With his Hollister t-shirt, American accent and broken Tamil, you may think Bhavajan is the quintessential NRI teenager of Indian origin.
To all his friends in Canada, Bhavajan seems like just another ‘curry boy' who plays soccer with them. But what they didn't know was that he is also a Bharatanatyam dancer!
Passionate pursuit
Passionate and friendly Bhavajan Kumar, an aspiring Bharatanatyam dancer, took a year off a Canadian university to come to Chennai to further pursue his career in dance. “Initially, I thought I could finish my education in college and then come to Chennai but I just couldn't wait!” he say.
When Bhavajan was five years old, he used to like dancing to Carnatic-based film songs. His grandmother spotted his flair for dancing and felt that he should start dance classes.
Bhavajan's parents knew of his liking for dance and used his dance classes as bait for everything; little did they know of his serious passion. In Canada, the audience that came to watch Bhavajan's dance were unaware of the dance form and came to watch the recital to appreciate the clothes and jewellery.
Bhavajan felt that he needed to challenge his capacity to perform. He decided to come to India and aspired to put his talent to a true test as he hoped to perform for a critical and culturally aware audience. “I wanted to come to India and see where I actually stood in terms of my skills among my Indian contemporaries,” he says.
Bhavajan's decision to come to India was a big step towards adulthood and what may become of his future. His parents weren't very happy with his decision as they would prefer Bhavajan working in conventional and secure professions. “I couldn't take ‘no' for an answer. So I worked part-time to fund my plane ticket to Chennai,” he laughs.
At home
He is a professional freelance dancer, performing with dancers like Ambika Buch and Padma Subramanyam. These earnings are used to pay for his dance classes with renowned dancer Shijith Nambiar, culminating in Bhavajan's first solo performance. Being a part of a dance troupe was an enriching experience for Bhavajan as he faced the challenge of being in sync with other dancers. Bhavajan along with the other dancers learned how to adapt to other styles in bharatanatyam and incorporate the best out of each distinct style. After learning of his determination, talent and evolving maturity, his parents decided to support him in his endeavour.
“Besides dancing, I enjoyed attending concerts during the December season,” says Bhavajan. After befriending dancers, musicians and almost everyone he has met, Bhavajan feels more at home in Chennai than in Canada.
. He uses adjectives like “awesome akka” to translate into words — his dazzled gaze for the performances of senior dancers. His trip to India has been a culmination of self-discovery and cultural exposure. He runs away from McDonald's, and veers towards Murugan Idli Shop. He gets bored when he watches Bollywood dancing but his heart beats faster when he watches bharatanatyam. He hates parties but the paatti's (grandmothers) love him. He hates the snow but loves the sea. He turns a deaf ear to T-pain but is all ears for T.M. Krishna. He used to say ‘Tamil' (anglicised) now he says ‘Thamizh'. He doesn't ‘sigh' he says ‘shabha'. He looks away from the skirts but appreciates the sarees. He doesn't eat tacos, but he hogs thayir sadam (curd rice). He is content with a poster of Toronto in his bedroom in T.Nagar.
Let's face it; the boy is in love with the city! The question Bhavajan is asking, is whether this is just love for the city? Or is this his destiny?
Bhavajan' solo show
When: Jan 21
@ Vani Mahal
Time: 4:00 p.m.
All are welcome.
Saraswathi is a Std XI student at MCTM International School.
