When the Kannada big-budget film Kurukshetra continues to set the cash registers ringing, a Broadway-like musical on the same subject will be staged by one of the oldest theatre families of Bengaluru. Just like the film, 18 days, a mega dance production by Prabhat Arts International (PAI) is also grand in its size and scale. “About 60 trained classical dancers, theatre artists and practitioners of martial arts are performing for this show and 20 technicians are carrying out the backstage work,” informs Raghavendra J. Prabhat, Director, PAI.
Prabhat family has been catering to the needs of the changing times by incorporating elements and tastes of the contemporary world since decades. Yet again PAI has employed the state-of-the-art technology for depicting the Kurukshetra war. “As technology is the mantra of today, everything needs to be conveyed through it. So we thought of passing on our cultural and spiritual values through a technologically advanced production,” says the director, who has incorporated holograms, levitation and aerial techniques in his production.
Raghavendra feels: “These techniques also help in creating mega structures, natural surroundings and war fields on stage easily and effectively.”
18 days comes as a new interpretation of Mahabharatha, according to Raghavendra, as the script is written after an in-depth study of the original text. “Through this dance production we attempt to solve puzzles that confuse every reader of Mahabharatha,” he adds.
“There are still some not-so-known stories in Mahabharatha that raise our eye brows! One of the shlokas mentions that the descendants of Rama supported the army of Kauravas while Krishna, an avatar of Rama was on the other side. Why did that happen? Such curious aspects are explored in this production,” he explains.
Music from all over the world has been skilfully incorporated for this production and “it almost took 18 days for recording the same,” he mentions. “The global outlook helps us reach audience all over the globe,” feels the director who is planning to take the production to many other countries.
The show presents lord Krishna’s analysis of the great war. Puranas, for Raghavendra, do not just belong to the past, but are relevant for all times to come. This production, for instance, regards Krishna as stri pakshapati (supporter of women) as he always punished those who brought tears in the eyes women. “Thus eternal answers could be found from epics only if they are interpreted in a proper way,” he says.
