Astad Deboo, a pioneer of modern dance in India, died in Mumbai on Thursday at the age of 73. He had been diagnosed with cancer in November.
Deboo was an exponent of Kathak and Kathakali, but was best known and loved for promoting fusion dance that broke down barriers of style, culture, and nationality. He was one of the first Indians to do so.
The dancer is survived by his sisters, Kamal Deboo and Gulshan Deboo.
“He left us in the early morning of December 10… after a short illness, bravely endured. He leaves behind a formidable legacy of unforgettable performances combined with an unwavering dedication to his art, equaled only by his huge and loving heart that won him thousands of friends and a host of fans, ”his family said in a statement posted online.
Astad Deboo was always ahead of its time, Leela Samson, a friend and luminary of Bharatanatyam, told HT on Thursday. “Going back 50 years, I would say that I was a shy person. He carved out a very personal and lonely journey because he was the first among contemporary dancers in the country. Even there he did not follow any Western norm. He did his job his way. Whether in his disguises or with his Sufi dervishes, he used his body in a very own way. “
He was the type of person who always kept in touch, she added. “We have a lot in common. He was a boy from Bombay. I was a girl from Bombay. And we were not from traditional dancing families. When we spoke a week ago, he seemed to be in control. He was in a positive frame of mind until the end.”
Born on July 13, 1947 in Navsari, Gujarat, Deboo studied Kathak with Prahlad Das and later Kathakali with EK Pannicker. At age 20, she studied Martha Graham’s dance technique in London and Jose Limon’s technique in New York.
He is said to have performed in more than 70 countries, in solo, group and collaborative performances. His is a legacy filled with extraordinary moments: a casual performance with Pink Floyd in London in 1969, a commission from Pierre Cardin, who was asked to choreograph a piece for Maya Plisetskaya, prima ballerina of the Bolshoi ballet company. He performed at the Great Wall of China, the Guruvayur Temple in Kerala, and the National Gallery of Modern Art in Delhi.
“He did not live in a bubble. He was a person who cared about others. He lived with honesty and conviction, ”said Malavika Sarukkai, an exponent of Bharatanatyam, referring to her work with deaf children.
He founded The Astad Deboo Dance Foundation in 2002 to provide opportunities and creative training for underserved street children and provide artistic development for deaf dancers.
Deboo received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1995 for her contribution to contemporary creative dance. He received the Padma Shri in 2007.
He choreographed films several times, including for Vishal Bhardwaj’s Omkara (2006) and legendary painter MF Hussain’s 2004 film Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities.
“His support for young artists was remarkable. I would frequently come to the NCPA to observe senior and junior artists, attend workshops and discussions, ”said Swapnokalpa Dasgupta, head of dance programming at the National Center for the Performing Arts, Mumbai.
Sarukkai recalled an incident from many years ago, a testament to Deboo’s warmth. “I was performing in London and my light designer had not obtained his visa. The show was at the South Bank and it was a major premiere, ”he said. And Astad was there. He came in and saw my essay, made furious notes on a slip of paper. And he said, ‘Don’t worry Malavika, go ahead, I’ll do everything I can for the lights.’ And it was quite unforgettable, because he was there for me. He was always next to his friends. “
Dasgupta describes him as “such a loving and impartial old man, such a generous and sensitive loving soul.” “My prayers for his family and friends,” Dasgupta said. “As for our dance community, this loss is irreparable.”
According to Padma Alva, an old friend of Deboo and a former PTI journalist, her funeral was a private matter due to COVID-19 restrictions.
“The funeral was held here in Worli at 11 am. It was a private funeral due to COVID restrictions. So only immediate family members were present, ”Alva said.
Deboo stands out for creating a modern dance vocabulary that was uniquely Indian. He once said that there was a time when most Indians viewed his style as “too western”, while Westerners discovered that it was “not Indian enough.”
His innovative style of Indian dance may have attracted attention in the 1970s and 1980s, but in the 1990s people adopted this new language. Recalling their bond of more than four decades, Alva said he has lost a “lifelong friend.” Astad called me a few days ago to say goodbye.
We were in contact every day until Monday when it sank, never to rise again. I lost a 45-year-old friend, a lifelong friend, ”Alva said.
Actor Anupam Kher took to Twitter to pay tribute to the dance icon and wrote that Deboo’s art would be missed.
“The world of modern dance has lost a pioneer and India has lost a cultural treasure. Dear #AstadDeboo, it was a privilege to meet you. He will miss your art, your warm personality, and your infectious smile! Rest in peace, my friend! # OmShanti, ”Kher said.
Filmmaker Nandita Das said Deboo still had a lot of dancing to do. “Too sad. I knew and admired him since I was a child. You still had so much to offer #AstadDeboo I have lost too many loved ones this year, ”Das wrote.
Describing Deboo as an “inexhaustible source of talent”, musical composer Ehsaan Noorani tweeted that the dancer was a man “who pushed the dimensions of dance.” Casting director Tess Joseph said that Deboo was not only a generous person, but a “visionary and impressive dancer.” “” When Astad danced, time stopped, “said Joseph.
(With information from PTI)
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