Voice of Rhythm with Sandip Soparrkar Bringing the Ramayan Alive Through Kathak

Directed and written by senior artist Rajesh Mishra, with dialogues by him and choreography and music arrangement by Jayanti Mala Mishra, the production featured nearly 40 artistes. The cast included Arun Mandola as Ram, Sangeeta Tiwari as Sita, Ajay Mahendra as Lakshman, Nirbhay Wadhwa as Hanuman and Rajesh Mishra as Ravan. Jayanti Mala Mishra also appeared in memorable roles as a court dancer in Ravan’s court and as a celestial Apsara.

The production incorporated several important episodes of the Ramayana, including Bal Kand, Sita Swayamvar, Tadka Vadh, Kewat-Bharat Milap, Jatayu Moksha, Shabri’s Navadha Bhakti, Bali-Sugreev, Shoorpanakha, Hanuman’s meeting with Ram, Bali Vadh, the construction of Ram Setu, Lanka Dahan and Ravan Vadh. Excerpts from the interview:

What inspired you to be part of Ramayan Nritya Natika?

The Ramayana is not merely a story; it is a living tradition that has continued to inspire generations. Its characters, emotions and values remain relevant even today. When the idea of presenting the Ramayana through a combination of dance, music and dialogues came before us, I felt that Kathak could play a very important role in communicating this timeless story.

Our objective was not simply to narrate familiar episodes but to create an experience in which the audience could emotionally connect with the characters and situations. Dance gives us the language of movement, music creates the atmosphere and theatre gives the narrative a dramatic dimension. Bringing these three elements together made the production particularly meaningful.

You were responsible for the choreography as well as the music arrangement. What was your approach?

The biggest challenge was to bring such a vast epic onto the stage within a limited duration. The Ramayana contains countless episodes, so we had to select moments that would move the story forward while retaining its emotional and spiritual essence.

For me, choreography always begins with understanding the character and the emotion behind a particular situation. Kathak has tremendous potential for storytelling through abhinaya, rhythm, movement and expression. We therefore used different aspects of the form according to the requirement of each scene.

The music arrangement was equally important. Music had to support the dramatic progression of the story. Certain moments required grandeur, while others needed sensitivity and devotional depth. The intention was to ensure that dance and music remained organically connected to the narrative.

The production included episodes such as Shabri’s Navadha Bhakti, Jatayu Moksha, Bali-Sugreev and Lanka Dahan. How did you approach such diverse emotional situations?

That is where the strength of Indian classical dance becomes evident. The same production can move from devotion to pathos, from humour and romance to veer rasa and finally to the triumph of dharma.

Shabri’s devotion, for instance, is deeply emotional and requires a different treatment from the energy of Lanka Dahan. Similarly, the relationship between Bali and Sugreev involves conflict, while Hanuman’s meeting with Ram carries devotion and surrender. Each episode demands a different emotional vocabulary.

A choreographer must understand these nuances and allow the movement, expression, rhythm and music to serve the rasa rather than overpower it.

You also performed as a court dancer in Ravan’s court and as an Apsara. What was special about these appearances?

As a choreographer, I am generally concentrating on the larger production, the performers and the overall flow. But performing on stage myself is always a different experience. The court-dancer sequence gave me an opportunity to explore grace and sophistication, while the Apsara demanded a certain celestial quality.

Even when a character appears for a short duration, it should contribute to the atmosphere of the story. I enjoyed bringing these shades into the production.

What does Kathak offer to a production based on the Ramayana?

Kathak has a very rich storytelling tradition. The word katha itself reminds us of the form’s connection with storytelling. Through abhinaya, tatkar, chakkars, hastaks and rhythmic compositions, a Kathak dancer can communicate both narrative and emotion.

The Ramayana is particularly suited to Kathak because it has such a vast emotional canvas. We can portray the innocence of childhood, the beauty of Sita Swayamvar, the pain of exile, devotion, courage, conflict and ultimately the victory of righteousness.

How do you see Kathak today?

Kathak today has a wonderful opportunity to reach new audiences. Young dancers are experimenting, collaborating and finding new ways of presenting the form. That is encouraging. At the same time, experimentation should never mean losing the grammar and discipline of Kathak.

Our classical traditions have survived because every generation has learnt them deeply and then found its own voice. I believe the same principle applies today. A dancer must know the technique, rhythm, repertoire, aesthetics and history of Kathak before attempting to reinterpret it.

Kathak should be able to speak to today's audience without compromising its identity. We can use contemporary stagecraft, technology and new themes, but the soul of the dance must remain intact.

What do you hope audiences take away from Ramayan Nritya Natika?

I hope they experience the Ramayana not merely as a familiar story but as an emotional and cultural journey. The values of compassion, devotion, sacrifice, courage and dharma are universal.

When the audience applauded at the end of the performance, it was deeply gratifying for all of us. Nearly 40 artistes had worked together to bring this production to life. For me, the greatest reward was seeing the audience emotionally connect with the story.

As artistes, our responsibility is to preserve our traditions while presenting them in a manner that remains meaningful for contemporary audiences. Ramayan Nritya Natika was one such humble effort—to let dance, music and theatre come together and allow the timeless story of Ram to speak once again from the stage.