Two distinct journeys, two classical traditions, and one shared story come together in the collaboration between Nikita Banawalikar from Mumbai and Nilava Sen from Kolkata.

Nikita has been steeped in dance since childhood, beginning with Bharatanatyam at six and Kathak at nine. Over the last 20 years, she has trained under some of the finest gurus, including Guru Dr. Manjiri Deo, Padma Bhushan Guru Kumudini Lakhia at Kadamb Centre for Dance, and Guru Shama Bhate. Today, she works as a freelancer, choreographing for films and actors, while also running her own online training platform, Kalavatika.

Nilava, meanwhile, grew up dancing and formally trained at the Tanusree Shankar Dance Academy from the age of ten, immersing himself in the Uday Shankar technique.

In 2013, he discovered Bharatanatyam and began studying under Smt. Rama

Vaidyanathan in 2018. His practice now lies in the experimental space between the Uday Shankar style, Bharatanatyam and contemporary forms. Alongside choreographing original productions, he teaches at the National School of Drama in Delhi and in Varanasi.

Together, they present “Bichitra – A Tale of a Flower.” Inspired by the yesterday-today-tomorrow flower, which blossoms violet, turns lavender, fades to white, and finally falls, the piece uses the flower as a metaphor for the life cycle of an artist. Through the interplay of Nikita’s Kathak and Nilava’s Bharatanatyam, the work bridges classical roots with contemporary expression.