Some artists perform an art form. Others preserve it. A rare few become inseparable from its identity. Shakuntala Nagarkar belonged to the last category. With her death on September 22, 2026, Maharashtra lost one of Lavani’s most distinctive performers and advocates. She was 66.

Known affectionately as Shakuntalabai, Nagarkar devoted more than five decades to Lavani as a dancer, actor, singer and storyteller. Her artistry went far beyond movement. Through expressive eyes, precise gestures, powerful vocals and impeccable timing, she could turn a Lavani performance into a complete theatrical experience.

Born into a family associated with the Lavani tradition, Nagarkar inherited the art from her mother, Chhabubai Nagarkar, herself a noted Lavani artiste. But she did not merely preserve that inheritance. She expanded it, taking the form into new theatrical spaces while retaining its traditional character.

Her association with Mumbai’s Girangaon, particularly the iconic Hanuman Theatre in Lalbaug, played an important role in shaping her career. Over the years, audiences came to recognise her commanding stage presence, spontaneity, humour and ability to connect directly with spectators.

Nagarkar demonstrated that Lavani could be sensual and playful while also being intelligent, dramatic and emotionally layered. Her performances showed that the form was not simply about glamour or dance. It encompassed poetry, music, theatre, storytelling and social observation, often reflecting women’s emotions and experiences.

She was equally committed to allowing Lavani to evolve. Through productions such as Lavani Ke Rang and Love and Lavani, she helped bring the traditional form before newer audiences. Her performance in Lavani Ke Rang earned her the Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Award for Best Actor in a Lead Role (Female) in 2023, recognising her contribution as a theatre performer as much as a Lavani artiste.

Nagarkar was also a recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. Alongside theatre director Bhushan Korgaonkar, she conducted workshops at universities and educational institutions, introducing younger generations to Lavani and its cultural vocabulary. For her, preserving the form meant ensuring that it was understood, not merely remembered.

Her training in Kathak under guru Vasantrao Ghatge further enriched her movement vocabulary and added another dimension to her Lavani presentation. Fellow performers often admired her spontaneity, comic timing and remarkable ability to hold an audience.

Perhaps most significant was the dignity with which she carried Lavani. At a time when folk performance was often viewed through narrow stereotypes, Nagarkar insisted through her work that Lavani deserved artistic seriousness and respect.

Even after being diagnosed with cancer, she continued performing, travelling and conducting workshops. Her final public performance was reportedly in April 2025.

Her passing leaves behind more than memories. It leaves a responsibility: to study, perform and preserve the art she championed.

The ghungroos may have fallen silent, but the rhythm Shakuntalabai Nagarkar gave to Lavani continues.