Some performances don't just fill a stage - they reach inside you, rearrange something, and leave you quietly altered. ...Aditi Mangaldas' Knotted and Unwrapped... traverse a landscape of rupture and recovery, confinement and freedom. Rooted in Kathak but expanding far beyond its classical boundaries, they felt like emotional excavations - urgent, precise, and hauntingly beautiful. ... There's no narrative to hold onto, and the music - disjointed, sometimes absent - offers no rhythm to rest in. It's unsettling... A question lingers - is this carefully constructed, or is it just emotion breaking through form? Either way, it holds us completely... There is a visceral sense of loss, of madness just beneath the surface...
Madhur Gupta, Narthaki | May 2025
If Knotted was an implosion, Unwrapped is a slow exhale... It no longer feels like performance. It's a confession. She (Aditi) peels back layers - cloth, choreography, perhaps even identity. "(Un)Wrapped" becomes a metaphor for what we hide, even from ourselves... Aditi Mangaldas is not simply performing Kathak - she is reshaping its possibilities. These two works (Knotted and Unwrapped) reveal the fragility and fire of the human experience through live music, minimalist staging, and deeply embodied emotion. They challenge us to sit in discomfort, to listen to silence, and to recognize the beauty in unravelling.
Madhur Gupta, Narthaki | May 2025
A mesmerising exploration of the 'Inner World' .... Aditi Mangaldas's production was nothing short of spectacular - a thoughtful, intense and emotionally resonant experience that pushed the boundaries of contemporary dance rooted in classical Kathak. The performance was presented in two distinct parts... and together they created a powerful journey from inner chaos to clarity.
Ridhima Bagga, Delhi Theatre Guide | May 2025
Aditi Mangaldas: Redefining Kathak with Boundless Innovation... A globally celebrated artist, she fearlessly challenges norms, captivating audiences with her unmatched artistry, dynamism, and a vision that redefines Indian dance on the world stage. Aditi Mangaldas stands at the forefront of Indian dance, seamlessly blending the classical and contemporary... Recognised for her fearless artistry and technical brilliance, Aditi’s performances radiate energy, eloquence, and emotional depth... Whether shattering conventions or exploring new artistic frontiers, Aditi Mangaldas remains an unstoppable force in dance today.
Nikhil Sardana, Serenade magazine, March 2025
Amazing Aditi… I watched another icon Aditi Mangaldas… as she twirled,
lunged, crouched and navigated the vast Music Academy stage for her
command performance in Chennai… In an ensemble work called UNWRAPPED,
Aditi and her marvellously trained dancers and musicians delivered a stand out
show to a rapt audience… Her intellectual curiosity shone through at many
sections, pushing the socially elite Chennai audiences to sit up and lean into
the work… The well knit, impeccably dressed and trained musician ensemble
were totally at ease during the performance… ‘Ageless’ is a quality that is easily
applied to her.
Anita Ratnam, Narthaki.com, February 2025
The honesty that Aditi Mangaldas brings to her works is very much a part of
her persona too… One of the most influential proteges of Kathak legends
Kumudini Lakhia and Pt Birju Maharaj, Aditi always had a sense of what she
wanted to achieve as a dancer. Like her gurus, she believes in looking at the
wider world, never allowing herself to be boxed in by conventions.
Chitra
Swaminathan, The Hindu | January 2025