Padma Shri awardee Prathibha Prahlad, a celebrated Indian classical dancer, has mesmerized audiences globally with her artistry and vision. Founder of the Prasiddha Foundation, she has led it for over four decades, setting new standards in dance and artistic excellence.

Q. What was your initial vision when you founded Prasiddha Foundation, and how has it evolved over the past 40 years?

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A. Prasiddha Foundation started as a dance school. In 1990, we decided to register it and instead of calling it a dance school, named it Prasiddha Foundation. The idea was to work through the Foundation for art and artistic community,
towards preservation, promotion and propagation of the arts.

Over the last 40 years, I have done precisely that. I have worked really hard for the betterment of the artistic fraternity and initiated many festivals that gave
prominent platforms to artists.

Q. What inspired you to curate Rāmāyaṇa Chaitrāvali as the centerpiece of Prasiddha@40?

A. If you pay attention to Lord Rama’s story, it is Seeta who is the kinetic energy behind this story. Can one envisage Ramayana without Seeta? The other women figures of Ramayana are equally important in as much as they take the story forward.

After the very successful WARRIOR WOMEN of BHARAT, which was based on historical women warriors, this new dance theater SAAMARTHYA-Women of Ramayana will bring focus to women protagonists and their enormous contribution to the movement of the great Maha-Kavya Ramayana.

Q. How do productions like SĀMARTHYA, EKAM SAT, and BHARAT AFTER MAHATMA showcase the power of classical dance in unveiling untold stories, exploring spiritual unity, and addressing contemporary social challenges?

A. While Warrior Women of Bharat and Saamarthya- Women of Ramayana explore stories of women from epics and contemporary history, EKAM SAT is a very special production and explores that concept of ONE UNIVERSE and ONE GODHOOD.

The music was done with attention to detail, vocalizing and layering and is really special. EKAM SAT is the need of the times and should be viewed by all, and in schools and colleges in our Country.

BHARAT AFTER MAHATMA aims to set in motion representations of India, each of which expresses a personal reality as is perceived, imagined or dreamt.

Q. What role can institutions like Prasiddha play in fostering cross-cultural collaborations between India and other nations?

A. Cultural diplomacy is a very effective tool to promote Bharat’s art forms and place them in their rightful place on the world stage. We have not explored the full potential of soft diplomacy until now and both the Government and the private sector should come together to do this for our Country.

Q. What legacy do you hope the Prasiddha Foundation will leave for the next generation of Indian classical artists?

A. Through Prasiddha Foundation, my message is clear. Art unifies, art harmonises, and art makes a better person of each of us. If most are touched by art, the society and Country becomes a ‘cultured country’ and that is what we should strive for.

Q. Indian art, be it dance, theatre or music, has often interpreted the epics of Mahabharata and Ramayana in myriad ways. How do you approach these epics when it comes to your art?

A. I have never done a straight laced narrative of epics in my choreographies. I have always looked for ways and means to put forth something new, something different, something that can make audiences think. I believe I have achieved this through my many choreographic works.

Q. As a veteran artist who has performed across the length and breadth of the country and abroad, and explored varied themes in your work, do you still have a dream project? Or any upcoming work you are looking forward to?

A. Dance is my love, dance is my passion. As long as the fire of creativity burns in me, I will keep working on ideas, concepts, music and dance choreographies that can give a different perspective, retell stories differently with a vision of high calibre art and excellence.