“Sita Ram”: Indian mythology embodied by students of the Kazakh National Academy of Choreography

On May 6, 2024, the Kazakh National Academy of Choreography hosted an exciting theatrical production “Sita Ram”, based on the events of the legendary Indian epic “Ramayana”. The play was directed by Sumit Thakur, a researcher from India, a graduate of the National School of Drama, an actor, and a doctor of philosophy.

The roles were played by talented students of the Academy: Ivanova Polina, Zakharchuk Anastasia, Tarybo Daria, Palinka Elizaveta, Beketbaeva Ayaulym, Gabbasova Kamila and Askarkyzy Janel.

The production was attended by representatives of the Embassy of India, including Sanjay Wendy, First Secretary of the Embassy – Director of the Cultural Center Swami Vivekananda. He expressed his admiration for the high caliber of the students’ performance of their roles and Sumit Thakur’s professionalism. Guests of the performance noted that the students were able to convey and show the spirit of Indian folklore as accurately as possible in the shortest possible time. Sumit Thakur, the director of the production, in his speech expressed his gratitude to the Academy for this opportunity and noted that the students had tried on the role of actors for the first time and had coped well with this task.

As a sign of recognition and continuation of cultural exchange between India and Kazakhstan, Sanjay Wendy offered the students who played roles in the production to fly to India for a master class in acting.

The play “Sita Ram” was a shining example of cultural dialog and exchange, demonstrating how art can be a bridge between countries and cultures.