Mallika Sarabhai, Chancellor of Kerala Kalamandalam, wants to erase gender and caste barriers, and build bridges with theatre practitioners and filmmakers

Mallika Sarabhai Chancellor of Kerala Kalamandalam wants to erase gender caste barriers

“Why can’t we have Kathakali performances that speak about gender, employment, displacement...? Why shouldn’t performers of traditional arts join hands to work on new productions that are relevant and appeal to new audiences?” asks Mallika Sarabhai, Chancellor of Kerala Kalamandalam, a deemed university and performing arts centre.

In addition to starting gender sensitisation classes for students, Mallika wants to “broaden the scope and vision of the institution and erase caste, class and gender barriers from Kalamandalam”.

New productions in Kathakali that integrate modern theatre techniques, setting up of departments for research to study intersectional subjects such as Anthropology and Physiology of dance, and research subjects that are not confined to performative aspects of traditional art forms and lateral admissions are some of the additions and modifications that the new Chancellor hopes to implement.

With all the changes in the offing, she says it is exciting and challenging but “it is like walking in quicksand”.

Six months into the job and the danseuse-choreographer and art manager is raring to give Kerala Kalamandalam a new direction and relevance. Known for her path-breaking choreography that takes the vocabulary of Bharatanatyam to address contemporary issues, Mallika does not mince words when she emphasises the need for the institution to open up and look beyond its traditional catchment areas.

Speaking to MetroPlus on the sidelines of the inauguration of Kerala Arts and Crafts Village’s Kalari Academy, she says heading Kalamandalam has been a huge learning experience as she has never worked with the Government, in any capacity.

Calling herself an impatient person, she says one of the first lessons she learned was how every decision had to be vetted, gazetted, and go through processes, which make the decision-making transparent but long drawn out.