Maya Ravan: Form meets Substance

Well, how differently can you retell an epic?

Particularly, an epic as profound and deep-seated in belief as the Ramayana? More so, through the unconventional medium of dance? Without diluting the story while retaining an element of surprise? And, most surprisingly, from the antagonist's perspective?

Simple. By being very, very different.

And this is what Maya Ravan is all about.

A 2-hour dance production in the spirit of the Ramayan. A costume drama that spares no detail unexplored; a high-energy, high-involvement entertainer. A sheer visual treat. Replete with popular music, crisp dialogues, powerful delivery and precise gestures. A project startlingly simple; which owes its onstage impact to months of ardurous, dedicated efforts. Of a 40-odd crew. Aged 3 to over 40. Captained by one amazing creative genius. Conceptualiser, costumer, choreographer- Shobana.

I'm yet to watch the live show of Maya Ravan. Probably I'll never make it. But who's complaining? I did watch the spectacular show on DVD; which by itself was quite an experience.

Scene 1: Introduction

“Once far away, lived King Dashrath, who loved his thousand wives one more than the other...”

Thus begins the narrative, with a montage on the life of prince Ram. Set to the background score of 'Shreeramachandra kripalu Bhajuman', the famous bhajan by Tulsidas- of course in a remixed tune- a visual montage unfurls the legend of Prince Ram. In sheer shimmering brilliance, the frames glide from one episode to another: Sage Viswamitra demanding the services of young Ram and Laxman from their bewildered father king Dashrath; Ram's prowess in vanquishing the trouble-mongering demon hordes led by Mareech and Subahu; Ahalya-moksham... the sequence concludes with a (flashback?) scene of Kaikeyi playing with her stepson Ram.

Scene 2: Kaikeyi and Manthara

" Ravana employs his witch Manthara as a spy in Dashrath's palace. Manthara then evokes his

spirit which unfolds a myriad of plots- which is the beginning of this Ramayan” The usually sweet-natured Kaikeyi unfortunately falls prey to the cunning words of her maid Manthara. The crooked-nosed hag poisons Kaikeyi's minds with the temptations of being queen prior, 'not that fat Kausalya'. Manthara forces the confused Kaikeyi to drink a magic potion which makes her delirious. In the process, Ravan's spirit embodies in Kaikeyi- and speaks not only to Manthara, but also to the petite Sita of Mithila, to whom he appears in a nightmare. Ravan's 'possession' of Kaikeyi's body and his extra-sensory conversation with Sita are powerfully depicted in a play of light and shadow. When Sita demands the dark force to show itself, it promises- nay, threatens- to return.

Scene 3: Sita meets Rama

Sita- played by the expressive Anuroopita Sampat- makes a graceful appearance against a temple backdrop, paying obeisance to goddess Kali. She sways to the mellifluous Bhajan 'Kaali Kapalini Mata Bhavani”, personifying the Bhakti- rasa towards the goddess. In one frame, her accompanying dames depict Kali's chariot mounts; in the next, they become Sita's playmates. Into their midst, the impressive brothers Ram and Lakshman enter. Sita is smitten by him and it's love at first sight. The mood is accentuated by A R Rahman's composition in flute as a prelude to 'Narumugaye...”

Scene 4- The Contest at Mithila

King Janaka's Palace. Kings and noblemen are assembled. Sita declares the test for her 'Swayamvara'. Well- built rulers try their hand at lifting Shiva's bow, in vain. King Janaka intervenes, announcing Sage Viswamitra's prediction that 'the man destined to wed my daughter is in this very hall today”. I'M THE MAN DESTINED TO MARRY YOUR DAUGHTER!', thunders a voice , letting in a stately young man of royal bearing. Haughty and irreverent, he introduces himself as Jai; originally from Vaikuntha, presently residing in Lanka. He strides over to the pulpit, heaves up the bow; but misses the target. Enraged by his audacious manner -but cowed by his persona-, king Janaka urges him to identify himself. Suddenly, it is noticed by the assembly that the young man did not give his name at the start of the swayamwara. Sage Viswamitra alerts the audience that the youth is the king of Asuras himself. Enraged, Ravan threatens to kill Janaka on the floor if he were denied his 'just reward' of Sita's hand in marriage.

The righteous Sita agrees to wed him in return for sparing her father's life. Viswamitra the seer intervenes again by announcing to Ravana that while Sita agreed to wed Ravana thinking that he won the contest, the contest is not yet over- since the young princes Ram and Lakshman are yet to try. The latter forfeits his chance in favour of his brother Ram who effortlessly lifts the bow. Ravan demands that he be given the bow, since he can hit the target blindfolded if needed! Rama mocks him and snaps the bow in two, demonstrating the power of right. Ravan's attempts at sorcerous revenge are thwarted by Sage Viswamitra's mystic prowess, forcing Ravana to leave the venue. Sita and her sisters get married, respectively, to Rama and his brothers.

Shobana stands out in the scene for her powerful portrayal of the conceited Ravana. The contemptuous scowl and condescending gait hits the viewer with its sheer histrionic punch. Vidhya as Viswamitra also makes impact in the same scene.

Scene 5- Welcoming the Newly-weds- Rama sent on Exile

In a brilliantly choreographed sequence set to a percussion track ( Taufiq Qureshi?), the dancers portray the scene where the newly-weds are welcomed back to the palace in Ayodhya. Young and old alike exult while they receive the young princes and their new brides. Queen Kaikeyi embraces her stepson Rama and joins in the festivities. The celebrations in fact are a prelude to Rama's coronation to Ayodhya's throne. However, the scheming Manthara- guided by Ravan's spirit- succeeds in poisoning Kaikeyi's mind again. Kaikeyi collapses from the strain, only to wake up possessed by Ravan's spirit. Her husband Dashrath is shell-shocked when she expresses her wishes - that the heir-apparent Rama be banished to the Danadka forests for fourteen years, depriving him of any claim to the Sunwood throne of Ayodhya. Kaikeyi announces these terms to Rama on Dashrath's behalf. The righteous Rama accepts them without protest.

However, Sita dissuades him from having to take up exile to honour his father's blood-oath. Although Rama asserts that there's no way around their predicament and that Sita was free to re-marry if she wanted to, his dutiful wife seeks to accompany him to the forest. The scene unfolds with very expressive gestures and bhava by the artistes. A soothing shahaana “ Chenthaarmizhi...” from the Malayalam film Perumazhakkalam adds to the ambiance. The dancers Anuroopita and Seethalakshmi Vijay ( as Rama) outperformed themselves in this scene; bringing about tenderness for each other and the confusion of impending separation. Rohini's voice as Sita also added to the drama of the sequence.

Here are some vignettes of Shobana's moods and Bhavas from the scene where she portrays Kaikeyi cajoling, commanding and demanding Rama's exile:

Scene 6: The Princes in Exile:

Rama, Sita and Lakshmana- stripped of their royal garb- embark on their historic journey into the jungles. They befriend the tribes of Guha and establish their residence in the forest. The trio seem to adapt rather effortlessly to the ways of the jungle; hacking their ways through the thickets, setting up their hermitage, enduring the extremes, coming to terms with their own emotional turmoils... Rama is composure personified; Sita exudes quiet grace; Lakshmana, occasional outbursts of anger. Dasaratha's death, Bharata's ren

unciation of the throne and Surpanakaha's lust for Rama are depicted against Ganesh-Kumaresh's devotional tune of the Ramadas Kirtanam “ O rama nee namam emi ruchira”. Suma Mani gets into the spotted skin of the feline demoness with practised ease. The Sita- supanakha encounter is brought out in a light vein, but the whole scene changes when Shobana makes her appearance as a disguised Supanakha. Her attempts to seduce Rama are a delight to watch, thanks to her effortless Bhavabhinaya. The re-re-repeated 'Narumugaye' tends to grate a bit, but is made good by the tempo of the situation. Suhasini's voice lends a powerful dimension to Supanakha's character: lustful once, murderous soon after. The sequence ends with Supanakha's mutilation and Rama's admonishment to Lakshmana.

Shobana as Supanakha amuses and amazes- again- with her versatile abhinaya:

Sita's Abduction:

The stage goes ablaze in a flood of red light, with a doodly banyan tree as the sole prop ( if one observed closely, the outline of a form with a pronounced head becomes visible behind it). The 'Thunder and Lightning' track from Monsoon Anuraga ( Kattakayathil Cheriyan Mappila and Sreevalsan Menon;

(http://www.sreevalsanmenon.com)

adds to the Bheebatsa tone of voice as the scene focuses on Sita and Lakshmana's argument over Rama's cries for help. Revathy Kumar comes across as a poweful stage persona in the role of Lakshmana. Her gestures and body language complement Vishal Soni's voice -which again bears an uncanny similarity with that of Sunil Lahiri of Ramanand Sagar's epic teleserial!. Shobana takes over the stage with her grand entry as the ascetic-guised Ravana. “ The Haldi will not grind any further, beti- you use more energy than required...” Naseerudeen Shah's opening lines are delivered just in the right tone of a pretentious godman. The poignant scene translates well through an intelligent blend of choreography, lighting and background score. The unlikely sound of an airplane taking off does not jar with the scene a bit! As for histrionics, Anuroopita seamlessly glides into Sita's many moods of confusion, anger and vulnerability. Shobana- with an eerie, white-smeared face and matted, rastafarian hairdo- crackles and dazzles as a lust-consumed Ravana; her long-legged form enhanced by a red-orange costume reminiscent of late-70s Bollywood.

The expressions of Ravana as the lascivious Sadhu, talking an unsuspecting Sita into abduction:

The Palace of Ravana

The mood and ambience change dramatically. The setting:Ravana's lair in Lanka. The song: 'Mere Dholna" from Bhool Bhulaiya. For once, I was vindicated that I could behold Shobana dancing to that song which, in its celluloid translation, had done little justice to the original, classic " Oru Murai Vanthu Parthaya..." Ravana and an unsuspecting Mandodari dance the amorous number in their pleasure realm, with peacock and deer in full attendance. Amidst the dance, Mandodari's aides divulge to her about the captive in Lanka. Meanwhile, Ravan visits Sita in the illusory tower and, impersonating Rama, tries to brainwash her into staying back at Lanka. Sita- bruised and tired though she is- sees through the guise and resists Ravana's advances. Ravan balances his impeccable demeanour with Sita with the assertive self-righteousness in his arguments with his wife. While convincing Mandodari that Sita was not captured, but was sent by Rama himself to seduce him, Ravana points out to his gullible wife that Dharma can be interpreted by different people differently. He recounts Rama's atrocities towards the Rakshasas and reminds Mandodari that she- being a pious and noble Rakshasi- should not be questioning her husband's acts on the grounds of Dharma.

Anitha V presents the docile Mandodari with conviction. The dialogues stand apart in precision and delivery. Shobana excels yet again in her portrayal of Ravana- the shrewd and manipulative demon-king. Like the fabled ten-headed character whose every face differed from the other, the danseuse's face also evokes myriad Bhavas within the span of one sentence! Ravana continues his sorcery-aided attempts at serenading Sita. Against the tunes of the popular Bollywood Number 'Chinnamma Chilakamma' from Meenaxi, the scene blends humour with pathos while depicting the plight of Sita held captive.

The Armies of Hanuman

Hanuman - animated by the spring-stepped Chithra Nair and voice by Mohanlal ( no, he just doesn't fit) enters, spying on the valorous brothers in exile. He befriends them, ostensibly out of solidarity towards another exiled prince ( true to his allegiance to his own heir-prince Sugriva) but more out of devotion to Sri Ramachandra. He leads them to the ape-men -NOT monkeys!- colony in Kishkindha where Rama and Sugrive seal the pact of friendship and mutual help: the former in retrieving Sugriva's kingdom and wife from his wile brother Vali and the latter, in helping Rama trace Sita.

Here's one scene with some losses in translation; where creative licences

seemed to go a bit overboard. For one, the bold use of a 1958 Tamil rock''n'roll track from the Sivaji-Gemini Ganesan starrer 'Pathi Bhakthi' for the monkey dance spoke of careless choreography and a slip from good taste. Also, Mohanlal's narration for Hanuman seemed to be one of his most callous contributions to date. Maybe Shobana could have retained her own voice for the valiant ape, like I assume she did for her earlier shows. The scene ends with Hanuman resolving to leap across the seas in search of Sita. One cannot miss the adorable little monkey Sakra, Hanuman's step-brother for its antics.

Another peek into Ravana's indulgences. Hoping that his captive would thaw from her icy demeanour, Ravana conjures the ambience of Shringara with his Shringara Rakshasis and sings the hauntingly languid song "Thozhi..." from the Sangam verse Kurundokai No. 319 set to Kamboji raga. The team of resplendent dancers in their Mohiniattam- inspired accoutrements add dazzle to the scene, not to mention Shobana's acrobatics. The sequence ends with Ravana's deluded vision of marrying Sita. This one sequence brings out the passionate, aesthetic and strikingly handsome aspect of Ravana- the lover, the artist, the irresistible.

Hanuman's visit to Lanka- and Back- and Back Again!

Asoka forest, Sita's scene of imprisonment. Hanuman persuades her to return with him to Rama, but Sita refuses. The clash of Dharma surfaces again: Hanuman informs Sita that Rama's Dharma prevented him from coming in person to Lanka; and hence permitted Hanuman, who was bestowed with an ability to 'Leap' to make the trip. Sympathising with Sita, the noble Vanar goads her into returning with him to Rama. Sita replies firmly but politely that Hanuman need not confuse her condition with her decision; but her own Dharma forces her to stay back at Lanka and await Rama's arrival to claim her in dignity and honour. She didn't want history to blame Rama for not being able to claim his own wife.

Hanuman understands, but decides to teach the self-obsessed Ravana ( " Generals, tilt your cups and drain them empty; for they'll be filled with Vanar Blood shortly") and his team a lesson they woudln't forget in a hurry! After wrecking havoc in the pleasure realm, Hanuman kills many powerful Rakshasas, including Akshay, the brave son of Ravana. However, Indrajit succeeds in bringing the ape-man bound and incapable of further damage, to Ravana. While Ravana at first orders Hanuman to be put to death, his stammering, righteous (Vermin, Brahmin) half-brother Vibhishana reminds that the Kshatriya code forbids the killing of a messenger. The conniving Ravana decides to impart cruel justice by burning off Hanuman's tail. Hanuman accedes, but not before setting Lanka ablaze! He flies back to Rama and gives him the reassuring news of Sita's well-being. Rama's troupe assists him in constructing the fabled bridge across Lanka. The staging of the whole scene speaks of good STEM ( Space-Time- Energy- Movement) management; with the temporal and spatial changes presented very subtly with background music and lighting. The building of the bridge, in particular, has been presented with top-notch synchronisation and originality. The only oddity, so to speak, were the Malayalam epithets that Hanuman flings on the Rakshasas ( How does Mohanlal's Podi- patti- Rakshasi sound for the occasion? For me, it brought to mind his caricaturish mimicry of autorickshaws in Manichitrathazhu!)

The War of Lanka

An extended war sequence with Taufiq Qureshi's Tandava track in the background. Apes, bears, beasts and demons lock each other in mortal combat. Many of the fighters either get killed or grievously injured. At one stage, Rama encounters Ravana himself and almost vanquishes him fatally. However, despite Lakshmana's insistence, Rama refuses to kill Ravana while the latter is unarmed. he narrates that countless are Ravana's sins; robbing Rama of the best years of his life- even his wife- but, the Kshatriya code of war forbids the killing of an unarmed foe. He thus grants Ravana a long lease of life.

The Revelation

A scene of pathos and dejection. Ravana- the invincible ruler of all realms, sits in gloom and drunken stupor. A sepulchral tone in the background ( Ganesh Kumaresh, Carnatic Chills) adds to the melancholic ambience. Mandodari enters, shocked to see her lord in a state of despondency and incapacity. Ravana tells her that he's lost his wealth, power, sorcery- everything. While Mandodari finds it incredulous that the invanquishable Lanka had to be lost in the war over Ravana's lust for a mortal woman, Ravana- with a gentleness quite unlike him- points out to his wife that the war was much more than that; it was the war of eternity. He continues that the present state of affairs was just a design, an event; a curse. Time was nigh for him to return, since the one he guarded at Vaikuntha needed him now. So, he could not afford to waste time in proceeding to the battlefield for his final encounter with Rama., for it would not be seemly for him to be late for his appointment with his own death. Mandodari, at her wit's end, is unable to fathom how Ravana could just give up! Ravana looks at her with a variety of expressions displaying affection, gentleness, tenderness, even something approaching love, if it might be called that, overwhelmed by his helplessness in explaining it all to his wife: The truth is too great a burden! While Mandodari demands that he owes it to her- she being his wife; Ravana corrects her,'No, my widow.'

Perhaps the most gripping and enigmatic scene in the whole production, this one takes the cake for its subtle handling of the great truth. In its starkness, this historic episode unravels itself just like the word Iti-hasa ( " This is what happened"). Tabu and Naseeruddin Shah bring alive the tension in the sequence through their well-modulated dialogues. Shobana plays the drunken Ravana to the hilt; there are moments when Naseer's voice seems to be coming from her persona! True moments of histrionic excellence! The black costumes of the duo onstage adds another shade to the overall ignominy.

The Final Encounter

Ravana is back on the battlefield, all set for his tryst with destiny. " You must be happy now, Rama- you finally have me at your disposal" he taunts Rama," You have achieved a great victory; one that will be remembered for millenia. In some future age, you will be worshipped as a Deva!" Rama stands firm, impervious to his opponent's provocations. He maintains his stand of not intending to draw first blood, and demands Ravana to strike first; the demon will in any case not succeed in deceiving him! "Succeed", retorts Ravana ," I've already failed. Do you wish to hear me say it? Lost eveything. My kingdom, my army, my wealth, my power... and now, I am about to lose my life. Ravana has nothing to gain now by lying to you. ... Strike me any time you wish- but when I am gone, care well for the twins of Sita; for they are my legacy to the world- and parting gift to you! I bow to your Dharma, my Lord!" Rama effortlessly fells the demon- finally, fatally.

Mandodari arrives, accompanied by grieving Rakshasis. She proceeds to identify Ravana's

corpse and laments at the grotesque manner in which he was slain, plucking out his heart still full with a secret love! She points out to Rama that her husband didn't fight him; he permitted Rama to slay him! Meanwhile, Sita is brought to the spot by the Vanars. Just as she melts into Rama's arms, Lakshmana cautions Rama whether the woman with him is Sita herself. He indicates that Sita be subjected to the Fire Test in order to prove her chastity; for if she fails, she would be deemed to have committed adultery! Sita willingly takes the test, since she wanted Rama's path to Ayodhya's throne to be untainted and unblemished. She endures the test unscathed; but Mandodari's curse shocks her ,"May your children not know their father- like my unborn child doesnot know his!" The grieving widow sobs uncontrollably over Ravana's body, asking him to wake up and show- that it is all his MAYA!

This scene provides a fitting finale to the Ravana-centric story: where the viewer is made to think twice before applauding Rama's victory. The anti-climax, when Ravana submits to his own death, throws up many a question as to his role in the 'bigger scheme of things' in the whole plot.

As far as execution goes, the sequence suffers from a minor handicap of too many performers onstage; too many events depicted simultaneously. However, the melodrama takes over and seems to make up for the lapse. All the same, the DVD version could have been edited better for Space-time balance.

Afterglow:

Kudos to Shobana for this bold and tasteful experiment! I'd have said this even if I hadn't been devoted to the actress - oops- we can't call her just that anymore. I am reminded of her interview on Manorama News Channel ( Nere Chovve) where she clarified that she'd rather be called a 'Combined Creative Effort' than be labelled as a dancer/ actor/ teacher; for these lines would soon blur. During the Maya Ravan press meet in the Middle East, Shobana stated that working on the production has let her don many hats: teacher, choreographer and performer. The multi-tasker has delivered BIGTIME through this creative piece of literally epic proportions!

The rigorous rehearsals are evident in the performers' sense of timing, dexterity and body language- irrespective of age/ role. The crew just seemed to bit in like pieces of jigsaw- almost seamlessly. Stage props by Rajeevan are simple yet elegant. Efficient lighting by Murugan adds a surreal touch to all the stage sequences; the blend of various shades as fluid like water -olour washes! Ganesh-Kumaresh spell brilliance in their masterly background score; the mellifluous violin strains seem to tell a tale by themselves! Judicious use of A.R Rahman's and Sreevalsan Menon's tracks provide just the right embellishments, though the inclusion of 'Chinnamma' seemed to impart a Kitchen Orchestra effect to the plot. But then, given the timing of the song, it helped keep the pace when the narrative tended to flag a bit. Special mention to be made of the painstakingly detailed costumes and accessories: notably Ravana's Cleopatra-like headgears for one. The cut and drapes of the various fabrics added to the physical allure of the performers. Even the masks of some of the Rakshasas - who appear for a few seconds onstage- are so detailed and perfect. During her Ravana scenes, Shobana sports the steely talon-like fingernails usually seen on traditional Kathakali dancers- an interesting detail.

MUSIC CREDITS:

Like every masterpiece, Maya Ravan relies greatly on a tight script. The inspiration from Ashok Banker's Ramayana is evident in the crisp dialogues and even in characterisation ( www.ashokbanker.com). A minor detail in the scene of the Exiled princes, when Lakshmana makes an attempt to catch fish from a lake, has been cleverly choreographed to make up for stage-space. Most of Ravana's dialogues have been lifted verbatim from Banker's six volumes. Well, who's complaining? Shobana was candid enough to admit that it was solely on account of the script that many of the Who's Who of Indian Film Industry lent their voices to the production ( "...Not that I enjoy so much goodwill in the industry!", she adds.)

Iti-Hasa.

VOICE CREDITS:

The epic doesn't end here... the avatar continues with 'Krishna Chronicles'... Watch this space!