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, schizophrenia, and anxiety, said, “I have choreographed all the dance sequences, arranged the soundscape for the music and developed a lighting script to enhance the experience of the audience.
It has been a humbling journey to study the Mughal courtesans, understand their contribution to the artform in depth and as an ode to them, create choreographies inspired by them with fast and intricate footwork, and a lot of spins. The music is inspired by great poets such as Kaifi Azmi and Parveen Shakir.” After captivating audiences across the globe, the show is making its way to India, where it will grace the stages of Pune’s MES Auditorium on August 17 and Mumbai’s NCPA on August 20.
Dancers Revati Mirchandani from the Netherlands and Avani Samyani from Canada said that they are excited as well as nervous because they know how critical Indian audiences can be. Aditi Achwal, a dancer based in Mumbai, said, “While performing for crowds in Dubai has been very fulfilling, I am especially looking forward to the Indian audience and their response to our unique concept. Also, as a student-led production, India is an uncharted territory waiting to be explored.
”.
