Kuchipudi has lost its theatrical soul. An 85-year-old guru is bringing it back
- Pasumarthi Rattiah Sarma, 85, is among the last masters of Yakshagana, Kuchipudi's near-extinct dance-theatre form.
- The old style demands dancers sing, recite poetry, deliver dialogue and act — not just perform footwork.
- Once an ensemble opera tradition, Kuchipudi became a mostly solo form as it moved to cities and cinema from the 1930s.
- He was awarded a Sangeet Natak Akademi fellowship this month; his students now come from Kerala to train in his courtyard.
Source: scroll.in
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