Mallika Sarabhai (born 9 May 1954) is an Indian classical dancer, choreographer, actress and activist from Ahmedabad. A leading performer of Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam, she won international attention as Draupadi in Peter Brook’s stage production and film of The Mahabharata. She directs the Darpana Academy of Performing Arts, founded by her parents, and uses dance and theatre to speak about women’s rights, communal harmony and the environment. She received the Padma Bhushan in 2010.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Mallika Sarabhai |
| Born | 9 May 1954, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India |
| Age | 72 |
| Parents | Vikram Sarabhai, Mrinalini Sarabhai |
| Occupation | Dancer, choreographer, actress, activist |
| Education | St. Xavier’s College, Ahmedabad; IIM Ahmedabad (MBA 1974); Gujarat University (Ph.D. 1976) |
| Dance forms | Kuchipudi, Bharatanatyam |
| Children | 2 (Revanta and Anahita) |
| Honours | Padma Bhushan (2010), Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2000) |
Early Life
Mallika was born in Ahmedabad to the space scientist Vikram Sarabhai and the dancer Mrinalini Sarabhai. She began learning dance as a child from her mother and acted in Gujarati and Hindi films from her teens. She studied economics at St. Xavier’s College, took an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad in 1974 and completed a doctorate in organisational behaviour at Gujarat University.
Career
Sarabhai acted in a number of Gujarati and Hindi films in the 1970s and 1980s, including Himalay Se Ooncha and Sheesha. At the same time she built a reputation as a dancer, performing with her mother and on her own in India and abroad.
The British director Peter Brook cast her as Draupadi in his nine-hour stage version of The Mahabharata, which opened in France in 1985 and toured the world for several years; she was the only Indian in the main cast. She repeated the role in the 1989 film version.
Sarabhai has led the Darpana Academy of Performing Arts in Ahmedabad for decades, creating productions that combine dance, theatre and multimedia. Works such as Shakti: The Power of Women, Sita’s Daughters and Unsuni take up subjects like violence against women and the lives of the poor. Darpana also uses puppetry, street theatre and television to carry messages about health and education to villages.
Activism and Politics
After the Gujarat riots of 2002 Sarabhai was among those who petitioned the Supreme Court over the state government’s role, and she has remained an outspoken critic of communal politics. In 2009 she stood as an independent in the Lok Sabha election from Gandhinagar against L. K. Advani and lost. In December 2022 the Kerala government appointed her chancellor of Kerala Kalamandalam, the state’s university of performing arts.
Personal Life
Sarabhai was married to Bipin Shah, a publisher with whom she co-founded Mapin Publishing; they later divorced. Their son, Revanta, and daughter, Anahita, are both dancers and performers.
Awards and Honours
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Mallika Sarabhai born?
Mallika Sarabhai was born on 9 May 1954 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India and is 72 years old.
What is Mallika Sarabhai’s occupation?
Occupation: Dancer, choreographer, actress, activist.
What honours has Mallika Sarabhai received?
Padma Bhushan (2010), Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2000).
Featured image: Mallika Sarabhai in classical dance costume before a performance, 2010. Photo by E P Sajeevan, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
