Saki Saki girl Nora Fatehi asserts she is far from typecast in Bollywood
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; August 14, 2019)

With several hits to her credit, Nora Fatehi has become the go-to girl for special dance numbers in films. Her latest offering, O Saki Saki remix, sees her attempting fire dancing in the Nikkhil Advani-directed Batla House. "I had only three days to learn how to use the prop [fire fan]. Once I got the basic idea of handling it, I had to learn the complicated dance steps," recounts Fatehi, adding that fire dancing, by its very nature, is risky when done by a novice. "The fire fans were heavy. Add to that, I had to wear a flowy skirt and leave my hair loose. So, playing with fire in such a scenario was challenging. Now that the song is liked by everyone, my hard work has paid off."

While her twinkletoes have ensured her a place in several big-budget films, including the upcoming Street Dancer 3D and the recent Bharat, the Canadian dancer has rarely got the opportunity to showcase her acting skills. Quiz her if she feels pigeon-holed, and she maintains an optimistic stance. "I am grateful that the industry appreciates my dancing skills. I don't perceive these songs as item numbers; they are performance-oriented songs. It's not my sex appeal, but my performance [in the number] that becomes the talking point. In Batla House, I am not restricted to doing Saki Saki. I have a full-fledged role of a girl who comes from a small town and whose existence is important in driving the story ahead. There were times when I would hug Nikkhil after a shot because he is allowing me to live my dream."