Srinidhi Chidambaram: 50 Years of Bharatanatyam, Unconventional Teaching, and Artistic Evolution

Fifty years into bharatanatyam, andSrinidhi Chidambaram still recalls the unconventional way her first guru Kamala Lakshman would teach students the art form. “Ice cream and frisbee were all a part of her classes,” she says in an interview with Neeraja Ramesh. “But I don’t think that I will ever set up a dance school,” adds the 55-year-old. Excerpts:You started dancing at the age of four.My first guru was Kamala Lakshman who ran the dance school Bharatanatyalaya. Even before my arangetram, she cast me as the young Bharatha in her play ‘Shakunthalum’. My parents and grandmother were hesitant since I was a child, but she was confident I could do it. The role had spoken lines, and I had to recite slokas. She would coax me through my lines with the promise of popcorn, which I loved. A trailblazing performer, she would always say the show must go on, no matter what goes wrong on stage.Kamala Lakshman abruptly left for the US. How did you continue?It was disappointing, and we felt abandoned. But in the time she taught us, she was wonderful. She took classes seriously, but balanced the rigour by taking us out for ice cream or a game of frisbee. She had a way of surprising us. Her sudden move to the US, without a word, came as a shock. My parents had to make a trunk call to ask if she would return or was fine with me continuing with another guru. Kamala wanted me to come to the US during the summer, which was not feasible. She was quite a possessive guru.Who was your next guru?Vazhuvoor Samraj was my guru for about two years. He was a good teacher, but my parents wanted someone who could teach me at home, as academics were a priority. That is how Swamimalai Sri S K Rajaratnam became my guru. He was my teacher until his last day. He was a mentor who helped me understand the nuances of the art, and under his guidance, I blossomed as a dancer.How come you did not want to start a school of your own?I don’t like to be boxed in. I want to travel, work in a corporate set-up such as Apollo Hospitals, and accompany my husband, Karti Chidambaram, to his constituency, Sivaganga. Starting a school is not a priority at this time. Running a school is a different ball game. The art is thriving today, as many more students are entering the natya field. Schools and colleges must encourage this art as much as they encourage sports and quizzes. Parents often ask me whether their child should pursue a career in dance. I tell them it may not always be lucrative. It is always better to have an educational backup.You stole critic Subbudu’s heart, and former chief ministers Karunanidhi and J Jayalalithaa’s too.Subbudu first saw me perform as a child, playing Bala Seetha. After that performance, he famously said, “I do not prefer Sankha Nidhi (conch treasure) or Padma Nidhi (lotus treasure), but Srinidhi.” Later, we discovered he had once played the harmonium in my grandfather’s amateur troupe in Burma, before they were deported. Both chief ministers honoured me at a young age. Jayalalithaa conferred me with the state’s highest award, the Kalaimamani, when I was just 19. Karunanidhi, a knowledgeable rasika, attended many of my performances. More recently, M K Stalin appointed me to the governing body of the Tamil Nadu Iyal Isai Nataka Mandram.You sometimes choose unusual themes for your performances. You recently brought the Cooum river into your repertoire.Many compositions are themed on temples such as the Brihadeeswara or Sree Padmanabhaswamy, and margams have celebrated cities. But audiences are now looking for something different. As a Chennaiite, I felt it was time to bring elements of my city into the margam. With theatre actor P C Ramakrishna providing the introduction, I performed ‘Oru Nadhiyin Kadhai’ (The story of a river), written by lyricist Vairamuthu. The piece spoke about how a river once known for bathing, boating and bonhomie is now left to rot. It was an emotional piece for me. It was staged at the Music Academy and was well received. I enjoy thematic margams that let me explore poetry and literature, though my core area of work remains traditional and spiritual.You are a fan of Vyjayanthimala. What did you learn from her?I love her as an actor and a dancer. Her film persona is different, while her stage performances are traditional. She had once performed a rare Tanjore quartet varnam, which I was keen to learn. She graciously agreed to teach me.