Some stories need to be told cinematically and when we take up these narratives with fervent passion, it makes the subject matter come alive,” says filmmaker Beenu Rajpoot who recently showcased her film Born to Dance – A glimpse into the life of a dancer at India International Centre.
Based on the life and journey of renowned Kathak guru Shovana Narayan, the film, she says, is a tribute to the iconic performer. “Shovana didi is a classical example of a true multifaceted, successful and dynamic personality. Her life and her works have made her a role model for many generations. The younger generation looks up to emulate her as she has set high standards and has been a trendsetter in more ways than one,” adds Rajpoot.
Rajpoot, who was just a 10-year-old when she started watching Narayan’s performances on television, mentions that her dance always “moves” her. “Her personification of elegance, sensitivity and grace, combined with her creativity, talent and determination, was something that one cannot help but notice. She has been serving the nation since five decades. And the most important part of her dance is that every production of hers is thought-provoking,” the 36-year-old tells Metrolife.
Capturing panoramic vistas of the dancer’s life, including her career as a civil servant, Rajpoot has documented several uncharted territories that the Padma Shri recipient has treaded. “We all know that she is a brilliant dancer, in fact, she is the first female dancer who is so educated. Yet after becoming a bureaucrat, she never gave up on her dance. Besides being a celebrated choreographer, she is also a keen researcher, writer, a silent social worker, and a lovely human being. My film was an attempt to cover all these aspects,” says Rajpoot.
The 41-minute documentary took one-and-half-years in making. “I have been shooting her programmes for the last two years. So the old footage used in the film is from her personal collection and few are from Doordarshan archives. And for old photographs, I took the help of dance photographers Avinash Pasricha and Ashwani Chopra,” informs Rajpoot who is also a fashion designer and photographer.
Sharing what inspires her about Narayan, she says, “There are so many incidents related to didi’s commitment which inspire me; one of the most significant was a dance programme organised by a NGO where she was supposed to dance. But the day before the event, she was admitted to the hospital as she was suffering from 104 fever and the doctor strictly told her not to go anywhere for a minimum of five-six days. But the next day, she went on the stage and performed in 102 fever with a glucose needle on her hand. That was a very touching moment for me,” recalls the filmmaker.
Changing gears, Rajpoot mentions that while growing up in Punjab, she was always fascinated by both films and fashion designing, and later decided to take them up as careers – an unconventional move for a girl in the region.
She came to Delhi in 1999 for further studies in fashion and filmmaking and settled in the city. “After finishing my diplomas, I settled down in the city. Filmmaker Mike H Pandey, and photographer O P Sharma were my gurus. These two have had a very important role to play in my life,” says Rajpoot.
It was on, wildlife and environment filmmaker, Pandey’s encouragement that Rajpoot decided to foray into filmmaking. “I have been inspired with Mike’s work from childhood. He is genius filmmaker. He encouraged me to jump into films from still photography. With his guidance and due to my interest in Indian art and culture, I took up filmmaking,” adds Rajpoot, whose next projects will be on Ghalib, and Benaras.
On documentary filmmaking, she says, “For me, shooting a documentary is the most interesting way of seeing the world and telling a story. The potential for exploration, collaboration and creativity is much greater with the documentary. And powerful storytelling can help shed that boring tag attached to it.”