‘Films need to take kathak out of brothels’

Kathak exponent Pandit Birju Maharaj, who was recently honoured by a performing arts institute, told The Hindu about Bollywood’s unfair treatment towards kathak and the need to take the art form out of brothels.

Having worked with several film-makers, Pandit Birju Maharaj has spoken earlier too this treatment of kathak by the Hindi film industry .

“Hindi cinema has committed a grave mistake by showing kathak as a dance form performed in brothels. It has made some people sitting in jackets and cap, while dancers wear crude and lewd dresses. They dance on songs with unwholesome words with the sole purpose of enticing the audience. Kathak

tawaifs ka naach nahi hai [Kathak is not the dance of brothels]. This depiction has adversely affected the dignity of the art form.”

The guru, who choreographed dances in films like

Vishwaroopam , Dedh Ishqiya , Devdas , Gadar: Ek Prem Katha and Shatranj Ke Khilari , adds: “The times and sensibilities in Bollywood are changing. The feeling of the dance getting its dignity back slowly with films like Ishqiya and Dedh Ishquiya makes me feel better. In Dedh Ishqiya , Madhuri Dixit, who is a dancer, recalls her young days as a dancer. It hasn’t shown the dance as one belonging to a brothel, but a dancer by passion. This is how slowly films should take kathak out of the brothel.”

To bring back the dignity, he says, the government should make some efforts too.

He feels the government does its bit, but not sufficient to promote the art form. “Gurus were patronised earlier, which enabled them to arrange for food, clothing and stay of their disciples in their huge homes or

ashrams . My home is so small that I cannot ask my students to stay back, look after them and teach them too. The government should think about promoting performing arts the way it used to be in the good old days. Else, we may have very few true artistes left and mediocrity shall prevail.”

The exponent also talked about how this also the guru-shishya parampara.

“Earlier, disciples would stay with their gurus till they finished the course. The disciples would clean his room, eat with him, and wear clothes that guru will give them. Today’s students live in different times. They have to finish their school/ college first, go for tuitions, earn a little for the family and then come to the guru! By the time they reach me, they are tired, and therefore the results are what they could have been if they had dedicated all their time in learning the art. It doesn’t anger me. It worries me that if they don’t earn for the families or attend school/ colleges, their families will collapse. Some disciples have to work to pay the room rent, while others have to do it to keep their parents’ hopes alive that one day they will earn better because of their education and added fees, and so on,” he said.