Abhijeet is a multimedia artists and drag queen from Mumbai in Chicago. By combining live performance with video, photography, fashion and events they produce art that is larger than life. They generally tend to explore themes of racial and queer gender identity with camp and fashion.

Ashwaty Chennat is a movement artist and educator whose interdisciplinary and cultural exchange work sows seeds for collective narratives and empathy-building experiences. She is a principal artist with Mandala Arts, where she creates a contemporary vision of South Asian traditional arts.

Abhijeet & Ashwaty presents Moods of Nāyikā as a part of the Digital Performance Screenings on Friday, June 17th.

About Moods of Nāyikā: Moods of Nāyikā is created by drag performer Abhijeet and dancemaker Ashwaty Chennat. Moods is a celebration of the nāyikā—the heroine—who is etched into ancient Indian literature. In eight dynamic episodes, the ashta nāyikā emerges with agency, and all at once uncertain, sexy and powerful. This work is an explosion of South Asian queer artistry and the rising scene of local digital performance. Runtime: 33 minutes.

Production, Direction, Performance by Abhijeet, Ashwaty Chennat
Cinematography by Masen Colucci
Editing by Dylan Bragassa
Costuming by JforPay Designs
Music Composition by Chethan Anant
Creative Direction by Connor Torres

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