Odissi goes Bollywood

The super-hit song ‘Kajra Re’ (‘Bunty Aur Babli’ ) may have been remixed by several DJs, but its newest avatar outdoes all those endeavours.

Odissi dancers of the Smitalay Institute will present this item number, among others, based on Odissi choreography in a show called ‘Bollywood Hungama – Odissi Ishtyle’. Though the show premiered during the Celebrate Bandra Festival in November 2005, April 15’s show at Rangsharda Auditorium has additions like ‘Rang De Basanti’.

The repertoire includes song from genres as varied as the jazz-tinged cabaret ‘Kaisi Paheli Zindagani’ from ‘Parineeta’ to Kishore Kumar’s classic ‘Yeh Jo Mohabbat Hai’ and the techno beats of the title track from ‘Gupt’. Says Jhelum Paranjape, director of Smitalay and choreographer of the show, “While the basis of every item is Odissi, I wanted to touch upon as many different music directors as possible.

Odissi involves quick foot movements, but the body remains graceful. Controlling one’s body is a great challenge because each genre of music evokes a specific movement, as you try to set the body to Odissi.”

The costumes range from short sarees to skirts. “The first half of the show has songs from the 40s to the 70s and the dance and costumes are purely Odissi. In ‘Kaisi Paheli…’ we switch to skirts. If Odissi is just the basis for a dance, there need not be reverence for the costume,” says Paranjape.

She is not disheartened by critics of fusion. “Whenever one tries something that hasn’t been done before, it is seen as blasphemous. So the purists are upset, though most people have loved the show,” adds Paranjape.

A student of Odissi maestro Kelucharan Mohapatra, Paranjape believes that fusion doesn’t mean the end of classical forms.