One of the most legendary and pioneering figures in Indian dance, Amala Shankar, started her career with Uday Shankar at the age of 12. She went on to become a dancer, choreographer, and actress who helped in taking Indian dance to the world stage and trained countless students in her long and illustrious career.
Early Life and Career
Amala Shankar, born Amala Nandy on June 27, 1919, in Batajor Village, Magura District, Bengal Presidency, which is now Bangladesh. Her father was Akhoy Kumar Nandy, who has a deep interest in arts and culture. She accompanied her father to attend the International Colonial Exhibition in Paris in 1931.
In Paris, the young Amala met Uday Shankar, the legendary dancer. She joined his dance troupe, learning and performing with him. Soon she gained recognition as the top dancer in the troupe and went on to perform in India and abroad for many years.
In 1938, Uday Shankar established the “Uday Shankar India Cultural Centre” near Almora. Amala joined him in the center with the likes of Zohra Sehgal, Uzra, Sardar Malik, Guru Dutt, Simkie, Amala, Satyavati, Narendra Sharma, Ruma Guha Thakurta, Prabhat Ganguly, Lakshmi Shankar, Shanta Gandhi and Kameshwar Sehgal.
Amala Shankar – The Legendary Dancer and Teacher
Her film debut came with Kalpana (1948), a dance-drama written, directed, and co-produced by Uday Shankar, where she played a lead role. Amala’s role as Uma in Kalpana stands out as her most memorable performance. She portrayed a dancer dreaming of establishing a dance academy, reflecting her real-life passion.
Amala’s partnership with Uday Shankar extended to dance performances worldwide, establishing the Shankar gharana. She worked with troupe members at Uday Shankar’s Almora dance center, training new dancers
She performed her last dance drama, Sita Swayamvar, at age 92, playing King Janaka. The West Bengal government awarded her the Banga Vibhushan in 2011 for her contributions to art.
Personal Life
Amala married Uday Shankar in 1942 after his proposal in 1939. They had a son, Ananda Shankar, born in 1942, and a daughter, Mamata Shankar, born in 1954. The couple lived separately in their later years due to Uday’s involvement with another troupe member. Uday Shankar died in 1977.
Amala raised her children in Kolkata, where Ananda became a musician and Mamata a dancer-actress. Her influence continued through her daughter Mamata Shankar and daughter-in-law Tanushree Shankar, who maintained the family legacy. In later life, she ran the Uday Shankar India Culture Centre in Kolkata, teaching dance until her health declined.
Amala suffered from old-age ailments and passed away on July 24, 2020, in Kolkata. Her granddaughter Sreenanda Shankar announced her death, noting her 101st birthday celebration the previous month.
Amala Shankar on IMDB
