Shobana stole the show with this melange of rhythm, melody, mythology

Shobana’s Trance, a two-hour production that married Bharatanatyam with a smattering of dance-drama, storytelling, live music and Bollywood thumkas, had the 1,500-odd Hyderabadis who gathered at Shilpakala Vedika on Saturday evening, spellbound.

The star of the show, of course, was danseuse and actress Shobana, who captivated the audience in all her avatars — as the fierce Goddess Kali; the charming Lord Krishna; Bibi Nachiyar: a Muslim princess who falls in love with an idol of Rama; and the Biblical character, Mary Magdalene.

The stories were as varied as the costumes; and it seemed like Shobana was on a movie set, as she slipped in and out of characters, each time in a totally new look. But the trump card Shobana pulled out was her irreverent and playful avatar as she played drums; matching fluid adavus and complex sollukettu with beats of mridangam, proving once again that she’s a woman of many talents.

As Shobana pranced around on stage with her six-member troupe of very talented dancers, presenting one eclectic set after another, one was left wishing she’d also present a whole item of pure, unadulterated Bharatanatyam, sans the drama and cinematic touch. After all that’s what she does best. But the standing ovation the troupe received at the end of the show proved that the audience were left thoroughly entertained.