Dancer Methil Devika was down with COVID-19 whereas engaged on manufacturing on ‘solitude’
Life imitates artwork. Methil Devika discovered that out not too long ago, the onerous manner.
The achieved Mohiniyattam dancer had come down with COVID-19 and was hospitalised for a couple of days. And this occurred at a time when she was engaged on a global venture titled ‘Ahalya’ on the theme of ‘solitude’ imposed by the pandemic.
Devika is without doubt one of the 4 Indian dancers commissioned by the Canada-based Sampradaya to make productions on the theme. Rama Vaidyanathan (Bharatanatyam), Aditi Mangaldas (Kathak) and Bijayini Satpathy (Odissi) are the others.
Devika confirmed all of the classical signs of COVID-19 whereas she was on engaged on the music of her manufacturing. Besides writing the script, in collaboration with Valmiki, she would inform you, smiling, she has additionally composed the music.
“I was suffering from breathlessness, but the deadline to finish my film was fast approaching. So I sang the track in that condition and mailed it to my musicians,” says Devika. “It was indeed a severe form of COVID-19 that struck me.”
After leaving the personal hospital in Thiruvananthapuram, she needed to isolate herself in accordance with the COVID-19 protocol. That expertise got here in helpful when she enacted the position of Ahalya throughout the shoot of her manufacturing.
“I chose the tale of Ahalya for my film because I thought we all could relate, during these tough times, to her isolation and loneliness as she waited for Rama to end her curse,” says Devika. “I interpreted her character from my own perspective rather than those of other poets like Ezhuthachan. After reading different versions of The Ramayana, I went back to the original work by Valmiki.”
The manufacturing, which she has choreographed and carried out, is within the Mohiniyattam fashion, in fact. She roped in ace cinematographer Madhu Ambat to shoot the movie.
Ahalya premieres on shaale.com on May 9.
