As Gangubai Kathiawadi released this Friday, the one song that is on everyone’s minds is Alia Bhatt’s hit dance number Dholida. Kruti Mahesh, who choreographed the special number, walks us through the making of it.

“We had two hook points—the Kathiawadi women and men and authentic dancing—to get what we wanted visually. We aimed to bring women dancing in sarees and the Mumbaiya garba feel [to the screen]. The Devi trance in the last shot took about three days to crack and choreograph,” says the choreographer of the song that was originally set to be shot in January 2020, but was pushed by a year owing to the pandemic.

“Alia did basic training with me for a few days. Before we shot the song, we rehearsed for another 10 days. It took us six days to shoot the song,” adds Mahesh, who won a National Award for choreographing the song Ghoomer from Padmaavat (2018).

She believes that working with fillmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali (SLB) changed the way people looked at her. “He is an institution in himself. SLB sees, breathes, and lives films. It is both an honour and blessing to work with him. The only thing that has changed after receiving a National Award is my drive to do and create better,” says Mahesh.