She owned the stage

(From left) Shraddha Shakuntala Nagarkar, Shakuntala Nagarkar, Pushpa Satarkar, and Gauri Manjarekar at a show in Kothrud, Pune, in 2022. Pics Courtesy/B Spot Productions

The mood was light; the audience appeared cheery with what was about to unravel on stage. I was at a Lavani performance at Prithvi nearly eight-nine years ago, to watch Shakuntala Nagarkar weave her magic on stage and to witness the folk art form that she and her fellow artistes were to present in an urban milieu.

I was seated in one of the first few rows by the stage, and boy! I was glad that I chose wisely, given Prithvi Theatre's interactive design plan, and the engagement that is integral with these Lavani shows. Unbeknownst to me, Prithvi's main man, Kunal Kapoor was seated in the row behind mine. The show began, the cheers grew louder, and ‘Shakubai' was in her element. The senior pro's enthusiasm was infectious, and even a novice to the understandings of this art form, like yours truly, could gauge how her co-artistes were feeding off that energy. The script, performed in Hindi and Marathi, for the mixed audience was a delight, drawing in everyone, across age groups and backgrounds.

Shakuntalabai's eye connect with practically every member in the audience was worth being there to witness, let alone her bindaas banter that elicited guffaws and chuckles all around, to a point where even the otherwise low-key Kapoor had a brief hilarious exchange, in response to a quip about the male gaze. It was a laugh riot, peppered with the right balance of risqué and good ole' fashioned classic humour. All in a healthy, fun atmosphere with no discomfort, where you'd spot audiences exchange awkward glances. However, beyond the laughter, it was the icon's deft dance moves and extraordinary display of her craft that bowled us over. Age was just a number for the veteran as she matched the others, step for step, note for note, in the narrative-song-dance spectacle.

The news of her demise due to cancer last week was met with sadness by many of her fans, myself included. Thanks to the nature of the job, we've previewed her shows in this newspaper over the years, thereby discovering how her extraordinary body of work took shape, mostly against the odds.

Hers was an awe-inspiring journey. For years, the folk art form has been looked down upon, often through a judgemental lens. It traces its roots to the 18th century, so one can imagine the challenges that Nagarkar, and her tribe would have had to navigate in the early days of having to find their feet, quite literally. Sneers, stares, societal taboos… it was part of her initial struggle, she'd reveal in interviews. It obviously toughened her resolve over the past five decades to keep the form alive, and yes, ensure that Lavani is appreciated beyond villages and semi-rural venues, in the bright lights of the big cities.

Shakuntalabai grew up in the Bhatu Kolhati community and learnt the folk art form from her mother, Chhabu Bai Nagarkar. She credited her mother for nudging her to learn Kathak, to assist her footwork. She gave her first performance in 1972 in her mother's troupe, and eventually formed her troupe (or ‘party' as the correct parlance goes) in 1981. Sakhi Majhi Lavani, and later, Dholkichya Talwar, remain some of her groundbreaking shows.

Her presence in Mumbai as part of a Lavani festival last year with B Spot Productions, guiding participants through workshops was one of our last full dekkos of the diva in her element. She popularised the folk art form, and travelled far and wide with her contemporaries and mentees, to showcase it to diverse audiences.

As recently as last month, a Lavani festival was organised to honour Shakuntalabai. Confidantes and close friends revealed that she was in high spirits till the end, much like her stage persona: show-stopping, ballsy, and with her pulse on the audience.

Her Sangeet Natak Akademi Award was the highlight in terms of recognition of her contribution to the art form. She upheld that faith and donned the responsibility by emerging as Lavani's first true ambassador. Here's hoping that her contemporaries and protégés step in, not only to keep her spirit and legacy alive but to also chart new terrain by introducing Lavani to fresher audiences across India and the world, and break barriers along the way.

mid-day's Features Editor Fiona Fernandez relishes the city's sights, sounds, smells and stones...wherever the ink and the inclination takes her. She tweets @bombayana

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