Andhra Natyam documentary: A script for revival

The documentary on the dance form conceptualised by the Swaranartana team speaks of its glorious history and the need to revive it

Needed drive: The cover of the Andhra Natyam documentary DVD

In a bid to revive Andhra Natyam, the temple dance form that was named and widely propagated by eminent dance guru Nataraja Ramakrishna, the team of Swaranartana, a dance academy released a documentary capturing its evolution and transformation with the times. Featuring dancers Karnati Navatha, Denduluri Padma Mohan and Amrutha through the 24-minute effort, the documentary gracefully skims over the traditions that have helped nurture the form.

Capturing the very essence of art, specifically dance and music in a human’s life while taking multiple references to the Vedas, the work is cause for rejoice for both a layman and art lover. Highlighting the changing nomenclature of the form, from Dasi to Darbar to Kacheri dance and later Karnatakam, there’s adequate mention of how it was born out of the Natva Mela and thereby you’re given a good briefing about its different styles, Aradhana, Aasthana and Parijatha Nrityas. The last, (Parijathas) in its simplest form, is ideally suited for common dancers for performances, which is abundantly reflected in Andhra Natyam.

In Glen and Akhila’s commentary that introduces you to the intricacies of the form, there’s substantial information as to how various emotions go into a performance — from devotion to seduction to romance to anger — and the little details that need to taken to get an act right.

The dances and the voice-over in seamless balance, there’s substantial explanation of how devotion played a prominent role in the development of Aaradhana Nritya with Pushpanjali, Vinayaka Gadhya, Kaivaram, Sandhya Samayam and Kumbha Haarathi.

The pleasing nature of Javali and the bravery of the kings that were depicted through Salanjathi/Sabdam in the Aasthana Nritya were elaborated in detail later. Within a limited timeframe, as they explain Navajanardhana Parijatham as part of the Parijatha Nritya, the effort unveils several episodes of the tale surrounding the equation between Satyabhama and Krishna.

Beginning with

Bhamayani Piluthure , which narrates how other men (beyond Krishna) address Sathyabhama as Bhama, followed by the union of the couple with the

Ravayya Madana song, to the fights they have over petty issues and the anger with the

Gollavaniki Rajasame ,

Jadatho Kottaka Maananu compositions, it ends with

Dandam Okkati , where the lady sheds her arrogance and pleads with her man to return. Rama Jagannath and Sarada Reddy were terrific with their vocals in the backgrounds.

Not only restricting the content to the historical details, the outcome pays a wonderful tribute to the likes of Nataraja himself and the other exponents of the form including the likes of Annabattula Buli Venkata Ratnamma, Saride Manikyamma, Chinta Chinaganiraju. The work also throws light on the attempts of the Denduluri Foundation to train capable performers and the need for sustaining the tradition.

Shot near the Sri Ranganayaka Swamy Temple in Sri Rangapuram (near Wanaparthi) and other locales in Hyderabad (Kondamadugu-Ghatkesar, Grand Fort Resorts), the cinematographic detail is particularly spectacular in portraying the innate facets of the dance form.

Directed with supreme efficiency by Meer, the documentary has several aspects coming together in right measure, be it the background score of Anasuyamma and Rama Jagannath or the contributions of the artistes playing the violin , mridangam, flute and with the nattuvangam. An eye-opener for those eager to know about Andhra Natyam, it was launched recently by Union Minister Venkiah Naidu in the presence of film director K Raghavendra Rao, eminent dancers Kala Krishna and Nalini Mohan .