Indian actor and dancer Shobhana on dancing with the universe

Khaleej Times

16-06-2025

We are at the Sarvakalasala Art Studio at Silicon Oasis in a class conducted by one of India's biggest classical dancers and actors, Shobana Chandrakumar, whose academy is called Kalarpana Research Institution. Chandrakumar has acted in stellar films across India, including the recent super hit Mohan Lal starrer Thudarum, was conferred India's third-biggest honour, the Padma Bhushan, this year. The eminent artiste who is currently shooting for the epic film Ramayana playing Kaikesi, comes to Dubai regularly to conduct these classes herself.
Unfazed by the fuss and adulation, Shobana confesses, 'I'm still in a state of shock and when people ask me when am I celebrating, I tell them, let me recover.' Her gurus, though, are extremely proud. 'They were ecstatic and I sincerely believe that I shine this way because they've been so giving to me.'
In class, as a teacher, she describes Bharatanatyam as molten chocolate falling on a steel rod. ' There is a general impression that Bharatanatyam is tough to perform. That it is staccato and looks forced. But, the angular dance form it is, has plenty of room for flow. Rods are angular but it depends on what you pour into it — electricity or molten chocolate."
Shobana succinctly explains how the dance form has risen like the phoenix over generations and timelines. 'Bharatanatyam originated from male dancers who taught the Devadasis (temple dancers) who preserved the dance form and taught the teachers of today. Both my gurus learnt from Devadasis,' she adds.
But learning a dance form is more than just the dance, it is a great lesson in aesthetics and wisdom. 'The legendary Chitra Akka (Chitra Visveswaran) and Padu ka (Padma Subrahmanyam) have bestowed upon me their life experiences and wisdom and I feel compelled to pass it on,' adding, 'Only now have I have mustered courage to ask my gurus about their gurus and they have been most generous in sharing that knowledge.'
Ask her what separates a good artiste from a great artiste? 'If you don't have humility, then you are unintelligent. Humility should be so ingrained within you that you shouldn't even know that you are humble.'
But then, how does humility protect her from the deviousness of the world? ' Of course I have an ego and that arises especially when people take your naïveté for granted. That is when your ego sorts them out - it draws a strict boundary,' she adds.
So, does she see her qualities reflect in her students. 'Yes I do. They don't preen with praise. That is my quality,' she laughs.
How does she infuse disciple, spirit and devotion in her students? ' I don't inculcate discipline and devotion. Students either have it or don't depending on their upbringing. Yes, inculcating the spirit of performance is a teacher's job. Explaining the nuances of music is my job — telling them to bubble up, smile and pour out their emotion in their dance, telling them how would they like to be seen onstage.'
So, does learning a dance form, make you sensitive to other forms of art? 'Not necessarily because art is largely interpretative. I don't get impressed by speed, acrobatics or drama. For me it is very academic. I can't enjoy a performance unless it is very different. The same extends to all art forms. Artists have that magic of going beyond grammar. Only then you be a complete artist.'
Ask her what were her most trying times as a student? ' When I had to rehearse my classical dance steps while at a film shoot. Those days, we were given accommodation in small lodges. So I would wake up by 4 am, go to the terrace and practice. I remember actor Satyaraj complaining since my dancing woke the entire unit up.'
Shobana's recent film Thudarum where she was paired opposite Malayalam superstar Mohanlal has been a super hit and is a fond recall of Malayalam cinemas two biggest names coming together. 'Lal is fascinated by the world of art and here is how our conversation goes when we start talking of Natyashastra.
Me: Natyashastra is tough because there are certain things that we don't do anymore.
Lal: Why do you say so?
Me: In Satvika abhinaya, there are instances when the face goes white, loses colour and you get goose bumps. It's a state of the dance.
Lal: Close your eyes.
Lal: Now open them!
Lal shakes his hands and displays his goose bumps and says 'That's it right!'
Me: There's Something about Mary. There's something about Lal. (Laughs)
Shobana is currently pursuing her doctorate on Natyashastra from Tamil University. 'It is not an honorary doctorate, I'm working on it for the past 10 years,' she adds.
A seeker forever.