A family in art

Trained in kathak by mother and Pt Birju Maharaj's disciple Anita Ordia, veteran actor Ravi Jhankal's daughter Dhaani ready to make stage debut with play that combines dance and acting

Brought up in a household where she would wake up at 5 am to her mother's kathak practice in their living room while her father would do vocal warm-up, Dhaani Jhankal remembers an incident from her childhood that typifies her initiation into the world of performing arts. "I was in the fourth or fifth standard, and my final exams were going on. When I returned home from school, my mother informed me of this huge theatre festival at the NCPA, where the best of plays were being staged," shares Dhaani, seated in the green room of the Sophia Bhabha Auditorium, flanked by father and veteran actor Ravi Jhankal, and mother and noted kathak dancer-choreographer Anita Ordia. "It was the 50th anniversary celebration of Sangeet Natak Akademi," Ordia recalls. "Yes, and Mom told me, 'These are routine exams. But it's important for you to watch these plays.' And so, we packed my books, which I read on our way to and from the NCPA, but we attended the festival," adds Dhaani.

That was 2002. In the years that followed, she felt more drawn towards the footwork of kathak than the blocking of theatre. But her love for acting, as she was to realise, was merely a dormant one, waiting to spring to life. And it did.

So, a year and a half ago, much like the living room at dawn scenario all over again, the trio sat together to devise a performance that marries theatre and kathak. The culmination of many such brainstorming sessions and rehearsals is the play Aarohi, which marks Dhaani's theatre debut and premieres this Saturday. Directed by noted theatreperson Salim Akhtar and written by National Award-winning screenplay writer Ashok Mishra, the production revolves around the journey of a kathak dancer played by Dhaani, with senior artiste Meeta Vasisht and television actor Gautam Rode in other key roles. Jhankal plays protagonist Aarohi's father.

"We have often seen folk dance forms, and music with theatre, but rarely has a classical dance form made its way to a play. We wanted to ensure that the authenticity is not diluted," says Jhankal, who has worked extensively with Shyam Benegal on his film and television projects. The authenticity was taken care of by Ordia, who runs Kinkini, a cultural academy in Jaipur and has been a disciple of Pt Birju Maharaj and Pt Durgalal. She made several visits to Delhi to first get the "bol" recorded by a specialist musician, and would then travel to Mumbai over the weekend to fine-tune the kathak pieces in the production, and train Rode in the same. "It's important to stay true to the art form. If it's presented well, the audience will take to it," avers Ordia.

While Dhaani has been her mother's disciple for years, she recalls the acting lessons she got from her father as the play progressed. "After each rehearsal, we would have discussions, and I would learn from that there wasn't just one way of enacting a scene. While I am comfortable with being on the stage, the live medium is very different. The camera can zoom into a tear rolling down my face. In theatre, I have to ensure it comes across to the audience in the last row," Dhaani, who has assisted filmmaker Shoojit Sircar, says. Jhankal is quick to add, "Learning on the job is fine, but it's important to take proper training in an art form." An advice Dhaani plans to work on soon.

For a family that lives across two different cities, things do get difficult, Jhankal admits. "But we are all pursuing our love for the arts. And that matters the most."

ON June 29, 7.30 pm
AT St Andrew's Auditorium, Bandra West.
LOG ON to bookmyshow.com
Entry Rs 300 onwards

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