Dwaya
Dwaya is a theatre production that brings together mythology and contemporary life to explore questions of identity, gender and human acceptance. The production draws one part of its narrative from the story of Shikhandini from the Mahabharata and places it alongside the contemporary experience of Shivi.
While Shikhandini’s story unfolds within the conflicts and circumstances of mythology, Shivi’s journey emerges from a deeply personal need to communicate and understand a change in identity. Through these two narratives, the production creates a dialogue between two different times and experiences, allowing an ancient story to be reinterpreted through the realities of contemporary life.
Rather than presenting mythology as a distant story from the past, Dwaya approaches it as a space through which continuing human questions can be explored. The production raises questions around the divisions created between male and female, the responsibility of families and society in accepting experiences beyond these divisions, and the possibility of seeing a person beyond predetermined identities.
At its centre, the production does not attempt to blame or judge any individual. Instead, it explores the emotional conflicts that arise when personal identity and social expectations come face to face. Through the encounters between Shivi and Shikhandini, and the relationships surrounding them, Dwaya searches for understanding, acceptance and a more humane way of looking at identity.
The production was directed by Prashanth Udyavar and brought together artists from different artistic backgrounds. Shwetha Arehole, associated with dance and theatre through Nandagokula, and Trisha Shetty from Kalabhi came together as performers in this collaborative production. Their different experiences in movement, dance and theatre contributed to the development of the performance language of Dwaya.
The collaboration between Areholé Prathishtana’s Nandagokula and Kalabhi Theatre became an important part of the production's journey. Bringing together two active artistic groups, the collaboration created a space where different experiences and approaches to performance could meet within a single theatrical work.
Through its engagement with Shikhandini’s story and Shivi’s contemporary experience, Dwaya became a theatrical exploration of the dualities that exist within human life. More than providing fixed answers, the production opens up questions and invites the audience to reflect on identity, acceptance and the possibility of a life where human emotions and identities can exist beyond rigid divisions.
