Among the few artistes in the State to master both Bharatnatyam and Kathak, Shubha Dhananjay is a pioneer when it comes to using special Kannada compositions in her performances.

Shubha, who is currently president of the Karnataka Sangeeta Nrithya Academy, has also mastered several forms of folk art and is passionately involved in training her students in the same, at her dance institute Natyantharanga, which was established in 1987.

Over the past four decades, Shubha has amassed awards and accolades at state, national and international levels. Apart from judging dance competitions, Shubha produces ballets for Natyantharanga and grooms students at Karana, which she began in 2006, to impart vocal, instrumental, dance and yoga training. 

On May 5, the Srishti Institute of Performing Arts in association with the Rotary Bugle Rock organisation in Bengaluru, will bestow the National Achievement Award on Shubha. The award ceremony will be followed by her Bharatanatyam performance.

“I feel honoured and thank Srishti for extending this award to me. It is gratifying to be in a line-up of awardees that has included names such as Vyjayanthimala, Birju Maharaj, vocalist RK Srikantan and flautist Hariprasad Chaurasia among others,” says Shubha. 

Auspicious start

Born in Thirthahalli in Shimoga district to N Narasimhaiah, an engineer, and Lolakshamma, a dance and music enthusiast, destiny played a part in Shubha’s future when her father was transferred to Bengaluru when she was seven. “Eager to find a dance guru for me, my parents were thrilled when guru SV Srinivas, a simple man in a dhoti and kurta, arrived at our doorstep after hearing my sister and I were eager to learn dance,” says Shubha.

“We were undergoing fundamental lessons in the Mysore and Pandanallur styles when Guru Srinivas, who originally hailed from Madurai, had moved to Bengaluru and was looking to train students in the Tanjore style. We did not hesitate to join him as he belonged to a lineage of gurus who were instrumental in the establishment of Kalakshetra in Chennai.”

Though dance was a passion from childhood, Shubha’s family believed she would follow in her brother’s footsteps as he was pursuing medicine at Bangalore Medical College at the time. However, that was also when dancer Maya Rao shifted from Delhi to Bengaluru and began the Natya Institute of Kathak and Choreography that offered degree courses for dancers. “Nothing could stop me from knocking at her door, and the world of dance widened further for me.”

In the 1980s, the word choreography was novel, to say nothing of a degree in the same. Shubha explains that while artistes wondered what such a course would entail, students were equally curious about the possibilities this stream could offer.

“Our study of choreography was shastra-based and substantial, with Natyashastra as our foundation, with dimensions of stage, lighting, language and costumes. We were also exposed to the history of choreography, world history of dance, folk dances of India and the world, as well as ensemble production,” says Shubha, adding, universities and dance platforms eventually began inviting her for lectures on comparative studies and philosophies of choreography.

Chairperson of the Karnataka Sangeetha Nrithya Academy Shubha Dhananjay interacting with The Hindu in Bengaluru
| Photo Credit:
SUDHAKARA JAIN

Globe trotter

Soon after Shubha’s Bharatanatya Ranga Pravesha in 1987, which was attended by the likes of art critics such as BVK Shastry, TB Narasimhachar, Gunagrahi and SN Chandrashekar, she was awarded the Best Dancer Gold Medals, at both the state and national levels. Following this, she was selected to perform at the Vishwa Kannada Sammelana in London.

“I have been on world stages for the last 37 years and looking back, it is gratifying to see thousands of students who trained at Natyantharanga come into their own. Among the awards I have received, I am grateful to have been selected as the Cultural Ambassador in Bali, Indonesia, and for the French Canadian Heritage Society Fellowship Award from Montreal University in Canada and the Ugadi Puraskar from the Lalithakala Academy among others.”

Sree Devi Mahatme, Mohini Bhasmasura, Srinivasa Kalyana, Kanmani Krishna, Radha Madhava, Mysuru Huli Tippu Sultan, and Kittur Rani Chennamma are a few of Shubha’s works that have been presented at major literary, cultural and religious festivals such as the Kannada Sahitya Sammelana, Mysore Dasara, Mahamastakabhisheka at Shravanabelagola and the Hampi Utsava, apart from global dance festivals in the United States, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Maldives, Nepal, Iraq, China, Cambodia and Malaysia. 

Shubha has also choreographed special ballets including Vachana Vaibhava which incorporates vachanas by saint poets such as Basavanna, Akka Mahadevi, Siddarama, Sarvajna, and Kuvempu.

Cherished treasures

While crediting her husband Dhananjay for being a pillar of support and steering Natyantharanga, she is happy her daughters Maya and Mudra perform with her, taking its legacy forward. “My father Narasimaiah was a multi-linguist and had translated several Bharatanatyam compositions from Tamil to Kannada. He also penned original compositions which I took up in my recitals and I plan to work on his spiritual compositions shortly. I believe my students will take this precious collection forward for posterity.”

Shubha regularly identifies talent from rural areas and trains them free of charge. She has also created large choreography sets with up to 600 dancers during Suvarna Karnataka and Dasara celebrations.

Shubha hopes to continue in her new role as the 16^th President of the Karnataka Sangeeta Nrithya Academy, where she not only dances and teaches, but also leads the way by organising dance and music events in India and abroad, to take the institution forward.

The National Achievement Award instituted by the Srishti Institute of Performing Arts will be presented to Shubha Dhananjay on May 5 at 5.30pm, at Ravindra Kalakshetra. Shubha will present a Bharatnatyam performance on May 5 and a Kathak performance on May 6, at 6.30pm, at the same venue. Entry free. Call 2224 1325 for details

British band Coldplay’s Chris Martin performs during the band’s ‘Music Of The Spheres World Tour’. File.
| Photo Credit: PTI

British rock band Coldplay’s concerts in Ahmedabad generated an estimated overall economic impact of ₹641 crore including a direct boost of ₹392 crore to the city’s economy, with significant spending on accommodation, transport, dining and retail, said a report released on Wednesday.

With 86% fans travelling to the host city, Coldplay’s ‘Music Of The Spheres’ concerts in Ahmedabad trigger a new paradigm for cultural tourism, city branding and mega-event infrastructure, the EY-Parthenon (EY-P), the leading strategy consulting firm and BookMyShow Live revealed.

Dubbed India’s largest-ever live entertainment spectacle, Coldplay delivered the two-night ‘Music Of The Spheres’ concerts in Ahmedabad.

In a significant endorsement of India’s growing concert economy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his address at the Utkarsh Odisha – Make in Odisha Conclave 2025 said, “In a country with such a rich heritage in music, dance and storytelling, with such a large pool of youth and a massive consumer base for concerts, there are vast opportunities for the concert economy. In the past decade, both the trend and demand for live events have grown. You must have seen the incredible images from the Coldplay concerts in Mumbai and Ahmedabad in recent days. This is proof of how much scope live concerts have in India.”

Speaking on the report, Raghav Anand, Partner and Leader Digital, Media and Convergence, EY-Parthenon, said, “As we witness the dynamic growth of India’s live entertainment sector, which has surpassed the Rs 12,000 crore-mark in 2024 and is projected to grow at a robust CAGR of around 19 per cent over the next three years, the increasing consumer spends are fuelling this transformative journey. This surge in consumer enthusiasm for world-class events reflects not just a rising disposable income but an evolving cultural fabric that craves immersive experiences”.

According to the report, Ahmedabad concerts delivered significant economic windfall, generating an estimated economic impact of ₹641 crore in total, including a direct boost of ₹392 crore to Ahmedabad’s economy, with significant spending on accommodation, transport, dining and retail. It also contributed ₹72 crore in GST revenue to the Government of India, underlining its powerful fiscal impact.

Sudhakar Reddy in a scene from ‘Muthayya’
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Watching director Bhaskhar Maurya’s Telugu film Muthayya, now streaming on ETV Win, feels like shedding the trappings of urban life and settling into an unhurried rural setting, surrounded by affable characters. The story centres on a 70-year-old man from a village in Telangana, who dreams of becoming a film actor and seeing himself on the big screen — just once in his lifetime. Age may not be on his side, but his zest for life remains undiminished.

Humour weaves gently through the narrative. In an early scene, two men climb a water tank to unveil a banner. Someone remarks, in the Telangana dialect, “Yem peekindu?” (What did he achieve?). We soon find out. At the heart of the story is Muthayya (played by Sudhakar Reddy of Balagamfame), who owns a modest plot of land that overlooks open fields and distant hills. Each evening, he retreats to his simple dwelling on the land, sharing a drink or two with his much younger friend Malli (Arun Kumar), who runs a cycle repair shop in the village.

Muthayya (Telugu)

Director: Bhaskhar Maurya

Cast: Sudhakar Reddy, Arun Kumar

Run time: 118 minutes

Storyline: An elderly man is determined to fulfill his dream of seeing himself on the large screen.

Streaming on: ETV Win

Birds chirp, Karthik Rodriguez’s earthy score plays gently in the background, and cinematographer Divakar Mani captures the beauty of the hamlet without embellishment. The narrative gently unveils the ordinariness of Muthayya’s daily life — his strained relationship with a son burdened by financial pressures, a kind-hearted daughter-in-law, and a cheerful grandson.

At an age when most villagers are content to lead quiet lives, Muthayya is stirred by his long-held dream of becoming an actor. Posters of film stars surround his mirror, and he often reminisces about his failed attempts in Madras.

One memorable scene features Muthayya lamenting the state of modern cinema, yet insisting on watching new films to stay up to date with contemporary acting styles. It is these smaller, reflective moments — more than grand narrative arcs — that make Muthayya linger in the mind.

The film intermittently touches on Malli’s love story, village drama troupes, and the younger generation dabbling in short films and Instagram reels. Director Bhaskhar Maurya allows the story to breathe, taking its time with unhurried pacing that may test the impatient viewer, especially in the first half. But it is this very rhythm that lets the characters settle into your heart.

As the plot gently gathers momentum, with life presenting Muthayya a final chance at fulfilling his dream, the film becomes a battle between aspiration and resignation. The silver-haired, paunchy Muthayya might just remain a local stage star, especially when faced with opportunists and financial constraints. Yet you cannot help but root for him.

Much of the film’s soul lies in its performances. Sudhakar Reddy and Arun Kumar, supported by a well-cast ensemble (many of whom hail from the region), anchor the story with authenticity. Their unassuming presence blends seamlessly into the rural fabric the film aims to depict.

The final sequence pays heartfelt homage to the communal joy of cinema, unfolding in a way both unexpected and deeply rewarding.

At just under two hours, Muthayya is a tender, unhurried tale that reminds us there is a rich, grounded world beyond the spectacle of mainstream Telugu cinema.

(Muthayya is streaming on ETV Win)