Great Expectations
Dipanita Nath, Delhi Newsline, Delhi

Whichever factory churns out star-sons didn’t break the mould for Revanta Sarabhai. The 23-year-old son of dancer-activist Mallika Sarabhai and grandson of Mrinalini Sarabhai is celebrity material all right, with an Abhishek Bachchan hairstyle and a six-foot frame toned by pumping irons. But he is comfortable in a Bharatnatyam costume rather than on Page Three.

Revanta, who was in the Capital for a performance, said: “Bharatnatyam is the foundation, the classical core, on which I introduce modern elements and innovate. I am trying to create a contemporary vocabulary that will be based on classical dance, just like American modern dance is rooted in ballet.” Glimpses of this new form can be seen in his choreography Hot Talas, Cool Rasas which includes acrobatics, besides classical footwork.

Dance came easy to Revanta since the first sounds he heard were of ghungroos, talas and bols at the Darpana Academy of Performing Arts in Ahmedabad. “To leave home for school, I had to weave my way through rows of twirling dancers. Finally, when I was five, I told Amma (Mrinalini) that I wanted to be a dancer. She was thrilled,” he smiled. When he started performing, Revanta realised that the audience insisted on remembering Revanta Sarabhai Shah as just a Sarabhai. “Thankfully, my father (Mapin publisher Bipin Shah) has no insecurities about this,” he said.

When he is not creating art with his mother, Revanta, who has a bachelor’s degree in graphic design from the University of the Arts, Philadelphia, designs books published by Dad.

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