Mayuri Upadhya (born 30 December 1979) is an Indian choreographer, dancer, entrepreneur and TV personality based in
Bengaluru
Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan population of around , making it the third most populous city and fifth most ...
, India. She is also the Artistic Director of the Bengaluru-based dance organisation, Nritarutya.
In January 2018, Mayuri was voted the Best Choreographer by BroadwayWorld, for the longest running musical in Indian history. Mayuri is the winner of the International Choreography Award,
Seoul
Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the Capital city, capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the North Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea ...
, Uday Shankar Awards for Choreography, and a Manav Ratna for her contribution to Indian arts and culture, in addition to numerous other awards.
Biography
Family and Training
Mayuri was born in the coastal town of
Udupi, Karnataka
Udupi (alternate spelling Udipi; also known as Odipu) is a city in the Indian state of Karnataka. Udupi is situated about north of the educational, commercial and industrial hub of Mangalore and about west of state capital Bangalore by road.
...
to Muralidhar Upadhya and Shamala Upadhya on 30 December 1979. She is the youngest of two siblings. Her elder sister Madhuri Upadhya is also a
choreographer
Choreography is the art or practice of designing sequences of movements of physical bodies (or their depictions) in which motion or form or both are specified. ''Choreography'' may also refer to the design itself. A choreographer is one who cr ...
, and is the Associate Director of Nritarutya.
Mayuri is an alumnus of Sri Vani Education Centre and a graduate from MES College of Arts, Commerce & Science.
Training
She trained in
Bharatanatyam
Bharatanatyam () is a major form of Indian classical dance that originated in Tamil Nadu. It is one of the eight widely recognized Indian classical dance forms, and expresses South Indian religious themes and spiritual ideas, particularly of ...
under Indira Kadambi and Minal Prabhu, and
Odissi
Odissi (), also referred to as Orissi in old literature, is a major ancient Indian classical dance that originated in the temples of Odisha – an eastern coastal state of India.Maya Rao and Jayanthi Eswarputhi, and
Kalaripayattu
Kalaripayattu (; also known simply as Kalari) is an Indian martial art that originated in modern-day Kerala, a state on the southwestern coast of India. Kalaripayattu is known for its long-standing history within Indian martial arts, and i ...
Artist Management
A talent manager (also known as an artist manager, band manager or music manager) is an individual who guides the professional career of artists in the entertainment industry. The responsibility of the talent manager is to oversee the day-to-day ...
credentials to her credit.
Career
Mayuri’s career has foraged beyond the traditional dance network. Her canvas of work depicts a wide range. A beautifully balanced mix of visual interpretations, cultural sensitivity, conditioning future generations, and capacity building, marks her two decades long journey.
The spectrum of her creativity features the cinemascopic renditions, experimental works, emotion-stirring choreography on one hand (her contemporary work, Bollywood movies like Mirzya, the epic musical ‘Mughal-e-Azam’ and ‘Raunaq and Jassi’, and Harivanshrai Bachchan's ‘Madhushala’, to name a few), and her curatorial and conceptualizing prowess on the other hand (designing and leading the Sublime's Teaching for Arts India initiative, curating the dance portfolio for Serendipity Arts Festival (2019-2020), and actively working in preserving and promoting cultural traditions by presenting it in the modern context). And to top it all, Bangalore based dance organization Nritarutya is growing steady and strong under her artistic direction.
Artistic Director - Nritarutya
Founded in 2000, Nritarutya, today, has become one of the foremost contemporary dance organisations in the country with path-breaking creative works, pioneering employment reforms for artists, and introducing creative platforms like Adhyaya and Prayog to the dance fraternity.
Adhyaya, is Nritarutya's festival of dance, celebrating innovation and tradition. It programs and showcases never-before-seen works for Bangalore audiences, inviting artists from across the world with works that is an amalgamation of “innovation and tradition”. Most of the times, artists have created a new piece just to be showcased at Adhayaya. For the first time in 2018, Adhyaya opened its doors to applications from artists the world over seeking an avant garde platform to perform their works in, receiving a whopping 120 entries.
Mayuri's experimental creation initiative Prayog, is a festival that commissions and showcases out-of-the-box Indian dance compositions. All the commissions follow the rule of interpreting mythology in contemporary ways, and is often a melting pot of designers, musicians, painters, choreographers, dancers, and theatre artists.
She got critical acclaim in 2004 with her work ‘Ardhanarishwara’, which talked about the masculinity and the femininity residing within each of us. Oum, Yantra, Footnote, Dwandwa, are few of her earliest works.
After a commission by the Wadiyar of Mysore to create a piece for their kul-devi (family Deity), Mayuri choreographed the highly acclaimed and successful ‘Kali’ in the year 2008, which talks about the deepest recesses of our unconsciousness which is wild, raw and untamed.
‘Parched – 1st Cut’, was created for th Serendipity Arts Festival 2016. The scarcity of water, humankind's mistakes and the obscure truth of our future the highlights of this piece.
‘Parched – Choreographer’s Cut’ is a work-in-progress full length production which Mayuri is working on currently.
As an independent Choreographer
In 2019, Mayuri choreographed the musical Raunaq and Jassi, directed by Feroze Abbas Khan, and produced by Book My Show. It is a Punjabi take on Romeo and Juliet. Her expertise is sought to choreograph on typical Punjabi folk numbers in the musical.
In 2017, Mayuri choreographed the musical
Mughal-e-Azam
''Mughal-e-Azam'' () is a 1960 Indian epic historical drama film produced and directed by K. Asif. Starring Prithviraj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Madhubala, and Durga Khote, it follows the love affair between Mughal Prince Salim (who went on ...
– the play rendition of the 1960s hit movie of the same name. The musical has been the longest running musical in Indian history. Mayuri was voted Best Choreographer by the Broadway World in 2018 for Mughal-E-Azam.
In 2017, Mayuri was invited by
TED Talks India Nayi Soch
TED Talks India (originally known as TED Talks India Nayi Soch (Season 1) and also known as TED Talks India Nayi Baat (Season 2)) is an Indian talk show hosted by Shah Rukh Khan, that premiered on Star Plus. The slogan of the show is "Don't kill ...
to visually interpret the #100sareepact speaker Anju Kadam's talk on the 6 yard drape,
Saree
A sari (sometimes also saree or shari)The name of the garment in various regional languages include:
* as, শাৰী, xārī, translit-std=ISO
* bn, শাড়ি, śāṛi, translit-std=ISO
* gu, સાડી, sāḍī, translit-std= ...
, and choreograph a short sequence.
In 2016 she worked with the Rakeysh Om Prakash Mehra Productions for the movie Mirzya, as a choreographer., for which she was nominated at for the
Star Guild Awards
The Producers Guild Film Awards, previously known as the Apsara Awards, is an award event hosted by the Producers Guild of India to recognize excellence in Hindi film and television. Originated by filmmaker and scholar Amit Khanna in 2004, the ...
for Best Choreographer.
In 2015, Mayuri won the prestigious
Uday Shankar
Uday Shankar (8 December 1900 – 26 September 1977) was an Indian dancer and choreographer, best known for creating a fusion style of dance, adapting European theatrical techniques to Indian classical dance, imbued with elements of Indian cla ...
Award for Choreography.
The same year, she was commissioned by the
Prime Minister of India
The prime minister of India ( IAST: ) is the head of government of the Republic of India. Executive authority is vested in the prime minister and their chosen Council of Ministers, despite the president of India being the nominal head of th ...
to create a special dance sequence for the
Make In India
Make in India is an initiative by the Government of India to create and encourage companies to develop, manufacture and assemble products made in India and incentivize dedicated investments into manufacturing. The policy approach was to crea ...
week in
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG),, is a country in Central Europe. It is the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany lies between the Baltic and North Sea to the north and the Alps to the sou ...
, following which, she was commissioned again to create another piece for the Make In India Week in
Mumbai
Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the secon ...
, in 2016. Make In India inaugural dance sequence won the European Event Award for the Best Cultural Performance.
In 2014, she choreographed and created another musical, Madhur Milan, for the Industrialist Kokilaben Ambani.
In 2012, she choreographed her first musical –
Madhushala
''Madhushala'' ( hi, मधुशाला) (The Tavern/The House of Wine) is a book of 135 "quatrains": verses of four lines ( Ruba'i) by Hindi poet and writer Harivansh Rai Bachchan (1907–2003). The highly metaphorical work is still celebrated ...
– the cinemascopic rendition of the popular poetry epic Madhushala by
Harivanshrai Bachchan
Harivansh Rai Bachchan (; 27 November 1907 19 December 2002) was an Indian poet and writer of the Nayi Kavita literary movement (romantic upsurge) of early 20th century Hindi literature. He was also a poet of the Hindi Kavi Sammelan. He is be ...
, which was commissioned by
Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan (; born as Amitabh Shrivastav; 11 October 1942) is an Indian actor, film producer, television host, occasional playback singer and former politician known for his work in Hindi cinema. He is regarded as one of the most succe ...
, for his 70th birthday celebrations – B70.
In 2012, she also performed with the
Raghu Dixit Project
Raghupati Dwarakanath Dixit (born 11 November 1974) is an Indian singer-composer, record producer, producer, and film score composer who is the frontman for the Raghu Dixit Project, a multilingual folk music band.
Dixit's music is an amalgamat ...
for
Queen Elizabeth
Queen Elizabeth, Queen Elisabeth or Elizabeth the Queen may refer to:
Queens regnant
* Elizabeth I (1533–1603; ), Queen of England and Ireland
* Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022 ...
’s Jubilee Celebrations in the UK.
She also represented India at the International Competition for Choreography Concept in Seoul,
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
, and was one of the winners there.
She is currently working on the Government of India's Red Fort Project - commissioned by the Dalmia group, and produced by Humor Me, for designing the "sound and light" show for the iconic monument of Red Fort.
She was also one of the artists in focus for
The Dewarists
''The Dewarists'' is a musical television series on MTV India. The series is part music documentary and part travelogue. The show casts musicians from various parts of the world, collaborating to create original music while travelling across In ...
Season 3, where she collaborated with
Raghu Dixit
Raghupati Dwarakanath Dixit (born 11 November 1974) is an Indian singer-composer, producer, and film score composer who is the frontman for the Raghu Dixit Project, a multilingual folk music band.
Dixit's music is an amalgamation of Indian et ...
,
Harun Robert
Harun Robert (born 28 December 1978), known professionally as Rob, is an Indian professional artist, YouTube and TV personality. He was the host and creative director of popular Do it yourself (DIY) TV show '' M.A.D.'', which aired on Pogo.
He ...
and Sridhar for a multi disciplinary dance sequence.
Over the past years, Mayuri has also worked with various fashion designers, like Abu Jaani - Sandeep Khosla,
Tarun Tahiliani
Tarun Tahiliani is a noted Indian fashion designer. With his wife Sailaja 'Sal' Tahiliani, he co-founded Ensemble, India’s first multi-designer boutique in 1987, followed by Tahiliani Design studio in 1990. Based in Delhi, he is best known for ...
,
Sabyasachi Sabyasachi is a masculine Indian given name. Notable people with the name include:
* Kazi Sabyasachi, Indian Bengali elocutionist.
* Sabyasachi Chakrabarty, Indian Bengali actor.
* Sabyasachi Hajara, Indian business executive.
* Sabyasachi Mishra ...
,
Anju Modi
Anju Modi is an Indian costume designer who designed for Bajirao Mastani (2015) and Ram Leela (2013). She earned Filmfare Award for Best Costume Design in 2016.
She has been an integral part of the Indian Fashion Industry since the year 1990. O ...
, Hemant Trivedi,
Manish Arora
Manish Arora is an Indian fashion designer based in New Delhi. In early 2011, he was appointed creative director of the womenswear collection of the French fashion house Paco Rabanne, although he left the company in May 2012.
Born and brought ...
and
Wendell Rodricks
Wendell Rodricks (28 May 1960 – 12 February 2020) was an Indian fashion designer and author based in the Indian state of Goa. He was also an activist for social causes, the environment and gay rights. In 2014, the Government of India ...
, and choreographed dance pieces inspired by their fashion lines.
She is also the only choreographer who was invited to create a concept choreography commemorating the martyrs of the 26/11 shooting. It featured megastar Shri Amitabh Bachchan. Event was titled '26/11 - Stories of Strength', a memorial event organised by The Indian Express Group
As an Entrepreneur and Educationist
Mayuri's work can best be described as a mélange of creativity, entrepreneurship and education.
With Nritarutya, she has pioneered a career module of an artistic company, with a secure salary system and health benefits that compares to the corporate sector. With her independent work, she has incorporated artistic work of different scale and range in her projects. And her capacity building initiatives feature Prayog, Adhyaya, and Sublime's Teaching For Artistic Innovation, which is designed to enhance the creative faculties of children, by using dance as a medium.
For the prestigious Serendipity Arts Festival, Mayuri is the Curator of Dance programs for 2019 and 2020. She is also a panelist at Makers India conference by YourStory on Women's Day (2020)
''As a TV artist:''
Mayuri is one of the judges for the dancing reality shows Dancing Stars Seasons 2 and 3 (a BBC production), Master Dancer (a
Viacom 18
Viacom18 Media Private Limited is an Indian media and entertainment joint venture between TV18 and Paramount Global based in Mumbai. It was founded in 2007 and owns various channels, as well as content production studios in India.
History
In ...
production on Colors Network) and
Dancing Champion
''Dancing Champion'' is a Kannada dance reality show aired on Colors Kannada and streamed on Voot. It features celebrities as contestants who are paired with professional dancers competing for a cash prize and the title Dancing Champion. The j ...
(a
Lokesh Productions
Lokesh Productions, based in Bengaluru, Karnataka, is an Indian production company best known for making non-fiction shows in the Kannada language. It was founded in 2013 by Girija Lokesh and Srujan Lokesh, wife and son of veteran Kannada ac ...
).
Popular works and projects
*
Kalank
''Kalank'' (; ) is a 2019 Indian Hindi-language period romantic drama film directed by Abhishek Varman and produced by Karan Johar, Hiroo Yash Johar and Apoorva Mehta under Dharma Productions and Sajid Nadiadwala under Nadiadwala Grandson ...
(Bollywood, Dharma Productions Film) - Creative consultant and concept design for the song ‘
Ghar More Pardesiya
"Ghar More Pardesiya" is a song from the 2019 Bollywood film ''Kalank''. The song is sung by Shreya Ghoshal and composed by Pritam Chakraborty. The lyrics were penned by Amitabh Bhattacharya. The accompanying video features Madhuri Dixit, Alia ...
’
*
Shikara
The shikara is a type of wooden boat found on Dal Lake and other water bodies of Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir Shikaras are of various sizes and are used for multiple purposes, including transportation. A usual shikara seats six people, with t ...
(Bollywood, Vidhu Vinod Chopra Film) - Concept and choreography for the song "Mar Jaye hum"
* Raunaq and Jassi (musical)
* Mughal-E-Azam (musical)
* Dancing Stars Seasons 2 & 3 (Dance Reality show)
* Master Dancer (Dance Reality Show)
* Madhushala (musical)
* Madhur Milan (musical)
* Make In India Ceremony (Stage creation)
* Parched (Contemporary work)
* Pro Kabbadi League (Stage creation)
* Mirzya (Bollywood)
* Featured in Teachers Genuine Stories - hosted by Rahul Bose featured an exclusive segment on Mayuri and her journey.
* Dewarists Season 3 Finale (Musical TV Series)
* Teaching For Artistic Innovation (Dance in Education Program)
* Choreographed for Mahashivratri celebrations at IshaCenter (2017)
*
PATA
Pata or PATA may refer to:
Places
* Pata, Sulu, a Philippine municipality
* Pata, Galanta District, a village in Slovakia
* Pata, Central African Republic, a village
* Pata village (Samoa), a village in Samoa
* Pontrilas Army Training Area, a Bri ...
(Stage)
* Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee Celebration at
Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is a royal residence at Windsor in the English county of Berkshire. It is strongly associated with the English and succeeding British royal family, and embodies almost a millennium of architectural history.
The original c ...
(represented
Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an ...
)
*
Ijjodu
''Ijjodu'' ( en, The Incompatible) is a 2010 Indian Kannada drama film written and directed by M. S. Sathyu, and stars Meera Jasmine and Anirudh in the lead roles. Srivatsa, Nagkiran and Arundhati Jathakara feature in supporting roles. The film ...
(Kannada film) - Choreography for the movie
*
Thamassu
''Thamassu'' () is a 2010 Indian Kannada film written directed by journalist Agni Shridhar, starring Shiva Rajkumar and Padmapriya. The movie was released on 11 June 2010 and received extremely positive reviews. The story was inspired by a H ...
(Kannada Film) - Choreography for the title song “thamassu”
*
Pancharangi
''Pancharangi'' is a 2010 Indian Kannada language romantic comedy film with philosophical overtones directed and produced by Yogaraj Bhat starring Diganth and Nidhi Subbaiah in the lead roles. The music has been composed by Mano Murthy, story an ...
(Kannada Film) - Choreography for the song “udisuve”
Television
Awards
* Broadway World Award for Best Choreographer for Mughal-E-Azam (2018)
* Mysore Rotary's women Achiever award - in recognition of her contribution in arts, felicitated by Smt.Gayathri Devi- The queen of Mysore. (2018)
* "Manav Ratna" award for contribution in the field of Arts and Culture (2013)
* International Competition for choreography concept, South Korea (2012)
* RAPA Best Choreographer Award for Television Commercials,
Chennai
Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of ...
(2005)
* Young Women's Achievement Award (2004)
* Uday Shankar Award