Viraja Mandhre and Shyamjith Kiran are a dynamic couple trained from the illustrious Kalakshetra Foundation, Chennai. Both of them have previously been a part of the Kalakshetra repertory company taking up major roles and also taught as part time faculty at their alma mater. They have had the rich experience of working with legends in their field like The Dhananjayans and Smt. Leela Samson. The duo has also been in trained in Kathakali under their guru Sadanam Balakrishnan. Involvement with these gurus, Kalakshetra and their independent pursuits has enabled them to perform at various prestigious venues world over. Training in Yoga and Kalaripayattu has been an important factor in their understanding of not just the physicality of the human form but also the intellect. Some of their critically acclaimed works include, Pareekshana, Mudivil Oru Aarambam, Svam, Aham, Rekha, Eeram and Samaagati.
Pareekshana : This production brings together the works of masters across various disciplines in the format of a margam (Bharatanatyam repertoire) comprising separate pieces. A fresh approach to the orchestral accompaniment sees the inclusion of a string section, with violins, violas and cellos, in addition to the traditional orchestra comprising the mridangam, the flute and the veena.
The vocals are by Sri O. S. Arun, Pradeep Vijay and Krithika Aravind (senior disciple of Smt Bombay Jayashree) The string orchestra is by the Madras Chamber Orchestra.