Nava
explores the stories of nine urban transwomen through the nine
rasas
. The performers take the stage to explore the
Navarasa
boxes and through their performance, unbox, expand, challenge and defy fixed notions of what constitutes the
Navarasa
and who can be its
nayakis
. Through their telling, they provoke, question, inform, challenge and expand dominant ideas of
Haasya, Adhbuta, Bhibatsa, Krodha, Shrungara, Bhaya, Veera, Karuna
, and
Shanta
. They bring their bodies, stories, and voices which have been deliberately silenced and wilfully ignored, to reclaim their rightful place – the centre stage.
Nava
is a devised play, created and performed by Veena, Chandri, Shanti, Prarthana, Purushi, Jyothi, Sandhia, Thara and Swetha from Aravani Art Project and directed by Sharanya Ramprakash. It is the result of a collaboration between Aravani Art Project and Dramanon. This project is supported by the India Foundation for the Arts, under the Project 560 programme.
The play will be staged at Ranga Shankara on November 5, 7.30 pm.