Alarippu Gone Astray

Over the last 60 years, India's commercial film industry, colloquially known as Bollywood, has developed distinctive conventions for filming dance. These strategies include quick edits on off beats, unexpected frame entrances and exits, chronological distortions, location shifts and close ups of eyes and gestures to stress dance rhythm and melody.

Inspired by these conventions, this film explores the intersections of Indian classical dance, contemporary dance and film through "Alarippu", a rhythmic composition from the Bharat Natyam repertoire.

In Alarippu Gone Astray, two dancers and the camera create a contemporary Indian dance in the streets of Los Angeles. In a game of hide and seek, the dancers challenge the camera and force it to execute a dance of its own.

official selection

Vitas Film Festival, Los Angeles

The Attic, Los Angeles

Anatomy Riot, Los Angeles