About
Maya Krishna Rao is a pioneering Indian solo theatre and performance artist, celebrated for a singular body of work that fuses her Kathakali training with contemporary, often politically charged performance. A Sangeet Natak Akademi awardee, she is one of India's most distinctive solo performers.
Trained in Kathakali and rooted in contemporary theatre, Maya Krishna Rao developed a distinctive solo practice over decades, teaching, devising and performing widely in India and abroad. Her politically engaged solo pieces, such as Walk, have become touchstones of contemporary Indian performance, and she has received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for her contribution.
The artistry
Rao's performances blend the rigour and expressive power of Kathakali with stand-up, satire, movement and text, ranging across pieces on politics, gender and society. Her acclaimed solo works, including Walk, a response to violence against women, and Loose Woman, are marked by physical precision, wit and a fearless social voice.
[Atlas Perspective] Maya Krishna Rao is a pioneering, fiercely original solo performer. For festivals and cultural or campus programmes, she is a strong, distinctive choice.
Maya Krishna Rao has forged a singular path in Indian performance, bringing Kathakali's discipline into a bold, contemporary and socially engaged solo theatre, and standing among the country's most influential solo performers.