Anil Kumar Singh : “I Had Nobody To Explain Or Make Me Know More About The Dance”

Accomplished Bharata Natyam and Rabindrik Nritya performer, actor, and choreographer Anil Kumar Singh has more than a thousand performances to his credit both as a soloist and lead dancer in a career that spans for more than a decade both in India and abroad.. He is privileged to be the disciple of veterans in the field like Guru Rajee Narayan, Anupam Kher and Dr Tushar Guha. In an exclusive interview with VIJAY SHANKER, Anil Kumar Singh talks about his varied experiences as a performer, actor and much more.

How were you initiated to dance?
“I feel happy, energized & spiritual contented when I am involved in performing arts. My motive is to enthral the audience with my captivating performances merge with the Supreme almighty” I have been fascinated with performing art since the age of five, the body dynamics, colorful costume, beautiful facial expression of artist, and the personality gesture attracted & infatuated me to the field of performing arts and dance in specific. I use to watch classical dance performances on Doordarshan from the tender age. In fact, I used to try imitating the artist’s hands & facial gestures without knowing or understanding anything about it. Since, I belong to a business family, I had nobody to explain or make me know more about the dance but, I was very curious to know and learn about classical dance. The curiosity grew day by day.

Which dance style fascinated you more & why?
This very thirst and passion for classical dance, introduced me to one of the oldest and the finest Indian classical dance form – Bharata Natyam. Truly speaking few of my friends use to go to learn Bharatnatyam at a very renowned & reputed institution of performing arts – Nrityanjali, Bhandup (W). With the help of those friends and the interest of gaining knowledge & learning I got path to fulfil my desire. It boosted me to learn Bharatnatyam at Nrityanjali, under the tutelage of very joyful Guru Late Shri Jatinderpal Singh Bansal. & with the continue learning & performance under his able guidance I received Visharad in Bharatnatyam from Gandharva Mahavidyalaya. The rhythmic and specific pattern of movements, the dimensions and geometry of dance caught my attention and focus towards the Nritta of dance & desire of knowing more about it, theoretical & practical knowledge in Bharatnatyam from the veteran Guru Smt Rajee Narayan & Guru Smt Sumitra Rajguru. With god’s grace & my heartfelt wish I was fortunate enough to be selected by performing art committee in Nrityanjali to learn Indian Folk /Western dances and Rabindrik dance form at the age of eleven years from the multidimensional personality & dance Guru Dr. Tushar Guha who is the founder of Nrityanjali..

Did your family support you?
My parents, my wife, my family relatives in spite of being from industrialist/ business field/ Indian Army Navy, Air Force background (which is just opposite to performing arts with respect to behavioural science), they always motivated me & supported me to explore my wishes & work towards dreams to achieve. I try my best whenever possible to spend some quality time with my daughter, my wife and my parents, In my life of thirty six years I have realised & understood that my family has always been my biggest & better support, source of motivation, inspiration in any situation more effectively than anybody with whom I have shared the beautiful moments or hard time of my life.

Is dance your personal choice or hereditary?
Well frankly speaking my father being an industrialist must have never assumed that “Beta bada hokar Indian Classical/Folk Dance performer Banega” but I pursued it because I love & feel joyous when I am in performing arts activity & as I said earlier my father is an industrialist and we have business to look after so I personally have not relied on performing arts for materialistic need. I am evolving day by day in performing arts field with respect to learning, knowledge, performances, exposure to new dimensions etc of it and I love the process. I think time will answer whether my children will like/love to pursue the same as me or they will be happy in something else. I must tell you that my one more new & very cute audience member is my three and half year old daughter who love watching me performing on stage or doing some dance movements. I feel blessed by God & my daughter as gift to me by the supreme almighty.

Share your experience with your mentor?
I must mention that I have been fortunate enough to learn Bharatnatyam from a very joyous/ and a nice human being/ excellent Guru Late Shri Jitendra Pal Bansal disciple of renowned classical Bharatnatyam dance exponent & Guru Smt Rajee Narayan Ji. He was with full of happiness. He taught me the essence of the dance style and always use to say” Don’t let the outer noise effect your inner peace of mind otherwise your creativity/ artist in you will get influenced negatively. I am still practising it. Bansal Sir later recommended me to do my further training in classical art form from Guru Smt Rajee narayan Ji. My traning in Indian folk/Western dances and Rabindrik Nritya was under the tutelage of a Guru Dr Tushar Guha, Founder of Nrityanjali Institute of Performing Arts, Education, Personality Development & Management Services, Chairman and trustee at Nrityanjali. He helped me to enhance my talent in connecting human emotions and dance through a natural flow of dance movements & dramatic theory. His session of teaching was not only limited to performing arts but also to help student to evolve day by day to become a better human being with love, care & share nature. His strong & multi dimension personality has inspired me from tendar age of 11. I remember his one of the favourite song of Guru Rabindra Nath Tagore “Jodi tor dak shune keu na ashe tobe ekla cholo re!” Which he mentioned and taught us the same. I think Sir has always helped me to do self introspection and become better human being/ Artist with the positivity feelings to explore real world or Performing Arts. My training in Indian cinema acting happened under the world acclaimed Indian Actor Guru Anupam Kher in his established acting school “Actor Prepares”. From his learning I could identify the intricate & fine difference between facial & body gesture of an Actor on stage live or when camera rolling. I am honoured & blessed to have them as my Guru in performing arts & mentors in life.

What was your most memorable experience?
I have learned a lot from all of my esteemed Guru’s “With the blessing & opportunity of exposure for me by My Guru Dr Tushar Guha I performed in prestigious events viz: , Kala Ghoda Arts Festival, Uttaranchal Festival, Kallu Dussehra Festival Etc & at international levels such as – Indian India Varian Festival- Switzerland, ITB Berline etc. Most memorable experience was with Presentation of Geet Ramayana in visual form on stage with my characterization as Lord Rama casted by Tushar Guha Sir during the celebration of the Golden Jubilee year of Geet Ramayana organized by BJP Leader Shri Vinod ji Tawde in the year 2008 at Sivaji park, Dadar, A crowd of 45000 spectators actually felt as if they have been blessed by Lord Rama. That was one of the very emotional days for me with loads of inner joy & happiness to share with my Guru & respected co artist. I was also happy & elated to perform the character of Lysander in Shakespeare plays Midsummer Night’s Dream, directed under the guidance of veteran Anupam Kher.

What inspires you to Dance?
Our India is known for its rich & exclusive culture/heritage. We get so much knowledge from text like Abhinaya Darpana, Natya Shatra. High influence of Indian traditions, culture and mythology through family evoked me to study and internalize characters from Mythology and Indian folklore through dance (performing arts). This study with practical inputs, stage craft and exposure helped me to Dance with some characterisation. Also positive aura of performing artist, I also feel inspired when I see beautiful paintings and sculptures.

Your experience of performance in Classical/ Indian Folk/ Rabindrik Nritya and Dance Drama?
With the experience of performance of Indian folk dance, dance dramas and bandish of classical dance helped me to understanding the highlights and peculiarities of performances and with constant practice, exposure & association with many such stalwarts /personalities of performing arts field like – Guru Sumitra Rajguru, Guru Sucheta Chapekar, Guru Moli Siddharth, Guru Rajashree Shrike I could do Bharatnatyam duet performance, portray on stage lead characters of Arjuna (Chitrangada/ A Dance Drama of Rabindra Nath Tagor) Vaalmiki (Vaalmiki Pratibha/ Rabindra Nath Tagors Dance Drama.), Krishna ( Geet Govind) , Iska Boner Gulam (Tasher Desh), Bojroshen (Shyama), Mayar Khela Also Presentation of Rabindrik Nritya on very popular song “Anondo loke mongola loke..” khoro bayu boy bege” etc and leads in very popular production Kuhukini, Chaitanya Maha Prabhu of Guru Dr Tushar, Nrityanjali., to name few. I performed in over 1000 stage shows across India and abroad, I am open to experimentation and challenges for the sake of art and its joy I gather.

What is your future plans & aspirations?
I feel happy, energized & spiritual contented when I am involved in performing arts in any ways via dance presentations or putting forth the event of dance presentations. The Fact that there is an immense pleasure & contentment that I get within & it moves me to become one with the supreme via performing art that I love, perform. It also helps me to nurture, add-on to make the prospectus of it much wider & interesting for the mass. I am looking forward to perform many classical dance Bharata Natyam solo/ duet, Rabindrik Nritya & leads in Dance Drama, thematic presentation etc. I am also looking for the possibility and strives to explore the probability of associations, collaboration and exposure that will help me not only grow as an artiste but also help me evolve as a better refined human being and be capable enough to offer new talents across to explore their potentials without being made to struggle the hard way because I feel there is an Art in every human being & one must explore it, polish it with the help of the great Gurus of Art & try becoming one with it & trust me the world will become much better place to live.”

Which role is the most important, Son/ Father or Business man or teacher?
I think all three roles are inter-related & essence of each role is dignified & justified by other. I feel a successful business man who is a proud father of a son sets an example to a son as what are the do & don’ts of life & as how to win over all the obstacles of the world & be successful with strong reliable wings. My father is my role model & My mother; My wife & My daughter are my valued inspiration in life to win wisely.