Pune: Six kathak dancers from Canada, India, Dubai, Australia, the US and the Netherlands have come together to present ‘ Aneka: Identities Dancing Within ’, a riveting production that delves into the complex world of dissociative identity disorder (DID). Set in the opulent Mughal era , the show follows the story of a courtesan grappling with this rare mental health condition , where multiple distinct personalities coexist within a single individual. Weaving together the intricate movements of kathak with the profound themes of conflicting personalities, self-doubt, patriarchy, and the need for social support and understanding, Aneka shines a spotlight on the often-misunderstood mental health disorder.
“All of us learnt kathak under the same guru, Pali Chandra, in Dubai as children. Then we moved to different cities across the world to pursue higher studies. The concept for this show was born during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The film Black Swan is a source of inspiration for the dance-drama as it dealt with a similar mental health disorder,” said dancer Janhavi Thorat, who is currently pursuing a master’s degree in business psychology in Dubai. The production’s authenticity is further bolstered by the involvement of psychiatry professionals from the Dubai London Hospital and Open Minds Clinic, who have lent their expertise to ensuring an accurate portrayal of the condition. Swarashri Shridhar, who has danced in productions themed on Parkinson’s disease, schizophren.