Which classical dance combines speech, mime and pure dance?

The correct answer is Kuchipudi. Kuchipudi, the classical dance of Andhra Pradesh, is unique among the major classical dances of India in combining speech (or song by the dancers themselves), mime and pure dance. This reflects its origins as a dance-drama tradition, in which the performers acted out stories and spoke or sang their own lines, rather than relying entirely on singers in the orchestra.

Kuchipudi contains all three elements of Indian classical dance: nritta (pure dance, made up of rhythmic movements and footwork that do not convey any meaning), nritya (expressive dance, in which the dancer conveys meaning and emotion through gestures and facial expressions) and natya (drama, in which a story is acted out with characters). Kuchipudi is named after the village of Kuchipudi in the Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh. It was given its traditional form by the 17th century saint Siddhendra Yogi, who wrote the famous dance-drama Bhama Kalapam about Satyabhama, the wife of Krishna. Traditionally, it was performed only by Brahmin men, called Bhagavatulu, who also played the female roles. In the 20th century, gurus such as Vedantam Lakshminarayana Sastry and Vempati Chinna Satyam developed it into a solo form, performed by both women and men. Kuchipudi is also known for the Tarangam, in which the dancer balances on the rim of a brass plate. It is accompanied by Carnatic music, and its songs are mostly in Telugu.

About the other options:

Odissi is known for its sculptural poses, the chauka and tribhanga postures and its link with Lord Jagannath. Its dancers do not speak.

Manipuri is known for its soft, flowing movements and its devotional Ras Leela.

Mohiniyattam is a graceful solo dance of Kerala, performed by women.

None of these combines speech with dance in the way that Kuchipudi does.