Umbilical Chords

Three striking women, linked by umbilical ghungroos. One8217;s the grande dame of classical dance, birthing a school and a legacy. Another ...

Three striking women, linked by umbilical ghungroos. One8217;s the grande dame of classical dance, birthing a school and a legacy. Another merges creativity and activism. And the third8217;s on the threshold of self-discovery, lineage resting lightly on her shoulders. When three generations of the Sarabhais8212;Mrinalini, Mallika and Anahita8212;enact their life experiences, it8217;s not surprising that Two Lives In Dance And One More is an instant hit.

Backstage before a recent Mumbai performance, pulling Sarabhai8217;s pallu, Mallika laughs, 8220;As a child, I was called Amma8217;s bachdu, following her everywhere.8221; And while daughter Anahita8217;s never far from Mallika8217;s call, the 13-year-old is no lamb! 8220;I8217;m not nervous, I like being on stage,8221; she declares, 8220;But it8217;s quite intense, speaking about yourself. I haven8217;t lived much of a life yet.8221;

The idea germinated when Sarabhai was awarded by the Sangeet Natak Akademi. 8220;I wanted to do something different,8221; she says of the autobiographical dance-drama. Mallika was intrigued enough to weave in the next two generations. And earlier this month, it premiered in Pune. 8220;Dance and our lives have no divides, especially as we live at Darpana,8221; she explains. As she adjusts her mother8217;s sari, her daughter8212;8216;in costume8217; with jeans, T-shirt and cap8212;tosses around her football. 8220;Sometimes I want a break, but don8217;t tell them,8221; mock-whispers this Brazilian soccer fan.

The performance is kept simple, with informal dialogues, dance and song. Each steps forward, to mingle professional progress with personal struggle, humour with poignancy, emotions with activism. Sarabhai, coping with her husband8217;s loss, Mallika8217;s interpretation of Draupadi, or Anahita8217;s debate between dance and football8212;each stands apart. 8220;The fluidity allows exchanges. Amma, especially, goes on her own tangents,8221; smiles Mallika, as Sarabhai hides her face, protesting: 8220;It8217;s creativity! Besides, the musicians get me back on track.8221;

As for dance, while Sarabhai8217;s abhinaya is stirring, it8217;s Mallika who rivets with her grace and vibrancy. And if she8217;s been forbidden from addressing the immigration controversy, on stage she8217;s uncurbed: 8220;What I8217;m surrounded by lies in fabrication, to make me shut up. But I won8217;t. My anguish comes out in my work,8221; she declares, adding, 8220;I8217;m at my creative best when they try to strangle my voice.8221;

So it8217;s obvious Mallika8217;s the boss. 8220;She encourages questions, but Amma8217;s Sarabhai easier to convince,8221; grins Anahita, who8217;s accustomed to sharing her family8212;and her personal lullaby8212;with the world. 8220;People who8217;ve never met me, know 8216;Anahita8217;. But we do get time alone: for movies, dinner-table discussions, laughing till the tears flow,8221; reveals the youngster, who8217;s even got Mallika to play soccer.

And they8217;re determined to rekindle the 8220;fun experience8221;. Darpana8217;s annual Vikram Sarabhai festival in Ahmedabad will see the next performance on December 27. And once Mallika8217;s son, Revanta, returns from his multimedia course in Philadelphia, he8217;ll be a part of this too.

Story continues below this ad

Post-performance, the green-room is relaxed. As Mallika offers groundnuts, Anahita dances around with gum-strips, leaping onto her mother8217;s back for a hug. And the indulgent grandma cries out, 8220;That8217;s a lovely move. Let8217;s put it in the next show.8221; For the Sarabhais, dance and their lives have no divides.