Bengaluru-based theater group Prabhat Kalavidaru was the first troupe of its kind in South India, says Harish Prabhat, managing director and grandson of Harikatha Vidwan Gopinath Das, who used pre-recorded music in his performances in the 1960s, who founded the troupe. According to him, Gopinath Das, “received a lot of opposition from many theater stalwarts for not using live music.”

But they fought and now it’s all ready for presentation Shri Ram wait, An acclaimed dance ballet based on Valmiki Ramayanawhich premiered in 1988 and has since been performed over 500 times.

Produced by Gobrahma, Shri Ram Pratiksha is a story told from multiple perspectives, highlighting the patience of characters like Ahalya, Sita and Hanuman, reflecting their perspective in relation to the lead figure Ram.

Roopa Doraswamy, founder of Gobrahma, compared the performance to a story about three men watching an elephant in a dark room. “And someone thinks it’s a stick, someone thinks it’s a tree,” she explains, “That’s what the show is trying to say: considering different perspectives.”

The ballet, which combines elements of more traditional Indian dance forms, has evolved since its inception in 1988, and although the core choreography remains the same, aspects such as lighting and framing have been adjusted to suit a more modern palette. For example, this presentation will feature English subtitles. “This particular show has not been organized as a ticketed performance for the public for over 15 years,” says Roopa.

Harish, who is responsible for the technical direction of the play, explains that his troupe is adept at adapting the costumes of its various characters to their canonical nature. “Not everyone follows the same style, be it costumes or choreography,” he explains, adding that the upcoming performance will also include many new faces. The performance will include music by Vijaya Raghava Rao as well as dance choreography by Udupi Lakshminarayanacharya and Hema Prabhat.

Shri Ram Pratiksha will be performed on July 18 at Chowdiah Memorial Hall. Tickets are priced between ₹499 to ₹2500.