This artist performs Cleopatra in Kathakali

When Cleopatra performed Kathakali in California recently, she had audiences begging for more. No, not Cleopatra VII Philopator the last ruler of the Egyptian Ptolemaic Kingdom, but the heroine of Shakespeare's immortal work Antony and Cleopatra, essayed by well-known Kathakali exponent Prabal Gupta, who has married his love for the Bard's works with his art to create a body of work, which is at once niche and exceptional.

"I've always wanted to work on Shakespeare's Macbeth, even while pursuing my graduation in English honours from the University of Calcutta. But back then, my knowledge of Kathakali was insufficient to work on Western themes," the ICCR and Ministry of Culture empanelled Kathakali artiste says and cautions, "One can't push boundaries unless s/he is thoroughly aware of the tradition."

So he bidded his time immersed in training. "Only when I took up tutelage under maestro Sadanam Balakrishnanji in 2010 to undergo advanced studies in Kathakali for a considerable period did I ask for permission to work on Lady Macbeth, an adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth." Lady Macbeth had also travelled to the US for the Erasing Borders Festival but Gupta's next work – Cleopatra, would have to wait until 2015.

"Cleopatra was more challenging because of her complex character," says the Bengaluru-resident. "The Bard hasn't been as kind to Cleopatra as she comes across as avaricious and impulsive in his narrative," he says.

Gupta points out, "My work looks at Cleopatra as a sprawling love story, depicting her manipulation of Julius Caesar and Mark Antony in her ill-fated attempt to save the Egyptian empire, the misunderstandings between her and Mark Antony that ends tragically," and he links this background to the ancient Egyptian monarch to the patriarchy discomfort with her. "Perhaps it is such an assertive woman who owns not only the power she wields but also her sexuality is the reason why this Shakespearean work is often not the first choice in graduation and post-graduation syllabi in India."

Gupta sought the help of Sri Shankar Rajaramanji to write Sanskrit lyrics based on Shakespeare's work. "It took me about eight months of research with inputs from my guru Balakrishnanji and a month of choreography to finish the production." He admits though that the "spit and polish" routine comes into play before every performance. "I don't think creative work can be crystallised and made so rigid. There's always scope to improvise and find newer spaces and nuances."

He also hints at wanting to adapt Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream next. "So many great works have been staged that the bar is set quite high. My guru's attempts Othello and Hela (adapted from Helen of Troy) is widely acclaimed. Don Quixote has been attempted by Margi centre for kathakali in Trivandrum. Each of these makes one want set very high standards of oneself then choreographing."