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Kuchipudi veteran Sobha Naidu who handed away on October 14, influenced a era of dancers to take up Kuchipudi and educated them into consummate artistes
She was born to play Satyabhama — was the unanimous opinion of critics and rasikas all the time. She excelled enjoying the sturdy consort of Krishna in the ballets Bhama Kalapam and Sri Krishna Parijatam. The viewers would look forward to the scene the place Krishna arrives to pacify a sulking Satyabhama, and Sobha by no means upset. Her quick-moving facial expressions, her physique language that ranged from, anger, nervousness, possessiveness — she would present all of it fluidly.
She carried comparable, however emotionally completely different attract, as Padmavathi in her favorite Kalyana Srinivasam. Each time she staged this magnum opus, the auditorium can be packed by an appreciative viewers. An in depth research of her repertoire will present the empowered woman at the centre of her dance narratives. Chandalika, based mostly on Tagore’s Bengali play, is one other ballet Sobha portrayed with élan. A woman’s battle to be accepted in society and finally discovering her love, Sobha was a deal with along with her heart-rendering but the strong-willed portrayal of Chandalika.
When Sobha selected to current Vipra Narayana, critics felt she was taking up an enormous problem because it was already a well-liked film. Yet once more, Sobha got here up with stunning choreography and the late Devulapalli Krishna Sastri’s script and Balantrapu Rajanikanta Rao’s music ensured this ballet remained one of Sobha’s finest ballets.
In Vijayostu te Naari (Triumph of the woman) Sobha motivated ladies to be unbiased and drew parallels from mythology to steer a path.
Students from far and past
Sobha Naidu portraying the function of Satyabhama in the widespread Kuchipudi ballet ‘Srikrishna Parijatham’
| Photo Credit: Nagara Gopal
This author is reminded of what Sobha mentioned practically 28 years in the past on her go to to her Kuchipudi Arts Academy in Domalguda. “Anybody can dance, provided you have the passion and willingness to practice and perfect the form,” she acknowledged introducing me to her two Russian college students. A pupil of Vempati Chinna Satyam, Sobha impressed the first era of Kuchipudi dancers in the metropolis.
Says famend Kuchipudi dancer Deepika Reddy, “She was not just an inspiration and a pillar of strength to me but an icon and flag bearer of the Kuchipudi art form. No one can fill this void. She had a deep affection for me. She was large-hearted and generous with her praise. She was always there to encourage me and was the chief guest for the ‘Rangapravesam’ of my first student. She would come and watch many of my dance dramas and give valuable inputs.”
Recalls Mohan Hemmadi of Surmandal, “I met Sobha ji through guru Vempati Chinna Satyam in 1980 for the first time and we organised her Kuchiupudi performance along with Protima Bedi and Chitra Vishweshwaran who gave Odissi and Bharatanatyam recitals respectively. We are shocked at her demise. It’s a loss to Kuchipudi.”
While her ballets have been masterpieces, Sobha’s solo recitals have been what each dance pupil would take inspiration from — be it her immense stage presence, her delicate join with the viewers and excellent synchronisation with nattuvangam and the accompanying artistes. Her type was rooted in custom whereas her theme and message travelled past the realm of artwork.
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