The Kuchipudi torchbearers

Raja and Radha Reddy, with their dedication and hard work brought Kuchipudi on the cultural map across the globe. They have mesmerised the audience with their scintillating performances. The couple recently completed 50 years in this art form

Kuchipudi is synonymous with dance couple Raja and Radha Reddy. The couple’s passion towards Kuchipudi has brought the name of fame not just for them but to the dancing itself. The fame is not just in our country, but all over the world. It is a great lesson for youngsters that how passion could mould a budding career into becoming legends.

The dedication of the couple to this art form is an apt example. Raja and Radha Reddy have completed 50 years in the field and are still going strong. Askari Jaffer caught up with the dancing couple to get an inside view of how Reddys have taken to dancing

RAJA REDDY

How did Kuchipudi come into your life?
I was born and brought up in Adilabad district of the present Telangana State. Since childhood, Radha and I were mad about Bhagavatham. Sometimes, I used to travel along with Radha to villages for performance. After my matriculation, I came to Hyderabad and I joined Nizam College. I used to perform even while I was studying. I started learning from Vedantam Prahlad Sharma. He has always been a perfect master. We came to Delhi in 1966 to study choreography, courtesy a scholarship of the then Andhra Pradesh Government. Dr Karan Singh, the then Tourism Minister, arranged a programme at Hotel Ashoka, which was a cultural venue that was mostly meant for well-known artistes. After that performance, we were invited to a festival in France. Our ‘Dashavataram’ performance won us a standing ovation.
How did training students get a boost in your dance journey?
In 1974, Indira Gandhi appreciated our work and asked us to revive this dance by training youngsters. She spoke to the then HRD Minister and we were allotted accommodation. Now we have a big training institute at Saket in Delhi. There are nearly 300 students at any given time. In Hyderabad also, my daughter Yamini Reddy is doing very well and they have around 200 students.

What does dance mean to you?
Dance is our breath, life and everything. We did not do it for money or fame. We wanted to perform this dance. Practice always leads to perfection. We are the only family that is dedicated to dance. I’m happy for my complete family for taking to dance. We wanted Kuchipudi to become popular worldwide and we achieved it.

How has been the going for the fifty years and were there any differences of opinion?
We have performed in Europe, America and all over the world. If anything happens offstage then dance will bring us together on stage. We are very happy for that. After marriage, we also used to fight but we forget everything when we go for rehearsals. We forget everything when we enter into the dance hall. Dance gives happiness.

What are the future plans?
We have special plans for Hyderabad. We will do a performance of Lord Shiva and Parvathi dance. On April 29, we plan to perform in Delhi with our students, including daughter Yamini Reddy. My students are very happy for us for our 50 years journey in dance.

What is the future of Kuchipudi and classical dances in India?
Kuchipudi is a combination of theatre and dance. It is something like “Tandava Natyam”. India is known for dance and not for cricket and other things. The younger generation needs to take this art form as a profession. We must know the greatness of our country.

RADHA REDDY

How did you take to dance?
I was interested in dance from my childhood days. At that time, I watched a movie of Savitri and she was so beautiful in that. Her dance was excellent. I was impressed with her dance and I decided to take up dancing as a passion.

How do you feel when you look back and think about 50 years’ journey?
By God's grace, we are doing well till now. We forget everything before entering the stage. We are dedicated to dance. We have no time for any other activities. My students are very happy for my achievements. In this generation, education has become so competitive that they have no time for other activities.

And people who want to come to take up dancing as a career must practice in a full-fledged mode and not as a part-time activity.