Quotes from Shobana

Beauty works when one is in her teens. Between the ages 55 and 60, it's the technique and the personality of the dancer that captivates the audience.

As a story teller I have used characters, epic tales, poetry and rasa in my performances.

Whenever I can snatch two-three days, I get into the car or a train and head straight for a temple site, mostly Brihadishvara Temple.

Bharatnatyam is defined in many ways and everyone has an opinion. But I see it as a consummate art - a kind of fifth Veda.

English is an Indian language. It reaches a wider audience across the country.

I'm a person who needs to keep working in a creative chakra all the time. That's what provides me with energy.

I unwind by watching TV, which is also how I wind.

Art is like wine. It gets better with age.

I quit acting because i wasn't enjoying it anymore.

Western classical music and classical dance gel beautifully.

Why should I do a movie for dance? I can always do it on stage, and I'm doing it. However, if such a film with a good story comes my way, then I might probably do it.

The good thing about Indian dance is that it relies a lot on communication. There is nothing that can't be communicated by Bharatanatyam.

I have worked with the tavil and the mridangam all my artistic life. My style does have a strong grounding in rhythm.

I realized that I didn't know much about Krishna. I wondered how he became an icon. So I met archaeologists and read up more on him.

I should not become redundant or jaded.

I always refer to Bharatanatyam as the 'now prevalent form of Bharatanatyam' in my interviews. The style changes from generation to generation.

As a story teller I have always been fascinated with our legends, these can be re-told time and time again. And there is always an interested eye and ear for it.

Personally, I don't believe in International Women's Day. After all, there's no International Men's Day that we celebrate. These are just titles like Happy Day, Teacher's Day etc. I don't understand them.

I never really thought it was so important to work in Hindi movies.

I have not labelled 'Krishna' as a classical presentation. Nor do I bring in non-classical elements into the traditional repertoire.

Beauty for me is the attitude behind something. But my ideals of beauty are rather different.

There are only a few stories of Krishna that are popular. His exploits with the gopikas, for example. But not many understand the spiritual implications of such events.

More importantly, I'm an actor whose passion is dance.

In 'Dancing Drums,' I've touched on music that largely brings the ethos of religions other than my own together.