Adithya PV, one of the visionaries behind Bengaluru’s popular Punyah Dance Company, is widely admired for his refined artistry and thoughtful approach of weaving in contemporary sensibilities to Indian classical dance. The artistic director of the Upadhye School of Dance boasts a diploma in bharatanatyam from IKSV, Chhattisgarh and is also a graded artiste of Doordarshan. His work has taken him across the world, where he has presented his solo repertoire and collaborated with several leading dancers from India and abroad to present nuanced storytelling in the performing arts.
Today, as we look forward to seeing how Bengaluru’s bharatnatyam scene will flourish in the coming year, we couldn’t think of an artiste more apt to be part of this special anniversary edition. “I moved to Bengaluru from Kerala for my undergraduate studies at Christ University for a degree in biotechnology. Like many traditional parents, mine fully expected I would become a doctor, not a dancer. After g raduation, however, I left everything behind and committed to dance full-time. Bengaluru has been incredibly welcoming to both me and my art,” Adithya recalls.
When he first began working with Punyah Dance Company, the team focused on mythological stories, but even then, they were offering small twists that conveyed something more personal. Overtime, their work became strongly women-centric and centred on themes close to the team: abuse, power and the dynamics within the dance fraternity itself (Maya).
“Bengaluru allows us to create such productions like Maya. Even in traditional varnams, we often introduced subtle narrative twists. For example, the story of Krishna stealing the clothes of the gopikas. We’ve always found that somewhat problematic, so we reimagined it more lightly: in our sanchari, the gopikas turn the tables and steal Krishna’s clothes instead. No one can say it could never have happened; it’s simply our interpretation. Unlike in Chennai or smaller towns, where audiences are often either traditional purists or students accustomed to specific norms, Bengaluru offers a broader, more open canvas. Here, you find those who embrace experimentation. Over the years, we’ve built an audience, both young and old, who appreciate this duality. Being in Bengaluru continually encourages and inspires us to explore new ideas and directions in our work,” the dancer tells us.
In the past 15 years, classical dance forms have evolved significantly. What was once performed primarily as seva in temples or showcased at festivals and formal events, has now expanded into short-form digital content and online platforms. The traditional guru–shishya model has also adapted, with many learners now accessing instruction through flexible, self-paced online classes and videobased training.
“Technology, when used well, is truly a gift. During the pandemic, many people realised that you don’t need a sabha or an organiser to create a stage for you — you can build your own platform. As you may know, many organisers exploit young dancers by taking money from them. Why submit to that when you can share your work on Instagram or YouTube and reach a far wider audience? Of course, nothing can replace the experience of a live performance, but technology has shifted the financial landscape. I’ve heard of people using ChatGPT for translations, script work or even AI to generate lyrics and jati patterns. Instead of paying thousands of rupees for tasks like these, you can use AI as a tool. But, yes, verification of facts is essential,” he shares.
When asked about his thoughts on this year’s theme of Past Forward and how he sees it through his lens as a dance, he puts it this way: “The past is a gentle reminder that bharatanatyam, like any classical art form, is not a museum piece. It is a river — constantly shifting, reshaping itself and responding to the space it inhabits. As a classical dancer, it also represents the immense inheritance I have received from my teachers: technique, philosophy, discipline and the aesthetics of the form. The ‘forward’ aspect reflects my own voice. Carrying the art forward means engaging with new audiences, ideas and philosophies, staying attentive to the world around me and exploring new movements and vocabularies, all without losing the essence of the tradition I belong to.”
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