Titi Robin made his first foray into the Indian arts as a young composer in the late 1980s. He was mesmerised by kalbelia dancer Gulabo Sapera and her adaptation of a snake charmer’s dance. Thirty years later, the fascination has evolved into a production titled Khushboo, a curated performance that combines music and dance. It is a quest for artistic conversation, “a collection of old memories, renewed afresh” he says.
For this show, Robin has worked with Sapera and her percussionist son, Dino Banjara, as well as long-time friend and collaborator, sarangi artist Murad Ali Khan. Robin’s guitar and buzuk compositions bring together instruments like the sarangi and alternative percussion, with dance forms like kathak and the Rajasthani kalbelia. “For the first time, kathak exponent Mahua Shankarji is part of the performance. In fact, it’s the first time I’m collaborating with a kathak artiste,” he tells us. Add tabla by Amaan Ali Khan and Shuheb Hasan’s Hindustani vocals to the mix, and you have what seems like a cross-cultural mashup — but they all have a unifying factor. “In essence, these varied styles meet through my original repertoire,” he explains.
Kalbelia dancer Gulabo Sapera
Bridging the gap
Khushboo premièred in Delhi’s Alliance Francaise almost a year ago, and is currently making its way across the country — shows in Bengaluru, Pune, Ahmedabad and Pune preceded their visit to Chennai. Each iteration, says Robin, is an evolution of past performances, crediting the shows’ aesthetic presentation to Khan’s talent. This isn’t the pair’s first time in the city, having presented Laal Aasman in a quartet a few years back. Robin says, “Murad urged this reunion of old friends. I had complete confidence in his understanding of my original aesthetic.” Working together for a decade can foster that kind of understanding. “Titi and I joined hands ten years ago for the recording of our CD, Laal Aasman. A bunch of tours and concerts later... Well, we never stopped,” Khan laughs.
Robin’s approach to the stage is indicative of his simplicity, and the pride he takes in what different cultures have to offer. “All of my projects are branches of the same tree, you see. Perhaps the compositions are mine, but once we take the stage, I am simply an active participant,” he beams. It is an extension of his feelings for the other artists — he encourages them to improvise for receptive audiences. In the moment, Khan can’t help but join in, saying, “Robin’s compositions and my understanding of them are no more than the result of a certain harmony we aim to reach between our common cultures. As artists, that’s all we strive for.”
Khushboo takes the stage at Alliance Francaise on February 9, at 6 pm. Free entry.