Swapna Vijayam- The Making

Credits

Written, Produced & Directed by
Anshul Jain
Raktim Sen
Rekha Radhakrishnan

Executive Producer
Ani Agnihotri

Cinematography
Mohan Bhandari
Anshul Jain
Raktim Sen
Rekha Radhakrishnan

Second Unit Camera
Anoop Bhandari

Edited By
Raktim Sen

Co-Edited by
Anshul Jain
Rekha Radhakrishnan

Sound Recording, Editing, Mixing, & Visual Effects:
Raktim Sen

Still Photography
Anshul Jain

Production Equipment by
Mohan Bhandari

Audio Recording/Editing & Video Editing Equipment by
Raktim Sen

Catering Courtesy
Munmun Sen
Kiran Agnihotri

Special Thanks To
Sasikala Penumarthi
Ravi Penumarthi
Joyce Flueckiger
Dr. P.V.Rao
Atlanta Hindu Temple Authorities
Staff of Robert Ferst Center for the Arts
Friends & Families of
The Swapna Vijayam Team
Indo American Film Society

All rights reserved. Copyright © 2008

Swapna Vijayam

Triumph of a Dream

Inspiration & Synopsis

Swapna Vijayam is the adaptation of the classical Christmas story of The Nutcracker, generally performed in the Western ballet style, into the Indian classical dance style of Kuchipudi.  The Kuchipudi style hails from the Andhra region of southern India.  Because Kuchipudi is generally performed to lyrical music sung by live musicians, this depiction of the Nutcracker story is presented with music that involves lyrical songs and dialogue set to music.  The lyrics for the adaptation are written in Telugu (the language spoken in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh).  The music is composed in the Carnatic music style, which is the classical music style of south India.

The drama tells the story of the princess Swapna, who receives the gift of a nutcracker toy at a Christmas party thrown by her parents, the King and Queen.  The toy is gifted to her by Mayura, the magician, whose nephew is trapped within the nutcracker and can only be released by the love of a maiden.  As Swapna falls asleep for the night at the side of her beloved toy, Mayura turns her into a beautiful woman and carries her into a dream world.  In her dream, Swapna sees her nutcracker come to life as Sundara Rakumara, a handsome prince, and enter into a battle with Mushikasura, the Mouse King.  Though her prince falls in battle, Mayura brings him back to life and carries Swapna and Sundara Rakumara back to the prince’s kingdom, the Land of Spring and Everlasting Youth, where they are welcomed by all his subjects.

When Swapna awakens from the dream, she has been transformed into the woman of the dream and Sundara Rakumara stands before her in his human form.  Mayura brings the couple together and blesses them.

In this adaptation, the plot line of the familiar story is depicted faithfully through traditional elements of Kuchipudi dance.  For instance, a hallmark of Kuchipudi is the patra pravesa daruvu, a dance in which a character who is newly entering into the plot of the story introduces him or herself to the audience.  Swapna, her parents, her brother, and the Mouse King all introduce themselves in this manner.  Similarly, the battle scenes are all set to patterns of syllabic rhythm known as jathis, the traditional form of depicting battle.  In the Land of Spring and Everlasting Youth (similar to the Land of Snow and Land of Sweets in the western ballet), Swapna and the Sundara Rakumara and welcomed by a variety of dancers demonstrating both traditional and folk-dance styles.

Swapna Vijayam- The Show

Production, Direction & Choreography
Sasikala Penumarthi

Event Coordinator
Ravi Penumarthi

Music
Subhashini Krishnamurthy

Kuchipudi Adaptation
Yakshagana

Telugu Lyrics
Sri Indraganti Srikantha Sarma

Art
Dr. P.V. Rao
Sivananda Nyayapathy

Stage Director
Dr. P.V. Rao

Costume Design and Preparation
Sasikala Penumarthi
Nagiah Buddabathuni
Maya Nair
Kaberi Basu
Sasi Selvaraj
Lakshmi Lakkakula

Christmas Tree & Decorations
P.S. Lakshmi Rao

Settings Preparation, Sound and Lighting
Dr. P.V. Rao
Sivananda Nyayapathy
Ravi Penumarthi
Vivek Penumetcha
Sridhar Potabattula
Padmaja Potabattula
Syam Yellamraju
Subramaniam Kesavarapu
Parameswaran Nair
Durga Yerramilli
Archana Kumar
Hima Bindu Challa
Lasya Penumarthi
Abhinaya Penumarthi
P.S. Lakshmi Rao
Mani Nyayapathy
Paul Cottongim
Staff from Georgia Tech, Robert Ferst Center for the Arts

Photography & Video
Indo-American Film Society

Program Brochure
Ashok Dittakavi

Welcome Address & Emcee
Joyce Flueckiger

Dancers

Royal Court Dancers
Harshita Mruthinti
Lakshmi Tummala
Neelima Tummala
Pallavi Penumetcha

Royal Family
Sesha Lakkakula (King),
Hema Shilpa Uppala (Queen)
Indira Sarma (Princess Swapna)
Abhinay Penumarthi (Prince Abhinay)

Guest Kings
Kaanan Pandya
Shilpa Darivemula
Siri Yellamraju
Sumati Selvaraj

Guest Queens
Chitra Rajaram
Divya Varahabhatla
Keerthana Kesavarapu
raneetha Saraswathula
Revathí Lakkakula

Guest Girls
Anusha Kumar
Eashaa Velumury
Lasya Penumarthi
Ramya Ramaraju

Magician Assistants
Navyata Mruthinti
Srujana Dasigi

Magician
Akhila Takkallapalli

Dolls
Reneeta Basu
Nitya Nair