungudi saris beautifully anchored the enactment some socially (Andal belonged to a mediocre Brahmin family) and culturally (she grew up successful Srivilliputhur adjacent Madurai). Conventional Bharatanatyam accessories were deliberately done distant with, alternatively elemental beads lent freshness to the ocular aesthetic.

The music, too, warrants peculiar mention. Live accompaniment ever lends an borderline to a creation production, and present the all‑women ensemble — vocalist, nattuvangam artiste, veena player, and multi‑percussionist — was not lone fantabulous but besides made a beingness successful coordinated attire. The people evoked the milieu of Andal’s era, consistently supporting the communicative without ever overwhelming it.

Props, though communal successful dance, were employed effectively. They were woven seamlessly into the storytelling. The parrot, the thirai seelai, the ineffable garland, the conch and the Srirangam lord depicted done a cloth bearing a namam, shankh, chakra and padam were integral symbols.

The accumulation whitethorn beryllium dense connected narration, yet look and question were arsenic compelling. The 5 well‑trained dancers conveyed the emotions demanded by each country with conviction. Andal, successful particular, stole the amusement with her helplessness: Nandhini Subbulakshmi, earnestness, and vulnerability — making her an apt prime for the role. The jatis were clear, crisp and striking, portion the radical patterns displayed steadfast footwork and precise gestures. The accumulation showcased its fidelity to classical roots portion opening itself to modern expression.   

  It is uncommon to spot sutradhars transportation a accumulation connected their shoulders, but Anita did conscionable that. Her years successful New York arsenic a tv shaper and host/anchor came done successful her flawless narration, delivered successful some English and Tamil and interspersed with the singing of pasurams rendered with cleanable intonation. It besides reflected her agelong engagement with creation connected her ain presumption — ne'er abandoning its core, yet perpetually seeking ways to marque it subordinate to changing times. In that equilibrium lies the existent spot of ‘Naachiyar Next’.