Bollywood not my scene, says Ramli Ibrahim

File pic of Datuk Ramli Ibrahim

NEW DELHI: Datuk Ramli Ibrahim has ruled out any involvement with commercial cinema in India, saying that "Bollywood is not my scene."

"I like working in dance theatre. Movies are a different world with a different agenda," Malaysia's legendary choreographer of the Indian classical dance said.

Ramli presented his Sutra Foundation's latest Odissi show "Amorous Delight - A Case of Possession by Love" in New Delhi on Thursday evening.

Asked if he would ever consider getting involved with the Indian film industry as a choreographer or in some other role, Ramli said: "I can't do it. Bollywood is not my scene."

Ramli said he enjoys doing classical dance-based shows in India as his performances draw an appreciative audience.

Last year his Odissi dance show Ganjam, which derives inspiration from the cultural heritage of the Ganjam district in the eastern state of Odisha, was staged in New Delhi and three cities in Odisha.

Ramli said he is looking forward to Ganjam's new performances in India.

"Amorous Delight" is a contemporary Odissi production inspired by the ninth-century anskrit poem collection Amarushataka.

Ramli said as an Indian classical dance style Odissi is now "firmly planted" in Malaysia together with Bharatnatyam.

"Where Indian culture in multiracial contemporary Malaysia is concerned, Bharatnatyam and Odissi have found easy acceptance alongside Bollywood, yoga, sari, dosa and ayurvedic massages," he told the audience before the show. -Bernama