Mallika Sarabhai is a performer with a purpose. Her practice embraces tradition as much as its critique. A trained Bharatnatyam practitioner, Sarabhai has cast the form to address a range of progressive contemporary subjects such as gender, queer politics, and caste. Aparna of the Indian Cultural Forum spoke to the artiste on her political impetus, views on the current political climate, and creative projects that emphasise the richness, diversity, and importance of evolving mythology through interpretation.

This is Part-II from a three-part series of conversations. Here, Sarabhai speaks of existing labour laws being squashed, lack of social security for the workers, growing incarceration of intellectuals and artists, and dilution of institutions that meant to protect the constitution.

Also see | Part I of III: “Our Mythology is not Monolithic” and Part III of III: “Nothing about India is Pure”