On 8th August, a mythological dance drama performance organized in Kolkata, West Bengal, sparked intense public outrage over what many audience members viewed as a deeply offensive and improper presentation of Goddess Kali. The controversial performance was produced and presented by the dance troupe Nitya – Faculty of Sight at the prominent Mohit Mancha auditorium located in the Tala Park area.

The public outcry began immediately after the artist portraying Goddess Kali stepped onto the stage wearing an attire that generated widespread criticism from those present in the hall as well as onlookers online. As dissatisfaction began mounting across social media platforms, the event coordinators issued a formal public apology, taking responsibility for the oversight while promising to implement much stricter supervisory guidelines regarding stage outfits and visual presentations for all upcoming shows.

Addressing the issue through an official statement published on Facebook, the organising team explained that the choreography, physical movements, and overall artistic presentation were entirely the “creative decisions” of the individual performer. The production staff noted that their role was strictly limited to providing the designated script and the matching audio soundtrack for the production.

Elaborating further on how the incident unfolded, the organizers revealed that the lead performer had not participated in any dress rehearsals while wearing the specific outfit intended for the live event. Consequently, the core management team remained entirely unaware of the exact clothing she planned to wear in front of the audience. The management had initially operated under the impression that the performer would wear traditional attire consistent with the costumes worn by two accompanying background dancers.

Instead, when the cue arrived for the live show, the lead artist took the stage dressed in a “completely different and unspecified costume” that had not been reviewed or approved by the management.

Following intense backlash online, the troupe admitted to an institutional breakdown in communication, administrative oversight, and overall supervision. While expressing formal regret for the uncomfortable situation, the management characterized the event as “unsightly and undesirable”, publicly acknowledging that both the wardrobe and the visual stage setups ought to have been subjected to thorough inspections well before the curtain went up.

Despite seeking to clarify the situation, the production team acknowledged that a far higher degree of oversight should have been maintained throughout the process. They offered an unreserved apology to audience members, fellow artists, and long-time supporters. To prevent similar lapses, the group pledged that all performance outfits and visual elements will henceforth be formally approved and inspected prior to any public staging.

While the group attempted to clarify that the senior and experienced artists had been granted substantial creative latitude due to mutual trust in their professional judgment, the public reaction remained severe. Disappointed members of the audience voiced their frustration online, taking issue with how revered cultural figures were depicted.

“Could the form of the Mother not have been presented with greater dignity? Gods and goddesses are objects of reverence, and it feels very bad to see such vulgar scenes there,” wrote one distressed viewer.“They are not real dancers... If they were genuine dancers, they would never have had the courage to do something like this.... ,” expressed another critic online.

In response to the overwhelming public reaction, the production group reiterated its deep regret to all offended parties, reassuring their audience that strict measures regarding pre-show wardrobe checks will remain a mandatory protocol for all future artistic endeavors.