In a proud moment for Singapore’s classical arts community, SIFAS Productions – the production arm of the Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society (SIFAS) – returned to India’s prestigious Kalakshetra Foundation with its original Bharatanatyam production Putran – The Rising Son.
Presented at the iconic Bharata Kalakshetra Auditorium in Chennai as part of Kalakshetra’s Annual Arts Festival, the production featured seven home-grown Singaporean artistes and a Singapore-Chennai musical ensemble.
This marked SIFAS Productions’ second appearance on the Kalakshetra stage in 2025, following their earlier presentation, The Universal Balance – Harihara, in September.
As the only international group invited to perform at the festival’s current edition, its participation underscored the rising prominence of Singapore-based Indian classical arts on the global stage.
Founded in 1936 by Rukmini Devi Arundale, Kalakshetra Foundation is widely considered the Mecca of classical Indian dance and music. Performing at its annual festival is a hallmark of artistic excellence, with the institution setting exacting standards in Bharatanatyam, Carnatic music, and other arts forms.
Attended by over 500 people, the Dec 24 performance drew a distinguished audience, including Kalakshetra Foundation Director Suresh Chikkala, filmmakers Muhammad Ali and Suresh Menon, renowned Bharatanatyam exponent Anjana Anand, veteran mridangam artist T.R. Sundaresan, and senior Kalakshetra professors like P.T. Narendran.
Putran – The Rising Son, conceptualised and choreographed by Guru P.N. Vikas, explored six iconic sons from Indian mythology – Ganesha, Krishna, Karna, Hanuman, Rama, and Buddha – through the emotional lens of their mothers.
Themes of destiny, sacrifice, devotion, and spiritual awakening were brought alive through Bharatanatyam, supported by powerful ensemble music and narration.
The production’s script and narration, penned by Guru Lalitha Venketasubramanian, added a reflective depth to the performance. “Each character beautifully exemplified the values and significance of a son through the lens of a mother,” noted veteran percussionist Sundaresan.
The cast featured a blend of SIFAS faculty and alumni: Lalitha, K.H. Haritha, P.K. Geethanadhan, Sreeliji Arun, and Vikas, alongside alumni such as Devika Menon, Dhiptha Desigan, Janaki Nair, Lekha Shri Kumar, and Maanasa Sri Ganesh. The music ensemble included Singapore-based artistes across vocals, violin, flute, veena, and percussion.
Guru Sitaravamma Sandrasegaren, a senior Bharatanatyam tutor at SIFAS and a former Kalakshetra teacher, remarked: “The musicians, all home-grown talents from Singapore, make this achievement especially meaningful.”
Nandini Nagaraj, assistant professor at Kalakshetra, said: “The portrayal of Buddha was an amazing conclusion to this wonderful show. The Krishna segment, especially the varnam and trikala jathis, stood out.”
Reflecting on the performance, SIFAS Productions’ executive director Menaka Gopalan said: “This presentation is both an artistic and cultural exchange, highlighting the continuity and transformation of tradition across generations and geographies.”
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31 Dec 2025 18:27
