The First Edition presented an unparalleled experience of artistic excellence and profound emotions. Featuring a stellar lineup of accomplished artists, including renowned figures like Padma Shri Leela Samson, T.M. Krishna, Ranjani and Gayatri, L. Narendra Kumar, Palani Murugan, and Aditi Balan, the festival graced the prestigious Sir Mutha Venkatasubba Rao Concert Hall, (Inside Lady Andal School premises) on October 21st and 22nd 2023.

The much awaited Second Edition of the highly successful and talked about Provoke Art Festival 2024 is on its way. It promises an immersive cultural experience that bridges tradition and contemporary expressions. Join us as we honor and preserve the timeless legacy of Indian classical arts, inspiring audiences and artists alike. We have some of the country’s most talented artists performing at the Music Academy, Chennai on November 2 & 3.

Shobana Chandrakumar Pillai
Padma Shri Awardee

Shobana, the stunning danseuse-actress stands as one of the leading proponents of Bharatanatyam. Her beauty, grace and talent shine on the stage taking Indian culture to the hearts of fellow Indians and to an international audience. Tutored under the aegis of trained legendary Bharatanatyam dancers Chitra Visweswaran and Padma Subrahmanyam, she emerged as an independent performer and choreographer in her twenties and currently runs a dance school, Kalarpana, in Chennai. An excellent actress, she is known for her exceptional performances in South Indian and English films and won two National Film Awards. Her immense contribution to Indian cinema and dance has earned her several accolades, including the prestigious Padma Shri in 2006. Despite taking a break from acting to focus more on dance, Shobana occasionally makes appearances in films and continues to influence both fields.

“I would like you to invite you to this fantastic Provoke art and dance festival. I am happy to inform you that I will be performing along with the young maestro Abhishek Sharma and along with us we have a fantastic team of musicians Ananta R. Krishnan on the mridangam, Shri Sruti Sagar on the flute and Shri Praveen Nirav on the keyboard. Each time I perform with Abhishekji I am thrilled.”

Abhishek Raghuram
Carnatic Vocalist

He is an acclaimed Indian musician, composer, and singer known for his exceptional mastery of Carnatic music. His performances have garnered widespread recognition for their technical excellence and deep emotional resonance. Abhishek’s artistry reflects a unique blend of physicality and a strong foundation in traditional composition, guiding listeners through a profound exploration of the genre.
His deep-rooted musical background is shaped by a rich childhood environment filled with diverse influences. Inspired by his mother Usha’s music and the mridangam sounds of his grandfather, Shri Palakkad Raghu, Abhishek developed a profound appreciation for the intricacies of musical structure. Under the guidance of his Vocal mentor, P.S. Narayanawamy, he learned the importance of surrender and relentless pursuit of knowledge in music.

Abhishek views his craft as a journey of continuous discovery, where the beauty of music lies in the nuances between the notes. His passion is evident in his powerful voice, which transcends genres and resonates in venues both across India and internationally. With each performance, Abhishek invites his audience to embark on an intellectual and emotional exploration, making his work both primal and polished, subtle and layered.

Speaking about his performance at the festival, he says, “I will be singing a unique concept and am looking forward to performing. The main theme of art meets elegance has received a lot of great response and I invite you all.”

Sanjay Subrahmanyan
Musician and Vocalist

Sanjay Subrahmanyan is a renowned Carnatic musician and vocalist from Chennai, India. His singing is a fine blend of tradition and modernity. He was awarded the Madras Music Academy’s Sangeetha Kalanidhi in 2015. He also featured in the Season 1 & 2 of Coke Studio Tamil. He founded the Youth Association of Carnatic Music (YACM) to promote Carnatic music amongst the youth. In 2023, he made his debut as a playback singer in a Tamil film, Lucky Man. His latest independent music album Anbenum Peruveli (Tamil) translates to “the grand expanse called love”.

He says,”I will be singing a concert comprising exclusively of the songs of Subramania Bharati set in a traditional Carnatic music kutchery format. It will feature some traditional versions, and some modern versions of the poems as sung in my concerts previously. Hopefully I will be able to add some completely new ones as well!

“I grew up around Carnatic Music and it caught my fancy before I could even grow up to be able to think it through. By the time I was 15 or 16, I knew I wanted to sing this. All my music teachers – V Lakshminarayana, Rukmini Rajagopalan, Calcutta Krishnamurthi, SRD Vaidyanathan have all influenced me in different ways.

My own inadequacies and laziness are primary challenges and the only way they could be overcome is through sustained hard work and a patience to see through the process. Every live performance is a special memory. Also the chance to meet great artists in the course of my career is indeed a blessing. Meeting and working with someone like Ilayaraja recently was one of my stand out life changing moments I should say.

“I don’t think about the classical roots specifically. Over the years I have backed my personal creative instinct to the hilt and my training and practice over the years ensures this. So it is very natural and organic.”

Renjith and Vijna
Founders of Sāraswatham Foundation

Renjith and Vijna are one of the most sought after Bharatanatyam duos, trained under eminent Teachers in Kalakshetra style; Renjith and Vijna, have been performing, choreographing and teaching for the past two decades. They have travelled extensively and have performed in India, Europe, USA, Canada, Middle East and South-East Asia.

How did the journey start?
Renjith says, “I was always intrigued by movement and dance happened to me. Since I was formally introduced to Bharatanatyam, I continued to pursue this classical dance form.”

Vijna says, “I took my first steps in Indian Classical Dance through Bharatanatyam. I have had some basic training in Mohiniyattam and Kuchipudi in my childhood and teenage years. I had the opportunity to learn Odissi and I still continue to learn as much as I can, whenever time permits.”

Renjith started Folk Dance under Mohan Master and later studied Bharatanatyam under Smt. Prasanna Prakash, completed his four-year diploma at The Kalakahetra and continued advanced training with Late Padmabhushan Prof. C.V.Chandrasekhar.

Vijna started Bharatanatyam at the tender age of three-and half under Smt. Sujatha Chandramohan (senior disciple of Padmasri Adyar K Lakshman Sir) and later at The Bharatha Kalanjali with the renowned ‘Dhananjayans’ and Late Padmabhushan Prof. C. V. Chandrashekhar.

Renjith’s most memorable performance was my first full-length Bharatanatyam Solo Performance after coming under the tutelage of Chandrasekhar Sir.
For Vijna, it was her Bharatanatyam arangetram in March 1996 and her first performance at Bharata Kalanjali for the school’s 25th anniversary.

On modernity in dance, they said, “There is no replacement for our classical dance traditions that have stood the test of time since these are not mere performative but knowledge systems indeed, that are beyond us. Today’s innovation within these knowledge systems become tomorrow’s tradition hence it is ever-flowing. We hope to continue exploring our creativity this way and pass it on to the next generation.”