AK Srikanth
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| AK Srikanth | |
|---|---|
 0G6A6363.jpg Writer and Director AK Srikanth | |
| Born | 24 March 1969 Madras, India |
| 🎓 Alma mater | BITS Pilani, Case Western Reserve University |
| 💼 Occupation | Writer and Director |
| 📆 Years active | 2010 - Present |
| 👩 Spouse(s) | Savitha Sastry |
AK Srikanth (born 24 March 1969) is an Indian Writer and Director, best known for creating short films based on Classical Indian Dance. He is known to showcase novel themes through the medium of Bharatanatyam, through stage productions and short films, performed by his partner Savitha Sastry.[1] His productions have been described as 'path-breaking' by critics, "aiming to bring about a renaissance in the traditional dance form by marrying the aesthetics of Bharatanatyam with the power of an intelligent and novel story-line."[2]
Early life and education[edit]
Srikanth was born in Chennai, and spent most of his growing up years in the Northern parts of India. He attended high school at the PS Senior Secondary School, Chennai where he met his future wife Savitha Sastry. He graduated from BITS Pilani and completed his master's degree from the Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio.
Stage years[edit]
Srikanth's involvement with the classical art form of Bharatanatyam came about in 2012 with his first production - Soul Cages, which he wrote and produced for stage with his wife Savitha Sastry.[3] Soul Cages marked a departure from traditional Bharatanatyam themes of the nayika (the heroine) pining for love or pieces based on Bhakti (Devotion) alone. While the dance itself was based on Bharatanatyam, the production used several effects from theater such as special lighting, use of voiceovers and narratives in the soundtrack, and the use of an original story not based out of Indian mythology or religion.[4] The production was met with critical and popular acclaim. Noted Dance Critic Satish Suri of Narthaki described Soul Cages as "a unique presentation exploring the dichotomy of life and death structured on the imagery and narrative of a story told with the grace and fluidity of classical Bharatanatyam."[5] Ayesha Singh of the Indian Express called it "a renaissance in Bharatanatyam".[6] SD Sharma of Hindustan Times noted, "The magnificence and splendour of Bharatanatyam was brought alive". He further added that the production was "a treat to watch for its innovative trends...a captivating, cohesive dance bonanza".[7] Soul Cages went on to be performed 25 times across India and the United States.[8]
The huge success of Soul Cages was followed up with Yudh in 2013. Like its predecessor, Yudh was also greeted with acclaim by the critics. S.D.Sharma, renowned critic from the Hindustan Times called it a "scintillating solo dance spectacle."[9] A review of Yudh in the Deccan Herald praised it highly with the words "The stunning act was an interesting amalgamation of dance, lights and music, and moved the audience to tears."[10]
Yudh was followed up by two further productions for stage - Prophet (2013) and Chains: Love Stories of Shadows (2015). The Prophet was inspired by the papal resignation of Pope Benedict XVI and was a dark and introspective presentation,[11] while Chains: Love Stories of Shadows was a look at a woman's life in three acts depicting different stages of her life.[12] Both these productions also received widespread acclaim. Critic Lakshmi Ramakrishna of the Channel 6 magazine lauded the production with the words "Savitha and Srikanth have revolutionized Bharatanatyam".[13] Critic Anannya Chaterjee of Absolute India noted in her review that "the audience were seen glued to their seats even after the curtain call".[14] The Times of India recommended the Prophet calling it ‘an enigmatic recital’.[15] Critic Narayana Vishwanath of Indian Express wrote the productions 'delivered the raging and tumultuous tale of bondage with grace and lucidity' and added that the final effect was 'a visual epiphany'.[16] DNA also went on to report that the experience was "Unconventional and thought provoking."[17]
These stage productions have since been performed in over a 100 shows across 14 countries.[18]
Digital years[edit]
Since 2018, Srikanth has focused on making short films showcasing Bharatanatyam and airing them on free to stream digital platforms to take his work to a world audience.[19] Similar to the stage productions, these short films narrate a novel story not based on Indian mythology or religion, on the same lines of popular music videos. The short films have been nominated in over 50 film festivals across the world.[20]
His first release, 'The Descent' was based on the story of a fallen superstar, and dealt with themes of depression.[21] The film, loosely inspired by the life of yesteryears Bollywood Superstar Rajesh Khanna,[22] has been awarded the Best Short Film 2019 at the Calcutta International Cult Film Festival,[23] The Top Shorts Awards, the Near Nazareth Festival and the Best Global Short. It was also nominated at the John Abraham International Short Film Festival, the 5th Jaipur Film World 2021, Venice Film Awards, Cannes Short Film Festival, FilmFest by Rogue Dancer, Open Window International Film Challenge, Concepcion International Film Awards, Mumbai 9th Indian Cine Festival 2021, the 11th Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival 2021, Florence Film Awards, and the First Time Filmmaker Sessions.[24]
2020 and 2021 saw Srikanth releasing his much acclaimed Colors Trilogy. The series of three films was based on the colors of the Indian National Flag - Green, White and Saffron. His stories juxtaposed the ideals behind these colors as envisaged by the Founding Fathers of Indian independence, with the lives of women in modern day India.[25] The first part of the trilogy, Colors: Green is said to have been inspired by the life of his mother.[26] The second part - White is a biographical account of the story of his wife Savitha Sastry's shift from traditional Bharatanatyam to the theme based productions she is famous for.[27] The concluding part Saffron is a dystopian premise that portrays a prison that houses women that are deemed more successful than their men.[28]
The series was hugely acclaimed, with Critics in Business Standard reporting "Writer AK Srikanth's story, while here as a short film, comes to life as it was written. And it is that much richer as an experience for all."[29] DNA reported "The story is a befitting tribute to the strength and courage of a woman" [30]
'Beyond the Rains', his short film based on his own short story The Girl in the Bubble was released on Valentine's Eve in 2022. The film is said to be structured like a Haiku, and is noted for its delicate portrayal of the emotion of love.[31] In June 2022, Savitha and Srikanth released their short film 'Dvija' to critical acclaim. 'Dvija' is based on a short story by Srikanth titled The Shrine, and was inspired by Ueda Akinari's Harusame Monogatari.[32] The release of this film coincided with ten years of his production company.[33] His latest production 'Arangetram' is scheduled for release in September 2022.
September 2022 saw the release of 'Arangetram', a humorous take on the aspirations of the Indian middle class and their dreams. Critic Monika Monalisa of the Indian Express called the film "a breezy family entertainer, a genre that is hard to come by these days"[34] A review by ANI commented that "While this short film centres around the character played by Savitha, every supporting actor also has quirks and eccentricities that makes the whole characterisation believable, and yet joyous." The review went on to add that "This short film is a throwback to the cinema of breezy comedies by stalwarts such as Amol Palekar, Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Basu Chatterjee." [35]
Personal life[edit]
Srikanth is married to Savitha Sastry, the eminent Bharatanatyam Dancer, who is also the lead star in all his stage and digital productions.
Stage productions[edit]
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Music Within | No | No | Yes |
| 2012 | Soul Cages | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2013 | Yudh | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2013 | Prophet: Destiny, Divinity, Doubt | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2015 | Chains: Love Stories of Shadows | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2015 | In God's Country | No | Yes | Yes |
Short Films[edit]
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Chains: Live in Concert | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2019 | Yudh: The Dance Film | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2019 | Prophet: The film | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2019 | The Descent | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2020 | Awakening | Yes | No | Yes |
| 2020 | Aparajita | No | No | Yes |
| 2020 | Colors - Green | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2021 | Colors - White | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2021 | Colors - Saffron | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2022 | Beyond the Rains | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2022 | Dvija | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2022 | Arangetram (Tamil)/ Rangapravesha (Kannada) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Documentaries[edit]
Awards[edit]
The Descent (2019)[36]
- Best Global Shorts: Best Music Video
- Calcutta International Cult Film Festival: Best Music Video
- Near Nazareth Festival: Best Music Video
- Top Shorts: Best Music Video [37]
Colors: Green (2020)
- Calcutta International Cult Film Festival: Best Film on Women
- International Film Festival of Shimla: Best Shorts Fiction
Colors: White (2021)
- 8TH Rosarito International Film Festival: Best Director[38]
- Luis Buñuel Memorial Awards: Best Short
- New York International Film Awards: Best Director
- World Film Carnival Singapore: Best Short
Colors: Saffron (2021)
- Calcutta International Cult Film Festival: Best Short
Beyond the Rains (2022)
- Calcutta International Cult Film Festival: Best Short[39]
- Paris Film Awards: Best Short
- Tokyo Film Awards: Best Asian Film
Dvija (2022)
- 11th Bangalore Short Film Festival: Jury's Award[40]
References[edit]
- ↑ Praveen, Priyanka. (6 August 2012). Breaking free from the mould. Deccan Chronicle.
- ↑ Yasin, Fozia. (27 January 2013). Modern Classics. The Asian Age.
- ↑ "Like a Free Bird" by Nonika Singh, 15 July, 2012, The Tribune.
- ↑ Enchanting Treatment by Ranee Kumar, The Hindu, 10 Aug 2012
- ↑ Soul Cages - An artistic Experience by Satish Suri, Narthaki.com
- ↑ Soul Cages: a renaissance in Bharatanatyam by Ayesha Singh, Indian Express, 9 Dec 2012
- ↑ Savitha Sastry leaves Chandigarh audience awestruck, by SD Sharma, The Hindustan Times, July 2012
- ↑ Bharatanatyam Danseuse Savitha Sastry and AK Srikanth, Writer and Director Mark a Decade of their Bharatanatyam Dance Productions with Beyond the Rains, ANI, 7 February 2022.
- ↑ Sharma, SD (24 February 2013). "Sastry rules audience's hearts". The Hindustan Times – via savithasastry.com.
- ↑ Many sides of an act, Deccan Herald, 15 March 2013
- ↑ 'Angels and Demons' by Dipanita Nath, Indian Express, 12 April 2014
- ↑ 'Poetry in Motion' by Arundhati Pattabhiraman, Deccan Herald, 3 May 2015
- ↑ Destiny’s Dance, by Lakshmi Ramakrishna, Channel 6 Magazine, November 2013 ed.
- ↑ Dancing to the Music of Gods, by Anannya Chatterjee, Absolute India, 9 November 2013
- ↑ See The Prophet, Times of India listing, 9 November 2013.
- ↑ Telling the tale of Womanhood, Indian Express, 9 March 2015.
- ↑ Savitha's Latest Solo Dance Theatre an Ode to Women, DNA, 5 February 2015.
- ↑ Bharatanatyam Danseuse Savitha Sastry and AK Srikanth, Writer and Director Mark a Decade of their Bharatanatyam Dance Productions with Beyond the Rains ANI PR, Print.in
- ↑ "Storytelling through dance" by Krupa Joseph, Deccan Herald, 20 October 2020
- ↑ 'Bharatanatyam Danseuse Savitha Sastry and AK Srikanth, Writer and Director Mark a Decade of their Bharatanatyam Dance Productions with Beyond the Rains' Business Standard, 7 February 2022
- ↑ 'Why this neuroscientist changed her career to perform and teach Bharatanatyam for free' by Roshni Chakrabarty,India Today, 10 November 2020
- ↑ 'Bharatanatyam Danseuse Savitha Sastry and AK Srikanth, Writer and Director Mark a Decade of their Bharatanatyam Dance Productions with Beyond the Rains' Business Standard, 7 February 2022
- ↑ Neuroscientist and Dancer Savitha Sastry Is Giving Bharatanatyam a Digital Makeover" by Manvi Pant, eShe 13 December, 2020.
- ↑ "Awards List"
- ↑ "Chasing ideals one dance at a time" Indian Express, 22 November 2020
- ↑ 'A film about dreams and aspirations of women' by Shilpa SR, The Hindu, 25 September 2020
- ↑ 'Indian Bharatanatyam dancer Savitha Sastry on dance film 'Colors: White' & more' by Zeba Khan, WION News, 4 June 2021
- ↑ Saffron' completes 'Colours' dance film trilogy of Srikanth, Savitha Sastry' IANS, Sify.com, 1 September 2021
- ↑ "The Award Winning Trilogy "Colors" culminates on Independence Day with its third part Colors: Saffron" Business Standard, 10 August 2021.
- ↑ "Savitha Sastry gets lauded for her performance in short film ‘Colors: Saffron’" DNA, 8 September, 2021.
- ↑ "Capturing the tenderness of a dew drop about to fall from a leaf" by Vishnu Makhijani, IANS, 6 March, 2022.
- ↑ 'In search of selfless love' Indian Express, 28 June 2022.
- ↑ 'A short film about god, man and relationships' The Hindu, 2 June, 2022.
- ↑ 'Unfinished Goals' by Monika Monalisa, Indian Express, 15th September 2022.
- ↑ 'Danseuse Savitha Sastry and Director AK Srikanth release their 8th production Arangetram (The Debut)' ANI News, 7 September, 2022.
- ↑ "Awards Page"
- ↑ [1] IMDB Page
- ↑ 'Finding her own truth' Indian Express, 17 May 2021
- ↑ "Calcutta International Cult Film Festival 2022"
- ↑ "11th Bangalore Short Film Festival"
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