Savitha Sastry also known as the “Dancing Storyteller” is launching her first production of 2024 called Soul Cages.
The production is written and directed by A.K. Srikanth and apart from Savitha Sastry, the film features noted actor Rupesh Tillu. The noted dancer discusses her productions and the next generation of dancers.
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Tell us about the concept of Soul Cages and how is it different from the previous one?
Soul Cages the stage production that released in 2012 was about the equilibrium between life and death. I think the current production is more on the concept of ‘letting go’. The central theme of the film revolves around life and death – and the importance of the two as a cycle rather than an end. The two productions are different stories, but follow this common theme.
The original was a stage production, and I played all the characters in it – it was what we billed as a Solo Bharatanatyam Dance Theatre project. Over here, I play one of the characters – albeit the central one. I also think since this one was made for screen, it’s less abstract, and much racier than the original was. However, different as the stories may be, they are connected by an umbilical, as the writer and director AK Srikanth likes to put it!
How many productions do you usually aim to produce in a year? and what is the timeline from inception to shoot and then post production?
We don’t work with a target of the number of productions – it completely depends on what Srikanth (the Director and writer) comes up with as a script, and if it interests us both. We’ve been doing short films since 2018, and this is our 12th short – so we’ve been averaging about 2 a year.
In terms of timelines, from the time Srikanth completes a script to when its ready to screen – it takes 4 or 5 months on an average. ‘Slow Rivers’ – our earlier production took over 6 months to complete, while our production ‘Ghost of the Lighthouse’ was completed in about a month. ‘Soul Cages’ the film took almost 5 years for Srikanth to write in its current form, before it was ready to shoot!
Do you see any change in the younger dancers today towards their act? Also do you see that the millennials and GenZ are interested in watching a classical dance in an auditorium?
With the increasing options for entertainment available, the younger generation is certainly spoilt for choice. The few times I do go to the auditoriums to watch a live classical performance, I see it populated mostly by older members. Classical art is an acquired passion – it does not have the 2 minute noodles appeal. With social media ruling the roost, instant gratification seems to be the need of the hour for the younger generation – even if it means putting up a classical dance reel. However, I think (and certainly hope) that more and more performing dancers give them a reason to get interested in Classical – the onus is on us, the performers.
How can we inspire more kids and youngsters to take up classical dance forms?
First and foremost, we will have to show them what classical dance is capable of – and I believe it is capable of showcasing any story, not just those based in religion or mythology. The innate grace of the classical art form will easily win their hearts, as long as they realize what the art is capable of invoking amongst afficionados.
Fitness forms the key to a dancer's life, how do you try to promote that to the younger audience.
If a young dancer plans to have a sustained career in classical dance, then fitness is paramount. There are way too many examples of young dancers whose ambitions are thwarted because of injuries. Amongst the students of dance that I counsel, I think fitness would form almost half of their training regime itself. This could include strength training, endurance training and a very balanced diet. To me, fitness for the dancer is not dissimilar to the fitness regime for an athlete or a sportsperson.
Which are the productions in the pipeline for 2024?
At the moment, it is Soul Cages that’s occupying our entire mind space! However, Srikanth has been toying with a concept of an ‘unreliable narrator’ – we will have to wait and see how it pans out! We are also looking at a series on abstract dance forms in India – and we hope to start our work on that later this year.
Soul Cages will be released on April 6, 2024 on Savitha Sastry’s YouTube.
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