Ahead of the launch of her new biography on Astad Deboo, author Ketu Katrak reveals the challenges of writing a book on a close friend, a unique artiste and a pioneer extraordinaire
Astad Deboo with performers from the Salaam Baalak Trust during the production of Unbroken, Unbowed. Pics Courtesy/Ritam Banerjee
In 2020, when he opened the performance of Unbroken, Unbowed in Delhi, the late Astad Deboo remarked on the quote by Mahatma Gandhi, ‘It is easier to stand with the crowd, but it takes courage to stand alone’. While it is simpler to attribute the phrasing to the production with the Salaam Balak Trust, reading Ketu Katrak’s latest biography on the Padma Shri-awardee — Astad Deboo: An Icon of Contemporary Indian Dance (Seagull Books) — offers a deeper context, one that Astad Deboo lived by.
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“It [the book] was really a labour of love since he was a dear friend as well as an artiste I had admired,” shares Katrak over a phone call. Professor emerita of drama at the University of California, Katrak’s insight adds layers to the biography. “I co-edited a special edition on contemporary dance for Marg [the magazine] with him in 2016. That was when he planted the seed of me writing a book about him,” she recalls. The journey took over four years though before it came into fruition, despite the passing of Deboo and the COVID-19 pandemic interrupting it.
Ketu Katrak
As Katrak says, it was a challenge to get the balance right. “I wanted it to be a scholarly look at the performer, and not just an anecdotal recall,” she says. In that sense, Deboo’s humanism and curiosity towards life, and the search for new languages in dance are part of the same story.
This is most apparent in the recollections of the choreographer’s friends and peers. Katrak admits as much, saying, “In that, he was extremely unique in accepting people on their own terms. A friend recalled how, if Astad felt you were depressed, he would call you every day to make sure you were okay. Even Hema Rajagopalan, a classical dancer based in Chicago, lovingly shared the moments of Astad calling to check in on her father’s health.”
Astad Deboo in front of Anish Kapoor’s The Bean in Chicago
Whether it is the unforgettable performance of Broken Pane — shaped by a visit to a rehabilitation centre for drug addicts in Canada — or working with hearing-impaired performers from the Clarke School for the Deaf, and the Salaam Balak Trust, Deboo’s productions reflect this sensitive nature. “The humanity drove him, but the craft was his own. The other thing was that while the dancers imbibed Astad’s choreography, which was quite challenging, he never imposed his style on any of them. They all recalled him as an amazing mentor, an almost father-like-figure who taught them about more than just dance,” she notes.
As lovely as the anecdotes of Deboo’s friendship, humanity and love for food is — “He was called refrigerator by friends since he would make a beeline for the fridge every time he visited,” chuckles Katrak — the book is also detailed on the technical aspects.
Deboo in a crane-motif costume, designed by Ashdeen Lilaowala
The author’s previous work on South African contemporary performer, Jay Pather, must have prepared her for this project. But the artistes were different, she notes. Deboo’s thirst for knowledge stands out. From learning with Martha Graham and working with Alison Becker Chase of Pilobolus Dance Theatre to incorporating the Kabuki form from Japan, it was a journey of evolution. “He would pick what suited his body, and discard the rest,” Katrak says.
Katrak is also sensitive in her approach of the subject of Deboo’s struggle with his identity as an individual from the Parsi community exploring dance, a gay man in India in the early 1970s, and as a performer exploring a new language. This, the author observes, was the lonely part of the journey for Astad Deboo. “He struggled to evolve his own style over the years. In the early works, he would choose the leotards and unitards and it was not always well-received on the Indian stage. He was recognised late in life; and the struggle was constant,” she informs us.
Astad shares a lighthearted moment with sisters Kamal (centre) and Gulshan (right). Pics Courtesy/Deboo Family
Underneath it all, lies the story of a man and his need to communicate. “When speaking about his most difficult performances, Astad would tell me that he wanted the audience to feel the pain, to empathise with what he was going through in those moments. His goal was always to communicate and empathise while giving the audience a thrill. Even with his famous chakkars, you were at the edge of your seat — out of concern, love and wonder,” Katrak concludes. We can hardly disagree.
ON December 10; 5.30 pm
AT Kitab Khana, ground floor, Somaiya Bhavan, Fort.
FREE
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