‘Rebel Ranis’ a new bold dance; Reimagines female narratives from our epics through a contemporary lens

‘Rebel Ranis’ is a new bold dance theatre production that reimagines female narratives from our epics through a contemporary lens. It is an initiative of the Delhi-based Keelaka Dance Company and it blends Bharatanatyam with fluid modern movements and jazz-style Tamil tunes.

The production was born from a question that “What if our epics were written by women?” shares Aneesha Grover the director, Keelaka Dance Company. Who has long been inspired by the layered, unapologetic writing of Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues and its focus on lived female experience “without dilution”.

Eve Ensler’s writing led her to think about the inherited narratives and voices that have shaped our cultural history. Her practice applies an intentional feminine gaze to our ancient literature. Rebel Ranis is an attempt to restore complexity, agency and nuance, allowing women to author their own truths.