Savita Subramanian

🪔 About

Savitha Sastry, born Savitha Subramaniam on August 11, 1969, in Hyderabad, India, is a highly acclaimed Indian Bharatanatyam dancer and choreographer. She is recognized for her innovative approach to the traditional dance form, moving beyond mythological and religious themes to present novel, theme-based productions. Sastry began her Bharatanatyam training at the age of five under Guru T. Mohana at the Raja Rajeswari Kala Mandal Dance Academy in Mumbai. After her family relocated to Chennai when she was twelve, she continued her rigorous training with esteemed gurus including Mahalingam Pillai, Padma Shri Adyar K. Lakshman, Smt. Shantha, and Padma Bhushan V.P. Dhananjayan. Initially, Sastry performed traditional Bharatanatyam repertoires throughout the 1980s, 1990s, and the first decade of the new millennium, producing and choreographing full-length presentations such as "Krishna: The Supreme Mystic" and "Purushartha." She is lauded for her technical proficiency, grace, and ability to bring characters to life. By 2009, she made a significant shift, departing from traditional margams to focus on narrative-driven, theme-based productions, earning her the moniker "Dancing Storyteller." Her work has been described by critics as "path breaking" and she is considered a "renaissance architect" for revolutionizing Bharatanatyam presentation. Sastry pursued a master's degree in neuroscience in the United States, where she initially balanced her scientific career with weekend dance teaching. In the latter half of the 2000s, she transitioned to a full-time career in dance. She co-founded The Savitha Sastry Production Company with her husband, A.K. Srikanth, who is also her production partner and writer for her innovative dance films. Since 2018, Sastry and Srikanth have been releasing their productions on free digital platforms to reach a global audience, creating short classical dance films that have garnered numerous international film festival nominations and awards. She also runs an online dance school, 'Inner Circle,' which provides free Bharatanatyam training to hundreds of students worldwide, and occasionally mentors a select few in a gurukul-style setting. Awards & Honours: Best Short Film (2019), Best Short Film, Best Short Film, Best Global Short, Best Film on Women (2020), Best Short Fiction (2020), Best Director, Best Director.