In an emotionally charged performance at the Khushwant Singh Literary Festival in Kasauli, Indrani Mukerjea took to the stage for a 50-minute dance drama, portraying the mythical ‘Phoenix’ and its undying love for the Sun God. The production has been launched by her banner, Indrani Mukerjea Enterprise. The performance, which has a slick teaser as an Instagram story on Mukerjea’s account, received widespread applause.
A key accused in her daughter Sheena Bora’s murder case, Mukerjea is currently out on bail. In an exclusive interview with the FPJ, she shared that the theme of the festival, ‘Resilience and Renewal’, deeply resonated with her personal journey – from a head honcho in the corporate world to over six years in jail, hearings in court, arguing her own case and the widely reported jail terrace protest for women inmates.
Mukerjea said, “The tag line I once used on my Instagram handle, ‘Like a phoenix, she rises from the ashes’, coincidentally matched the theme of the festival. I was able to give my 100% to the play as I have lived my life in a similar manner.”
Her dance drama required months of rigorous preparation. “This 50-minute performance demanded almost two months of dedication,” she said. “My teacher, Dr Sandip Soparkar, who is an Indian Latin Ballroom dancer, trained me for three to four hours every day. Initially, I had approached him to learn ballroom dancing, but when this show was announced, I shifted my focus to contemporary dance.”
Her mentor Soparkar praised her focus and commitment. He said, “Indrani is an incredibly dedicated student. I recall one instance when she firmly reprimanded someone on the phone for disturbing her during a session. She is committed to keeping fit with regular kickboxing and yoga, which helps her maintain the physical stamina required for these performances.”
Soparkar added that Mukerjea’s personal experiences allowed her to embody the emotions with depth and authenticity. “We had a team of six dancers performing alongside her, but her performance was truly the heart of the show.” The duo now plans to take their show across India.