On tramquil Margazhi evening, the city of Chennai was witness to a moment of rare artistic grace as 92-year-authority in dance forms legendary actress Vyjayanthimala Bali delivered a intensely evocative performance, all while seated in a chair! With her eyes, expressions and nuanced movements, the legendary actress spoke volumes through her Bhavaabhinaya recital — reaffirming that age and physical restraint can never diminish true artistry
‘Age’ is merely a number
Vocalist Girijashankar Sundaresan, who has been performing with the legend for nearly 11 years, provided musical support for the performance held at Bharat Kalachar, and shares his experience working with the legend.
Girijashankar shared that Vyjayanthimala is a perfectionist. Adding compared to their earlier projects, there is a major difference now due to her age; she is seated on a chair while performing, but the impact remains just as powerful. To work with her is truly a blessing.
The musician shares that the veteran’s way of rehearsing is very different. “She never fixes the number of times a line has to be sung. Everything is very extempore for her. Her list included an invocation on Andal, Eppadi Manam (Ramanataka kriti), Dasiganunta (Padhyam), Yaar Poi Solluvar (Padam) followed by Parulanna Mata (Javali) and concluded with a mangalam . We had just one rehearsal with the entire orchestra; in fact, I met her only twice for this performance,” he states.
As for the lessons he learnt from her, there are quite a few, says the singer. “She has given me countless tips over the years — especially on how to sing for a dance performance without referring to notes and how to memorise compositions so that you can maintain complete eye contact with the dancer while performing,” he states, adding, “She has taught me several rare compositions that are predominantly sung for dance. She is also a mentor to me; In many ways, she has truly taken on the role of a guru in my life. I make it a point to visit her on Vijayadashami and seek her blessings.”
News Edit KV Raman