It is an organisational wonder, and a fabulous platform for young artistic talent. But how is the festival faring now, over five decades after it took its baby steps, with 400 students and 18 events, its participation growing to 12,000 now?
Actor Vineeth, one of the brightest stars the Festival produced, Mohiniyattam dancer Neena Prasad, a former winner at the Festival, composer Vidyadharan, who has been a judge at the Festival for close to two decades, and Anupama Mohan, an Andhra-born, Kerala-settled practitioner of Kuchipudi whose students compete at the Festival, open up.
VINEETH
There maybe a few things wrong with the Festival these days, but they are far outweighed by the rights. This is the best platform a young boy or girl who wants to be an artist can get. It makes you more confident, but it also shows where you stand, how good or bad you are compared to others of your age.
Learning a 10-minute Bharatanatyam item for a year may not make you a great dancer, but it could help you get great exposure; it also makes you interested in dance. However, you have to learn dance systematically from a guru, even if only to prepare for the school festivals, like I did.
I am shocked to hear about the unhealthy practices that you hear are going on at the Festival, such as bribing the judges. The judges and the teachers who bribe them should be banned from the Festival. We have to keep the sanctity of this great event intact.
NEENA PRASAD
I watched Mohiniyattam at this year’s festival. Compared to the last few years, I saw some improvement. There is no question that we have a lot of talent in classical dances, but many are not taught properly.
And I cannot understand why there is such a mad rush to choreograph so many new items in Bharatanatyam, when we have so many great traditional pieces. When you do a traditional piece, there is a limit to which you could stoop to. It is sad to see the teachers imposing their uninspiring pieces of choreography on talented students.
VIDYADHARAN
Over the years I have seen some amazing performances in light music. I have seen my own compositions, such as Alakananda theeram..., being rendered immaculately by young girls; they did full justice to the song originally sung by Chithra.
I have stopped being a judge because I cannot accept the current practice of officials, rather than the judges, doing the tabulation. There should be a consensus among the judges; that would help you find the deserving winners and reduce chances of corruption.
ANUPAMA MOHAN
The Festival is a great service the government is doing for the children and the arts. But for the Festival, I don’t think Kuchipudi, which originated in my home state Andhra, would have become so popular in Kerala.
I remember several senior dance teachers from Kerala coming to Chennai to learn Kuchipudi, while I was a student of the Vempatti Chinna Sathyam. Little did I know that they were probably doing that to teach their students Kuchipudi for the Festival.
The standard of Kuchipudi has improved greatly at the Festival; it was almost like Bharatanátyam being done on a plate, earlier. But, they have to get rid of the corrupt judges, at the sub-district and district levels.
