Sundari Kalapam: The Ballad of Belle
Who is the mysterious monster who has lured Belle to his castle? And why? What motivates this Beast who would sentence her father to death over a simple rose?
Inspired by the charms of Kuchipudi’s iconic Kalapam style of storytelling, which is known for its sense of drama and humor, Kalanidhi’s newest original production reimagines the beloved Beauty and the Beast fairytale through the eyes of Belle, or Sundari. Drawing on the eighteenth century literary origins of that “Tale As Old As Time,” Sundari Kalapam features an original take on the classic story. In the Kalapam, Sundari navigates a world of fairies, imps, and of course, an enigmatic Beast, as she discovers the magic behind her predicament…magic that, true to Kalapam form, the audience is in on right from the start!
Created by our Artist-In-Residence, Srilekha Jayanthi, Sundari Kalapam features an original script written in Telugu by Dr. Rajani Malladi, and an original score created by Smt. Sweta Prasad.
We hope you join us on the adventure this October!