Disabling disability, one act at a time

In the digital world, Aakash Chiripal, who has Down Syndrome, has garnered a lot of positive attention for his fashion content. In videos shared on Instagram, where he runs a page with his sister, Chiripal is often seen flaunting the latest outfits from the wardrobes of his favourite celebrities. His high point came when he got to meet actor Vicky Kaushal, one of the many actors that Chiripal has recreated the popular looks of in his content.

For individuals with cognitive disabilities, life is not easy. “Beyond social isolation, families of such individuals face immense emotional and financial pressure. Too often, in most Indian households, mothers bear this burden, giving up their careers to provide full-time care, even if they are more qualified than the other parent and impacting family income,” says Dr Anil Kumar Nair, director, intervention, Different Art Centre, an arts school in Thiruvananthapuram dedicated to the differently-abled individuals.

However, individuals like Bakhshi, Bijesh and Chiripal have proven that the differently abled can not only break barriers but also carve out a niche for themselves despite the challenges and roadblocks along the way. Here are a few such artistes…

Cristeene Rose Tojo, 21

For Cristeene Rose Tojo, 21, autism spectrum disorder might have been challenging for her chosen path, but it could never deter her from taking the stage. 

The second of four siblings, Tojo is the only one in her family who has taken up livelihood as a professional performing artiste. As a child, she used to be a regular with the church choir, and had a deep love for music. However, when she started formal training in Indian classical music at the age of 9, those classes lasted only for a year due to her condition not agreeing with the format and teaching style. She then decided to teach herself through YouTube and other online resources. In 2022, she won the district level prize for instrumental music (keyboard) at the Special School Arts Festival in Kottayam.

Tojo covers a lot of songs by her favourite artistes when she performs, and she likes to stay true to the original versions, unlike a lot of cover artistes who put their own spin on the melodies. She spends hours on practising, perfecting the original track for her own renditions. However, she says that she feels a particular connection to Celine Dion’s music, with Titanic’s My Heart Will Go On being one of her favourite tracks, as she feels the singer’s voice and style are particularly inspiring and similar to her own approach.

Tojo likes to learn songs in different languages although some words can be difficult for her to pronounce. Apart from English, which suits her speech patterns, she also sings songs in Hindi, Malayalam and Tamil.

Despite her daily riyaaz sessions she feels the weight of some challenges. For instance, she says that many teachers are either unwilling or not trained to teach or interact with neurodivergent students, and therefore, the learning opportunities tend to be different for her than they are for other students.

“Ensuring proper musical support can also be a task,” she says, adding that interacting with the organisers adequately is also not easy. However, she focuses on delivering a flawless performance, and hopes to sing on bigger stages as her musical career progresses, inspiring others with her journey and success stories. 

Rukhsana Anwar, 23

Coming from a family of musicians, with her father being an established playback singer, taking up a career in music worked out beautifully for Ruksana Anwar— satiating her passion, and also providing some ease of access to training and education.

The 23-year-old Thiruvananthapuram resident picked up the violin when she was 12 years old, and has been nearly inseparable from it since then. She is also a part of Kerala’s first all-girls rock band Euphonics.

Speaking of Anwar’s relationship with music, her mother says that growing up in the family, music has always been a big part of her life. “It gives her a sense of freedom and creative expression,” she says, adding: “Her intellectual disability limits her opportunities in mainstream education and conventional career routes. When she plays, it’s as if the world disappears and only the music remains.”

With her training in Carnatic classical music, Anwar prefers to play light and soothing melodies. Apart from playing with Euphonics, she is also in a band called 10 Acres with her father Anwar Saduth and younger sister Nasreen.

Their mother recalls being worried for Anwar as she was reclusive and did not talk much as a child. “I thought maybe she could find a way to express herself through music. So, when she was 12, we enrolled her in a local music school for weekend sessions,” she says. However, at first it was a difficult start, as Anwar would find it hard to remember the lessons in between weekend classes. This was when her teacher suggested that Nasreen, who is three years younger, also enroll so that both sisters could learn together. “With Nasreen practising by her side every day, Ruksana was also able to enjoy her practice sessions and navigate them more easily,” her mother adds.

According to her mother, Anwar is greatly inspired by the late Balabhaskar Chandran, a musician and violinist from Kerala. Her mother shares that she always wanted to be a violinist like Chandran, and was greatly inspired by the music he made.
Anwar, however, does maintain that her intellectual disability has not been able to hold her back from playing and performing her music. “Music is equal for everyone. I am simply following my passion, and that is what matters most,” she adds.

Eldho Kuriakose, 29

Eldho Kuriakose surrendered to the dance bug when he watched dancer-actress Shobana’s performance in the Malayalam-language movie Manichithrathazhu in 1993. Since then, he has never stopped dancing, be it on account of Down Syndrome or otherwise, his family shares.

Kuriakose started training in Bharatanatyam at the age of 15, and continued for three years, before branching out into training other dance styles as well. With time, he refined his coordination, timing, and spatial awareness within group performances as well, and consistent exposure to competitions and events helped him develop confidence.

Kuriakose says that for his stage performances he likes to blend classical technique with expressive, high-energy storytelling performances. The 29-year-old Thiruvananthapuram resident also takes great inspiration from his favourite superstars Mohanlal and Vijay. 

And even though dance is his chosen art form, Kuriakose is also skilled in mimicry and tabla, and has had training in both. 
In his career in dance and mimicry, Kuriakose has won awards and gained recognition widely. He’s been the recipient of the Kalabhavan Mani Award for all-round performance on three different instances, in 2015, 2019 and 2023. He won an award for folk dance at the Chilamboli Festival in 2007, and has also acted in a 21-minute short film Eldho, which is based on his life. 
Kuriakose also has a diploma in dance from Annamalai University and a diploma in tabla from Dr J Jayalalithaa Music and Fine Arts University. 

However, stage preparation can often be a challenge as Kuriakose’s mother says he has to adapt to unfamiliar stages and lighting arrangements, cope with the stress of high-pressure events, and perform in venues with limited rehearsal time. Loud environments —especially noisy speakers or crackers— can be unsettling, his mother shares. For these performances, being accompanied by his parents or teachers and familiar faces helps him ease into his comfort zone.

Kuriakose dreams of performing in films on bigger stages, continuing to participate in competitions, and expanding his skills in various art forms. He also hopes to act in more short films, and possibly feature films, while simultaneously focusing on classical dance as a lifelong path.

Vishnu R, 24

Vishnu R is a master in disappearing acts, sleights of hand and optical illusions. At 24, the resident of Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala is a passionate magician, travelling across the globe to showcase his talent in a performing art form that is regarded as one of the most entertaining and interactive in the world.

To Vishnu, who has been living with cerebral palsy and intellectual disabilities, however, magic is more than just a form of entertainment. It’s a form of self-expression, he says, that goes beyond words, and not only gives him a sense of fulfilment and identity, but also holds the power to draw in his audiences and make them happy. 

Vishnu got interested in magic when he visited Magic Planet, a theme park in Kerala, as part of a field trip with his classmates from school. Soon after, he enrolled at the Academy of Magical Sciences in Thiruvananthapuram in 2017— and the rest, as they, is history. 

The young illusionist finds Houdini’s Escape and Standing Lady Illusion as his favourite acts. “These two are fascinating because they combine creativity, precision and visual impact,” he says.

Perfecting a trick requires patience and persistence, Vishnu explains. “Some can be mastered in a few weeks, while others take months. Every gesture, movement, and expression must be synchronised perfectly,” he adds. 
Vishnu keeps refining each and every act until it feels effortless and flawless. “I cannot imagine myself without magic,” he adds.

Vishnu says that the credit for his growth as a magician goes to his mentor Gopinath Muthukad, a well-known magician and disability rights activist, with whom he has toured places like Japan, Singapore and Abu Dhabi. Muthukad taught Vishnu not only the skills to be a magician, but also the values of discipline, focus and dedication that a performer should model, he adds.

In his career in magic, Vishnu has learned that his passion goes beyond his physical limitations. Rather, he sees his journey as proof that with hard work and determination, nothing is impossible. His growth ever since his debut performance at Tagore Theatre in Thiruvananthapuram in 2017 has been impressive, having achieved great heights in a matter of eight years. He has also been awarded a certificate for his achievements by the Sophia University, Japan, where he performed at the International Open Research Conference in 2023.