“There will always be obstacles in life. So why complicate it further by being miserable. Do what you love”

Laxmi’s home in Vaikom is an abode for dance. Her husband, Sunil Pallipuram welcomes us with folded palms. He is clad in a shirt and mundu with his forehead and neck marked with sandalwood paste. A renowned Kathakali artist, Sunil has performed on many international stages. He gestures us to sit, as we wait for our interview with his wife Paris Laxmi. Laxmi is familiar to us all as the sari wearing madammakutty from Bangalore Days who marries Kuttan. She walks out into the verandah looking resplendent in a bright blue and pink sari and stands respectfully next to Sunil. “My name is really Laxmi, I did not change it. The addition of Paris was for recognition”, she says. Her eyes are lined black, separated by a pink bindi. If her features were not so Caucasian, one wouldn’t believe that this extremely talented woman was not a true blue nadan penkutti.

“Shall I get you something to drink or eat?” Sunil Pallipuram is a gracious host. He brings in glasses of Karangali Vellom and typical Malayali snacks. The house betrays no evidence of the two different heritages. “Suniletta” Laxmi calls out to her husband to ask something. Their love story was a hot topic in Kerala. A French Bharathanatyam dancer marrying a Kathakali artist, fourteen years her senior. Magazines and newspapers announced their romance to a curious world. For Laxmi and Sunil, their world is dance. Following the traditions in the art form they also combine their two styles on stage in a production called Sangamam. Sunil lets us pour over their wedding album and relates stories of living in France as Laxmi discusses the photo shoot. He describes to us Laxmi’s house in Provence, where there are many Indian idols and religious music playing. He seemed as wonderstruck, as we were at the moment, over the Quinio family’s love for India. Would you live and settle in France, we ask him. He smiles as he says that France is a beautiful country to visit but he is definitely comfortable here. They currently run the Kalashakti dance school and perform at various venues. Their neighbor is teaching Laxmi the language and she is keen to learn amongst her busy schedule. As we talk to her in a mix of English and Malayalam, her passion for the art is shines and her every answer is laden with expression.

You have been dancing since you were nine years old. What about dance moves you?

I think I was born with the love for dance. I requested my parents to start dance classes at the age of 3 but started contemporary at 5 and then ballet and jazz, in France. While travelling in India, I watched classical performances and wanted to learn. When my mother found a Bharatanatyam teacher, Armelle Choquard in our town, I started classes with her at the age of 9. I just can’t imagine my life without dance; all dance forms inspire me.

(Sunil shows us a picture of her at the age of three seemingly holding a mudra)

Which navrasa/bhavam do you identify with the most?

I would say that everyone should always be merged into the Sringhara bhavam, Love, the ultimate rasa. I am trying my best to fill my life and the lives others with this feeling; only love can bring beauty and harmony around us.

The cultural heritage of our country is not part of the popular culture. How important is it to uphold traditional forms of art?

Heritage is part of the identity of a country. It is very important to preserve and promote it. Even if the majority of youth is attracted by other cultures, the society should create opportunities for artists to meet these youngsters to develop an awareness of the classical art forms. While ignoring the greatness of their own culture they may naturally be attracted by others.

You mentioned in an interview that you did not appreciate dance competitions and reality shows. If you were to make them more meaningful, what would you do?

I am not against these competitions and reality shows, what I do not appreciate is the way participants are performing, most of the time without learning the basics of the style, without training and knowledge of the art form. I am always advising the children to train regularly and in a classical way for at least one year before thinking about performing for a competition or any show. Otherwise I feel it is disrespecting the art form.

You come from a family which appreciates Indian culture but still you grew up in a French society. How was it growing up in France with your Indian affinity and then living in Kerala with your French identity?

My parents brought my brother Narayan and me every year to India during holidays from a young age. We travelled all over. In France, nobody understood this craziness about another country! We were saving money all the year to come here, which was our most expected period of the year! Now I am just so happy, so satisfied to be where I am and never think of going back to live there. Even if some aspects of my education make me behave sometimes in a different way from Indian women, I must say I am comfortable here.

How do people generally react to your situation?

People are always very curious when they see me. From childhood I was used to people watching my family as we are foreigners. After settling here, it’s another curiosity added to this. Some people do not understand that I prefer to live here, because many are just dreaming of living in Europe. In the beginning most of the women here were not very sure if I was able to cut vegetables, prepare a cup of coffee or clean my house with a broom, and it was funny to see how amazed they were that I was able to do all of it. They all thought that foreign ladies have robots and machines to do everything!

Do you find yourself questioning some of the prevalent attitudes? What should change in our Malayali society?

I think the attitude between men and women should definitely change. We have to educate children about their anatomy and minds to make them understand how our bodies and brains work. In this way both boys and girls would respect each other a bit more and understand better. We should be less discriminatory as we are all human. Also I feel the attitude towards our Mother Earth should really change, I witness everyday people dropping their trash in the garden…something has to be done seriously about this.

What advice do you have for the next generation of Malayalis?

Please don’t abandon your cultural heritage, it’s one the most precious things this country possesses. What would be the use of becoming another Europe or America? It’s India here, so show to the world the wonders we have!