No written script, no rehearsed dialogue, no blackouts, no lights. Rooted in the red soil of Konkan and nurtured for almost 800 years, Dashavatari Mahanatya brings the invaluable folk tradition of Maharashtra alive based purely on faith, rhythm, memory and the pure energy of spectacle. Once again, actor Siddharth Menon, known for his role in the Marathi film, brings this timeless art form to an urban audience in Pune. Dashavatar.
Menon’s production will feature veteran Dashavatar exponents Dada Rane Konaskar and Gaurav Shirke, whose artistry and lineage lend authenticity to the event. The ensemble includes 25 performers, supported by 8 technical crew members, 3 traditional percussionists (vadak), and a carefully planned lighting design that complements live improvisation without overpowering it.
Dashavatari Mahanatya is a form of folk theater based on the 10 incarnations of Lord Vishnu, performed directly on stage without a written script.
‘Dada Rane Konaskar to present live stunt scenes’
This year’s Dashavatari Mahanatya is special because for the first time, senior Dashavatari artiste Dada Rane Konaskar will perform spectacular live stunt scenes on the Dashavatar stage, Siddharth Menon said at a press conference on Monday. In this way, the traditional popular form is given a new and great dimension, he added.
“Dashavatar, in itself, is a Mahanaatya. The energy with which these artists perform is incredible. There is no set, no elaborate props. Sometimes just a bench, a mridang, an organ and a taal. They decide the story just before the performance begins and improvise the entire live show. There is not a single rehearsed dialogue and yet the narration is powerful and complete,” he said.
The uniqueness of this art lies in the fact that the artists make their own makeup and costumes. The combination of powerful acting, devotion, humour, pacing, dialogue and physical expression comes together in Dashavatar.
After an overwhelming response to the Dashavatari Mahotsav detained in Pune Last December, the creators decided that limiting the experience to a few shows would be unfair to both the art form and its artists. The result is ‘Dashavatari Mahanatya’ with a larger, more immersive performance featuring artists from Jay Hanuman Traditional Dashavatar Natya Mandal, Sawantwadi, Maharashtra.
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According to Menon, his production is distinguished by remaining faithful to the essence of Dashavatari.
In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the team also launched a moving poster for a folk art performance, marking a rare combination of tradition and modern representation. The move aims to connect younger audiences to a centuries-old legacy through contemporary storytelling tools.
An artiste who performed Dashavatari Mahanatya on the Pune stage last December.
while talking to He indian express, Menon remembers witnessing Dashavatar’s performances while working on the film. Dashavatar in Konkan. “That’s when I felt that this art must reach the audiences of Pune and other cities where theater culture is so strong. We often say that folk art must be preserved, but for me preservation means giving artists a new audience and giving them a real experience of the art.”
He adds that what moved him most was the spirit of the artists. “They don’t expect anything in return, no fame, no luxuries. All they want is encouragement. When they see children in the audience, they have hope that this 800-year-old tradition will survive.”
Vision behind Dashavatari Mahanaatya
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According to Menon, the aim is to take Dashavatari Mahanaatya beyond Pune. “BombayKolhapur, Nashik, Nagpur, Vidarbha, Indore and even someday internationally. This art deserves to travel. Popular art grows when cultures meet, when cities welcome it. “That is the vision behind Dashavatari Mahanaatya,” he said.
Multilingual writer and theater director Bhushan Koregaonkar, who was also present on the occasion, said Dashavatari and Lavani are living traditions and not museum pieces. Its power lies in raw improvisation, inherited knowledge and courageous expression passed down orally from generation to generation, he said. “Seeing these art forms performed by authentic, heritage artists reveals their honesty, humor, strength and emotional truth, something that no workshop, rehearsal or modern adaptation will be able to fully replicate,” Koregaonkar said.
The upcoming shows will be staged at Ramkrishna More Theatre, Pimpri Chinchwad on February 7 and Bal Gandharva Rangmandir, Pune on February 8. Tickets are available on BookMyShow.
(Vaishnavi Gujar is an intern with The Indian Express)