Work on self-growth before looking for approval from your audience: Sutapa Talukdar

Rooted in Calcutta’s cultural life, Odissi exponent and swimmer Sutapa Talukdar was shaped by a golden era of dance. Beginning with water ballet at six, and influenced by Visva-Bharati’s artistic milieu – her journey found direction under Kelucharan Mohapatra. In a chat with CT, she reflects on discipline, devotion and integrity in classical dance.

How did Kolkata shape you as an artiste?

I grew up in culturally vibrant Calcutta, where theatre and music thrived even before pure classical dance took hold, with stalwarts like Ajitesh Bandopadhyay and Utpal Dutt shaping our sensibilities. Festivals at Visva-Bharati and dance dramas at Rabindra Sadan opened new possibilities. I was exposed to creative worlds shaped by Uday Shankar, V Balsara, Tapas Sen, Debabrata Biswas, Hemanta Mukhopadhyay, Suchitra Mitra and Kanika Bandopadhyay, while my father’s love for instrumental music further refined my sensibilities.

How has the guru–shishya bond evolved?

For me, everything changed when I met my guru, Kelucharan Mohapatra. With him, dance was not just technique – it embodied humility, simplicity, love and a sense of the divine. Today, however, the fast-paced world places teachers and students between material survival and artistic devotion – between Lakshmi and Saraswati. I often ask my students to be clear: are you pursuing cultural awareness or livelihood, the magic of dance or fame and security?

What does it truly take to become a classical dancer of substance?

From a young age, the body must be conditioned for classical dance through at least six hours of daily practice. Alongside this, rest, self-care, reading and reflection are equally essential. There are no shortcuts.

A changing dynamic

Reflecting on the shift, she says, “the relationship has certainly changed – we lived in a golden age when achievement depended entirely on talent, whereas today support often comes only after recognition.” She notes that “young dancers are surrounded by mediocrity,” which “breeds confusion and impatience,” and adds that “only the most promising now find their way to true gurus.” For her, success resists easy definition: “it cannot be measured simply; in the end, only the total accumulation of talent matters.”



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