The filmmaker-choreographer, who was a judge on the reality show that Sushant was a part of years ago, talks about the finesse that the late actor brought to his dance moves and how they were hoping to make a dance film together someday
Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; June 11, 2021)

Sushant Singh Rajput, who was a trained dancer, had often expressed the desire to be a part of a dance film. In fact, the actor had even spoken about it to filmmaker-choreographer Remo D’Souza, with whom he had first interacted in 2010 on the set of the TV show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa (JDJ). The actor, a student of Shiamak Davar’s dance academy, had participated in the fourth season of the dance reality show, which was being judged by Remo along with Madhuri Dixit and Malaika Arora. Singer-actor Meiyang Chang went on to win the contest and Sushant was declared the first-runner up. The stint was shortly before he made his debut in Bollywood with Abhishek Kapoor’s Kai Po Che!.

“Sushant was amazing with every performance. It’s difficult to pick one as a favourite even today,” says Remo, who had wanted to make a dance film with Sushant. He continues. “Sushant wanted to do a dance film. When he had come on my show, Dance Plus, for the promotion of one of his movies, he had asked me to work on a dance film with him. I wish I could have. Sushant was an amazing dancer. Right from his first performance on JDJ, we knew he had the potential to win. To me, he was a winner. In fact, I was surprised he lost. He was such a good-looking boy, who owned the stage each time he stepped on it. He was great with every dance form that he tried.”

Remo further adds, “When he got into films, I was certain that he would do well. He was confident, relentless and hardworking. Sushant was a very energetic guy. He was good-natured and someone who went the extra mile. I’ve always believed that either you are a born dancer or you are a trained dancer. Sushant was a blend of both. He was the perfect mix, someone who learned different forms and performed them with perfection. You could see the finish and finesse, something that I saw while he scorched the JDJ dance floor.”

Recalling his last meeting with Sushant, Remo says, “Sushant had casually told me, ‘Sir, you know I am a good dancer, let’s do a dance film together.’ I get goosebumps when I think of that conversation.”


Sushant with choreographer Shampa Gopikrishna in Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa (2010)