7th century Sanskrit drama Bhagavadajjukam (Bhagavata: Sadhu; Ajjuka: Vaishya) – is one of the oldest surviving works in Sanskrit theatre. is celebrated as an excellent example of farce Or farce, it is full of witty exchanges on religion and shifting absurdities, as the spirits of the yogi and the prostitute switch bodies – leaving the other characters confused by chaos they cannot understand.

The translation of this ancient story into English is found as follows yogi vs bhogiDirected by Mahesh Dattani and staged by Punaaha Theatre. Mahesh’s retelling examines the complexities of gender – its expression, perception, spectrum and stereotypes – with humor and catharsis. This production combines the physicality of contemporary theater with the traditional dance-drama of Yakshagana, creating a performance where classical text and rhythm seamlessly meet.

yogi vs bhogi

| Video Credit: Punaaha Theater

It is in this world that actor Abhinav Grover’s journey as a yogi begins. Born in Haryana to Punjabi parents, raised in Rajasthan, and later moved to Udupi, Karnataka during his studies at Manipal Institute of Technology, he saw theater as a stronger vocation than engineering. He explains how destiny attracted him towards Kannada and Yakshagana.

“During my college years in Manipal I got into theater and got hooked. After studying, I moved to drama school Mumbai, which was eye-opening. I had amazing teachers who said: ‘Don’t think you’ve become an actor; you’re now a lifelong student of acting and always keep learning.’

The moment where the ascetic’s body is taken over by the prostitute’s spirit, turning him into a vessel of chaos and desire. Photo Credit: Courtesy: Punahou Theater

“At drama school Mumbai, I struggled to connect with Western physical theatre, unable to understand its language. Neeraj Kabi was one of my teachers. He chose to work with a module on epic theater where he used Bharatanatyam and Odissi for direction. small village. For the play, he collaborated with Yakshagana teacher Sanjeev Suvarna, who later became my mentor. I found it difficult to express emotion through dance or movement.”

Then the conversation with Neeraj Kabi became an important turning point in Abhinav’s life. “When I introduced myself I told him I was from Udupi, but didn’t know anything about Kannada or Yakshagana. He asked me, ‘You have been there for so many years, still not experienced its art and culture?’ That comment stuck with me. Till then I thought that being a contemporary actor, I would not need to learn other art forms. That’s when I realized why I wasn’t able to express myself through movement. I returned to Udupi and immersed myself in learning Yakshagana at Yakshagana Kendra Udupi and Yaksha Sanjeev Yakshagana Center for seven years.

Abhinav is practicing at Yakshagana Centre, Udupi. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Living in a Gurukul brought with it many challenges. “Mornings and evenings were spent in Yakshagana training, while days were dedicated to work in college. Learning Yakshagana was transformative, although I started late – at the age of 21. I felt like giving up after a month because I didn’t understand the rhythm or the language. Credit goes to my guru who refused to give me up, saying ‘The rhythm is in the heart – when the heart is beating, how can there be no rhythm?’ He started talking to me in Hindi and told me that language should not be a barrier in learning any art.”

Soon, months turned to years, “My body began to adapt, the mind began to accept, I adjusted to Gurukul life. At first, the early morning-discipline seemed impossible, its repetition numbing. Yet Guruji’s unspoken rule revealed the discipline as a holistic path – Yakshagana is total theater – training in voice, singing and acting. Food was cooked communally, guest teachers would come on Sundays. The Gurukul was an oasis where The art was absorbed as much as it was taught and I also gradually learned to speak Kannada,” shares Abhinav.

By 2017, he moved back to Mumbai and continued working there until 2020. His first big celluloid break came with this. rocket boysAfter railway man KK Menon and R. With Madhavan, where he played the character of Adil. then came Superboys of Malegaon, two hemispheres of Luccaand most recently ace With Akshaye Khanna and Sunny Deol.

Abhinav in a scene from Superboys in Malegaon Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Coming back to Udupi during Covid, he co-founded Punaaha Theater with Venu Madhav Bhatt, staging Harold Pinter. keeper and now yogi vs bhogi. With time, he not only mastered Yakshagana but also started directing and acting in Kannada plays. This journey now finds its expression yogi vs bhogiWhere Abhinav plays the role of Yogi – a role that resonates with his transformation from a hesitant student to a disciplined artiste, symbolizing an ascetic whose soul swaps with that of a prostitute. “In yogi vs bhogiI also speak some dialogues in Kannada. Despite being an English play, yogi vs bhogi All its songs and some dialogues are in Kannada. It was important to retain them to maintain cultural resonance,” says Abhinav, who also directed his first Kannada play – Girish Karnad. agni matatu male – Containing Yakshagana.

The actor was also a part of an anthology called Kannada muru small
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

yogi vs bhogi Combines masculinity and femininity, humor and philosophical depth, speaking together on metaphorical and existential levels. The production brings together Mumbai talent – ​​Abhijeet Singh, Aryan Tandon, Rishabh Kanti and Anjana Aluwalia – with actors from Udupi and Abhinav himself. Together, they create a layered performance that blends languages ​​and traditions without losing any coherence. Yakshagana is used to portray the character of Yama, while Kalari marks shape the character of the snake. Although the play is staged in English, the play seems deeply rooted in the local culture. Mahesh Dattani also uses silence as a powerful tool of humour.

As for Abhinav, he is keen to explore other diverse folk forms of Karnataka and incorporate them into his plays. At the moment, he is making the best of both worlds, screen and theatre.

yogi vs bhogiIt will be staged at Jagriti, Whitefield, Bengaluru on May 23. Visit Jagruti’s home page for details and tickets.

published – May 11, 2026 07:44 PM IST