Join us at the Arts House for a magical evening where the paintings of Raja Ravi Varma come alive through classical dance. Experience a captivating fusion of love, beauty and art, as brought to life by the Apsaras Dance Company.

The Heroines of Raja Ravi Varma brings to life a selection of painted heroines through Bharatanatyam. This dance showcase explores the emotions portrayed in Raja Ravi Varma’s (1848–1906) 14 well-known paintings of Sita, Bhoomadevi, Damayanthi, Radha, Shakuntala and Yashodha. Known for their beauty, the lives of these heroines were filled with romance, love and tragedy. Each enactment is accompanied by poetry from various genres and meticulously designed costumes that reflect the styles depicted in the paintings. The heroines’ stories come to life from the canvas, speaking through dance..

“It’s not everyday that you get to see paintings come alive - Damayanti yearn for her love or Yasodha become the envy of all the women in Brindavan, on stage, just as Raja Ravi Varma immortalised them in his famed paintings. Performed by Apsaras Arts dance company, The Heroines of Raja Ravi Varma brought 14 of his well-known paintings to life through the art of Abhinaya, with all the vibrancy and the passion the paintings contained. Filled with drama, romance, love and sorrow, the personification of these heroines was complete as the performers danced their way through the protagonists’ lives.  The intricate story behind each of the women was constructed, keeping in mind Ravi Varma’s vision of them.” - JANANE VENKATRAMAN, The New Indian Express, India

Credits
Artistic Direction: Aravinth Kumarasamy
Music Composition: Aravinth Kumarasamy and Dr.Rajkumar Bharathi
Dance Choreography: Mohanapriyan Thavarajah
Costume Design: Neila Sathyalingam and Mohanapriyan Thavarajah
Vocals: Bombay Jayashri Ramnath, G Shrikanth, Keerthana Vaidhyanathan and Praveena Thodge

In collaboration with Apsaras Dance Company.