VANI GANAPATHY

STATUESQUE AND POISED OWING TO A LIFE

DEDICATED TO BHARATNATYAM, THIS LADY
INSPIRES CREATIVE SPIRITS TO MOVE TO THEIR
OWN DRUM AND CELEBRATE LIFE

V ani Ganapathy is one of those ladies

who time forgot. In her late 50s, the
South Indian beauty is full of verve and
enthusiasm; qualities that she channels
towards whatever field she chooses — be it
dancing, interior designing or gracing the
numerous soirées she’s invited to as the
guest of honour. At home in the garden
city of Bangalore, Ganapathy has led a life
that has been resplendent with discipline,
fame, and a consistent, dignified mission.
The danseuse recently met up with HELLO! Vani is seen here in her
and regaled us with tales of her past while living room wearing an
sharing with us the numerous facets of her antique Benaras saree and a
life today. Gowrishankar pendant necklace
Trained in classical Indian dance, Vani’s that she bought from an antique
forté has always been Bharatnatyam. Her purveyor 30 years ago. “These
years spent performing all over the world pendants were often worn by
and touring within the country have made temple priests. There’s a Nataraj
her a celebrity of sorts but she remains engraved on the gold; while it
grounded and unaware of her stellar originally must have hung from
status. Asking her about the evolution a rudraksha, I chose to add the
88 gold links to it” 89
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 ‘Earlier it was all about
the dance and the dancer.
Today it’s all about the
right packaging – the lights,
musicians, make-up, the
showmanship of it all’
of Bharatnatyam over the years, we listen
intently as she explains how the dance has
had to change to keep up with the times.
“Earlier it was all about the dance and the
dancer,” shares Vani, “While today it’s all
about the right packaging – the lights,
musicians, make-up, the showmanship of
it all. I’ve seen the way things were done
in the old days and how they’ve changed.
One would have never thought that you
could dance the Bharatnatyam to Vande
Mataram but that’s what I ended up doing
at a performance in America. It was
probably there that I realised that you have
to change the format and presentation of
classical dance for it to appeal to a wider
audience in India.”
In fact, Vani is part of a movement
aimed at resurrecting the mass appeal for
one of India’s most ancient dance forms,
originating from Tamil Nadu circa the 5th
century AD, and inspired by the sculptures
of the ancient temple of Chidambaram
located near Pondicherry. Bharatanatyam,
as all dance lovers know, engages a viewer
at three levels, being a combination
of bhava (emotional expression), raga
(music) and tala (rhythm). Vani shares
her knowledge nowadays with a handful
of lucky young ladies who are proud to
call themselves her students. We prod her Vani stands in the
about the dance school that she started foreground of her living
and she replies, “I used to take in students room, which is full of objets
every Dussehra but have not been able to d’art from her trips all
do that for the last five years. My mother over the world. Venetian
was a great singer and she helped me out masks hang on a wall while
a lot with the classes. After she passed away Chinese icons are seen
in 2007 things became difficult. However, nearby. She wears a self
I kept my old batch of students who I have styled salwar kameez here
till today. Teaching is a little tricky for me
as I always put my performances before
anything else and my students are aware of homes in Bangalore as well as outside.” Ask her about what a Vani Ganapathy superstar Kamal Hassan, but for many, to him though, since I was dancing long parents’ genes are responsible for the way
that. They think I’m a tyrant in class and With the South growing exponentially house would look like and she’s quick there is still a fascination for their decade before that. No one refers to me as Kamal I look today. Add to that constant dance
there are times when I can be so tough in terms of development and lifestyle, we to reply, “Contemporary, with a touch of long relationship, considering the volatile Hassan’s ex-wife anymore, even if they do practices and a habit of eating carefully and
that some of them break down. It’s that ask Vani her views on the North-South classical. I like Oriental themes and take combination of two highly creative spirits. they don’t do it in front of me. We haven’t you have my secret to looking younger,”
same discipline, however, that helps them lifestyle divide to which she quips, “I don’t inspiration from Chinese and Japanese What was it like, having been soulmate to had many opportunities to meet after we she laughs.
excel and when they thank me later for it, want to say that the people in Mumbai interiors. There will always be one or two one of the country’s most prolific actors separated but the one or two times that Having lived the life that she has, one
I feel proud. I am a buddy to them out of and Delhi show off more but there is a pieces that I’ll add to a space that stand and directors, a phenomenal talent who we’ve crossed paths we’ve been cordial to can only assume that Vani has seen it all
the class though,” she reassures. degree of flamboyance there which is not out. My taste is very eclectic. That said, could contribute as screenwriter, song one another,” she affirms. but she surprises us by her confession to
Moving on we ask Vani about her love seen in the South. Here people are more interior designing is always full of surprises lyricist, producer, choreographer, and who, The poster child for empowered creative being a “constant learner who can’t do one
for interior designing. While her entry into understated and low profile.” She adds, “I and I remember once overseeing the silver- as an actor has won Filmfare awards across women, Vani carries her years lightly thing for too long”. Ever changing while yet
the field was purely accidental, today she know many people who have Bentleys and leafing of a client’s dining chairs when he four film industries – Telugu, Malayalam, and with grace, standing apart from her remaining the same, she is an enigma in her
practices designing on a more professional Porches in their garages but choose to wear came in and asked me why we weren’t using Kannada and Hindi, not to mention a host contemporaries with her toned physique, own right and a heartfelt ambassador for
level. “Interiors started off when some of a dhoti and kurta regardless. There is no real silver instead. We eventually ended up of National Awards too? As Mrs Hassan, glowing skin, and pristine black hair. So how the arts. She may have dedicated decades to
my friends asked me to do up their home,” dearth of wealth here but people are wary moulding silver to those chairs. The client’s cine lovers know, her creativity was partially come this timeless regality? Is she part of a her metier, but for Vani Ganapathy the
shares Vani. “I was quite taken aback that of spending too much on the art in their wishes are just as important as the designer’s channelled into making costumes for her secret club of women who made a pact with last dance is still quite a long way away. H
they would trust me with their house but homes or shelling out exorbitant amounts tastes I guess, and a home is a mixture of superstar spouse. Vani reflects, “It was a very the devil for agelessness? She demystifies
decided to take a go at it nonetheless. on the interiors. The younger generation, the two.” pleasant marriage while it lasted and one things immediately, explaining, “It’s all to TEXT: VISHWAVEER SINGH
Slowly over the years I learned everything however, is changing and slowly they are It’s been over two decades since Vani can’t forget that time. My personal name do with genetics, I guess. My mother looked PHOTOS: WASEEM KHAN
from trial and error and now I do a lot of indulging in a lifestyle that is more visible.” separated from the evergreen Southern and fame came well before my marriage much younger than she was and I guess my STYLING: ASHA FERNANDEZ
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