Kathak Dance Fellow 2025-26 - Isha Chitre
Isha Chitre (stage name Ishq Pradhan) was interviewed by CDI Communications Intern Armaan Sharma. Isha started studying kathak at the Chhandam School of Kathak as a. young girl and then auditioned for and was accepted into the Chitresh Das Youth Company and studied directly under Pandit Chitresh Das and Charlotte Moraga. Isha recently returned to dance after a more than 5 year hiatus.
Q: How did you first get introduced to Kathak, and what inspired you to dedicate yourself to this dance form?
Isha: My mom introduced me to Hindi films deeply influenced by Kathak when I was 3 — As a child, I was in awe of actresses like Madhuri Dixit and their ability to communicate emotion through the subtleties of facial expression and movement. When I began observing pure Kathak, I was drawn to how a simple raise of an eyebrow, or the difference between a swift and fluid motion, could completely transform a story. I wanted to learn how to tell stories in that way.
I was especially fascinated by the rigor and discipline of Pandit Chitresh Das’s style and the Chitresh Das Institute’s approach. I’ve always craved all-consuming experiences that challenge me physically and mentally. Within the first few months of training, I knew this was something I wanted to devote myself to. Training under Dadaji and Charlotte Didi gave me a kind of euphoria that nothing else ever did.
Q: You’re both a filmmaker and a Kathak dancer. How have your experiences in film and theater shaped your approach to dance storytelling?
Isha: Kathak is what made me realize my love for storytelling, and over time, I’ve noticed how much it shapes my process as a writer-director in film and theatre. I’m naturally attuned to the ways people move through space — how gesture, rhythm, and stillness reveal inner life. When directing, I love exploring how each actor uses physicality to communicate what lies beneath the lines of dialogue. Kathak has taught me that movement can often express what words cannot. Even when I write, I often start by visualizing how a character walks, fidgets, or sighs as a way of understanding their desires and fears. In turn, my film and theatre work have influenced how I think about dance — especially how a movement’s texture and intention are essential to staying true to a character.
Q: What is one thing about learning kathak that you think people should know?
Isha: If you surrender to the discipline and challenge completely, Kathak will shape you in ways you could never have imagined — far beyond the dance floor. It fosters groundedness and community like nothing else.
Q: As a dancer in Veil of Janki Bai, what are you most excited about in the lead-up to the performance?
Isha: I’m most excited to explore abhinaya on a deeper level. This production delves into themes that are far more mature than anything I’ve previously portrayed in Kathak, and I’m eager to immerse myself in that emotional landscape and learn from it.
Q: What do you hope audiences take away from Veil of Janki Bai, both in terms of the story it tells and the cultural tradition of Kathak?
Isha: I hope audiences come away with a deeper respect for courtesans like Janki Bai — artists who have historically been misunderstood or spoken of in reductive ways. This production reframes their legacy with dignity and truth. Veil of Janki Bai also speaks to how one’s wounds can ignite empowerment. I hope audiences see that empowerment begins from within. In terms of the dance itself, we are being challenged to move in new ways. Just as its pushing us to grow, I hope it intrigues and moves the audience too
Q: Is there anything else you would like to add?
Isha: I’m deeply grateful to be on this journey under the guidance of Charlotte Moraga, Alka Raghuram, Saneyee Purandare Bhattacharjee, Sudhakar Vaidyanathan, and Rohan Misra, and to share this experience with Vanita Mundhra, Ishani Basak, Shruti Pai, and Srija Bhattacharya. It’s a joy and an honor to be a part of this creative process together.