I want to save our generation from item dances: Aavartan Director Durba Sahay

Panaji, January 22, 2021

Renuka, a disciple of Kathak maestro Bhawna Saraswati, begins to add a new dimension to the dance form she inherited from her. This puts Bhawna in a state of insecurity and identity crisis. Not knowing how to deal with her emotional self, she starts dejecting Renuka, making it painful for Renuka.

Renowned Kathak Dancer Padma Shri Shovana Narayan has played the role of Bhawna Saraswati in the film Aavartan, which has been selected at the 51^st International Film Festival of India, under Indian Panorma Feature Film section. “For me dance is my Atma, my soul and my life; I am very happy to be part of Aavartan. The film throws light on the eternal cycle of dilemmas between a guru and a disciple. It also throws light on the fact that this country has a Parampara which is more than 2,500 years old.” She was addressing a press conference along with the film’s Director Durba Sahay, in Panaji, Goa today, January 22, 2021.

The film ‘Aavartan’ features the cycle of Guru-Shishya Parampara – the relationship between a teacher and a disciple, a celebrated aspect in all classical art forms of India. The film covers four generations and shows how the journey of teacher-disciple begins, evolves, ends and how a new cycle begins again.

Director Durba Sahay mentioned that the idea of the film evolved years before. “Anyone can be a guru – a singer, a painter, a dancer. But I chose dance because I have always been close to the art form Kathak. And hence I chose to narrate this aspect of Guru Shishya Parampara through the form of dance, which I love.”

How did the casting of the 117-minute film get decided? “As I began to write this script, Shovana Ji, whom I have known for many years, came to my mind. I narrated the story to her and she got ready to do it at once.”

Sahay added, that she was however skeptical about making the veteran dancer act. “Dancing and acting are not the same. Initially, I was apprehensive about making Shovana Ji act. However, once we started rehearsals, I realized that she is a great actor and that’s how Aavartan happened.”

When asked about taking dance form to every youngster and how successful the film is, the director said the motive behind the movie was also to catch the attention of the youngsters who are forgetting their roots. “I made this film so that our generation is stuck not just with item dances; I am afraid that our traditional dances may get wiped off if our youngsters don’t pay attention and preserve it.”

Padma Shri Shovana Narayan spoke about how India’s 2,500-year old traditions and art forms have withstood the pressures and pulls of every age. “Film is about human emotion which is universal. At different points of time, we create something putting our heart and soul, but how does an individual react when insecurity creeps in? The tussle between human emotions resonates in everyone in some way or the other.”

She went on to say that “The Tandav (vigorous dance that is the source of the cycle of creation) and the Lasya (dance that expresses happiness and is filled with grace and beauty) within us are asking us to create the inner balance within us. The inner balance could come within any one but we are always being exhorted to create the balance within ourself, to be in a balanced and peaceful frame of mind.”

Shri Shovana Narayan also mentioned that a classical dancer takes dance as a complete Yog, where one brings the spiritual, physical and mental balance within oneself.

About the Director

Durba Sahay made her directorial debut with a short film, ‘The Pen’. She produced ‘Patang’ which won a Silver Lotus in 1994. ‘Aavartan’ is her debut feature film as director.

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