Showing posts with label Shiamak Davar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shiamak Davar. Show all posts
Vijay Ganguly on his National Award win: "I was just numb for five minutes"
9:25 AM
Tanvi J Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; July 24, 2026)
Vijay Ganguly says he never saw coming. The choreographer, who once had no interest in dancing, admits he is still processing the honour.
“I was just numb for five minutes. I couldn’t believe it. When messages started pouring, I realized, okay, this is really happening. I’m still processing it,” he says.
The award is especially meaningful for Vijay as it continues a family legacy. “My father had won two National Awards (Anil Ganguly received Best Story for Kora Kagaz and Best Feature Film in Hindi for Tapasya). This is the third National Award coming into our home. It’s a fantastic feeling,” he adds.
Ironically, Vijay’s journey into dance began almost by accident. “Growing up, I was never interested in dancing. I would only perform during Durga Puja celebrations. In 1999, just for fun, I enrolled in a Shiamak Davar dance class. I realized I really enjoyed it, and the rest is history,” he shares.
Looking back at Aaj Ki Raat, Vijay says he had hoped the song would connect with audiences but never imagined it would become one of the year’s biggest party anthems. “We knew we had done a good job, but had no idea it would connect with so many people. We simply did our job and hoped it worked. Everyone, from children to older people, connected with it.”
He is also quick to credit Tamannaah Bhatia for bringing the choreography to life. “Tamannaah definitely played a huge role because, ultimately, what people see is the performer.”
It’s just love: Vijay on his mother Rajani Ganguly’s viral dance reel
His mother, Rajani Ganguly’s dance reel on his song Shararat from Dhurandhar recently won hearts online. Vijay says the family never expected it to go viral. “I don’t share too many reels, but this one was special. Mumma loves dancing and she’s a very good dancer. We always feel people should see her dance. Whenever one of my songs becomes a hit or excites her, we ask her to dance and we post it. It’s just for fun. It’s not social media content that we expect will go viral. It’s just love.”
My school teacher rejected me and told me I didn’t have it in me to be a dancer-Vijay Ganguly
10:00 AM
Once told by a teacher that he didn’t have what it takes, Vijay A Ganguly has just bagged a top award—more importantly, his choreography has colonised dance floors around the world
Nisrin Saria (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 22, 2026)
On the way to the Super Star Hall in Andheri on the metro, I noticed the person in front of me absently scrolling through reels — until one made her stop. It featured two girls dancing to the viral hook step of Shararat from the film Dhurandhar. She watched it on a loop, as though mesmerized. That is the thing about a truly great piece of choreography: it cuts through. The man behind those moves, Vijay A Ganguly, just won The Iconic Gold Awards 2026 for the same dance on February 18.
Ganguly, 45, walks into the second-floor of the dance studio dressed in a black sweatshirt, denim jeans, and black-and-white sneakers. He greets his team with enthusiasm, and immediately joins a brainstorming session for a patriotic track in an upcoming film. “When creating the choreography for this song, I want to do something that even soldiers stationed at the border in freezing temperatures could dance to,” says the Worli resident.
A meticulous process guides how each song eventually unfolds on screen. “There is always a plan before hitting the set,” Ganguly says, noting the importance of research and alignment with the director and actors. Yet, he remains open to the occasional lightning strike of spontaneity.
He points to a viral moment in Dhurandhar, where Akshaye Khanna’s Rehman Dakait character dances to Sher-e-Baloch. “That wasn’t planned. He just started dancing, and we kept the camera rolling.”
Inside the hook step
For Shararat, the creative groundwork began eight months before the first day of shooting, he says. Director Aditya Dhar provided a steady stream of reference videos to help Ganguly deconstruct the specific nuances of Balochistani wedding celebrations. Typically, at festive gatherings, these celebrations include folk dances like Chaap and Do-Chapi, which are performed in circles with rhythmic clapping and coordinated steps, often to the beat of dohol and sorna. What the film captured, Ganguly says, represents only a fraction of the energy festive Balochi dances can generate.
“What we have filmed represents only about 30 per cent of the energy that goes into it,” Ganguly says. He recalls footage of women jumping off stages, falling, then springing back up, an atmosphere he describes as “pumping with energy.” The task was to translate that raw, communal intensity into something cinematic without losing its force.
The resulting video has since amassed over 200 million views on YouTube, with the hook step being recreated globally—a clear metric of success. The impact, however, didn’t end at the steps; it was in the utility of the design. “The costumes couldn’t be revealing, but a sharara would have restricted the choreography, so we added a slit for mobility,” Ganguly reveals.
This was a relatively easy assignment, he says of Shararat, noting the final step was a mix of two options chosen by Aditya Dhar. In contrast, he designed 32 versions for Stree 2’s Aaj Ki Raat. Despite his fame in dance, editing remains his true passion: “I edit all my songs myself; Shararat was 90 per cent cut by me on my little laptop.”
Growing up near the camera
Being on set comes naturally to him, as he grew up watching his father, filmmaker Anil Ganguly, at work. “My sister Rupali and I would accompany my father and seeing how everyone listened to him on set made me want to do the same or at least something similar,” he admits. He appeared in several of his father’s films, including Saaheb, Dushman Devta, and Sadak Chap, absorbing the rhythms of production long before he understood them.
Performance, however, did not begin with easy validation. “When I was ten and wanted to take part in my school play, I auditioned to Everybody Dance with Pa Pa Pa by Mithun uncle, but my teacher rejected me and told me I didn’t have it in me to be a dancer.” The verdict lingered. For years, performance slipped into the background, returning later by chance.
A wrong that made a right
In 1999, he walked into Shiamak Davar’s academy to submit the fee cheque for his sister’s class. The receptionist assumed it was for him and enrolled him instead. Persuaded to try one session, he started at the back of a beginner’s batch, caught Davar’s attention and stayed on, eventually teaching there for 13 years.
In 2013, he left to pursue films. “That’s when my struggle started again — my father had told me at 18, ‘Find yourself; I won’t make calls for you.’”
He waited outside offices for any job he may land. Jagga Jasoos, a four-year musical, shifted his trajectory. Close to quitting in 2016, he held on after his father reminded him, “Time se pehle kisi ko kuch nahi milta.” Galti Se Mistake became his breakthrough and won him the 2018 Filmfare Award.
Ganguly is clear that he does not believe in a formula. “One of my favourite works remains Main Parwaana from Pippa because it blended jazz with Bollywood.” It did not go viral. Not everything does.
Craft without pronouns
In an industry where dance is often linked to names like Farah Khan or the late Saroj Khan, Ganguly maintains, “When it comes to dance, there is no gender.” He points to Chaka Chak from Atrangi Re as proof. As COVID restrictions thinned his team, assistant Abhishek Pai became the reference for the entire routine. “We had to set the song immediately and Abhishek became the blueprint for it,” he says. The result became one of the film’s most recognizable numbers.
Now, Ganguly champions what he calls expression-led dancing, inspired by Govinda, where a fleeting facial reaction can outshine an elaborate step. His guiding principle comes from his father: treat the crew with respect. “People leave their families and work long hours for you. If they are there for you, that day should feel worth it.” should feel worth it and you must treat them with respect.”
Once closed off to anything beyond choreography, he is now open to whatever cinema offers, be it acting, producing, directing, or simply learning the art of lighting a scene. “After all,” he says, “choreography was never the plan, yet it became my calling.”
Sanjay Leela Bhansali to shoot two grand songs for Love & War next week
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Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; January 17, 2026)
Where there is Sanjay Leela Bhansali, there are bound to be grand song sequences. In the last leg of Love & War, the filmmaker is gearing up to shoot two dance numbers with lead actors Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Vicky Kaushal. Sources have told mid-day that the first number, to be choreographed by Ganesh Acharya, will go on floors next week.
An insider revealed, “The song is high on energy, dramatic, and visually lavish as is expected from a Bhansali creation. The shoot will kick off on January 20 with the three leads in Film City, Goregaon.”
The second song, scheduled to be shot on February 9, is being described by unit members as one of Bhansali’s most experimental musical set-pieces to date. It will see the filmmaker collaborate with choreographer Shiamak Davar, who will bring a contemporary spin to the number.
“It is unlike anything Bhansali has attempted before. It’s experimental in form, movement, and staging, with Shiamak bringing a theatrical energy to the sequence,” added the source.
The actors are currently rehearsing for the songs before they report to the set next week.
All my grace and poise come from ballet-Tara Sutaria
10:57 AM
The actor shares how classical ballet training helped her find the confidence to present herself to the world
Natasha Coutinho (HINDUSTAN TIMES; November 14, 2025)
Starting at the age of five, actor Tara Sutaria trained as a ballerina for over a decade. On World Ballet Day today, she shares how the discipline and training continue to guide her every day: “I learnt from the pioneer of classical ballet in India, Mrs Tushna Dallas. She trained several known names, including (choreographer) Shiamak Davar. My training completely shaped how I sit and stand, walk and talk, how I present myself and greet people. All the grace and poise I possess come from my ballet training.”
The 29-year-old adds how helps her professionally: “Today, I can learn dance routines for my films within minutes thanks to my training. My body is accustomed to learning dance quickly because of muscle memory,” she shares.
As a child, she would go to ballet class with her sister, Pia, straight from school. “We used to change into our ballet clothes and tie our hair into a bun in the car while doing homework. Tushna ensured there wasn’t a hair out of place. It taught us discipline.”
Calling ballet “for everyone,” Tara says, “There’s no gender attached to it. The athleticism required is more than most sports.”
Talking about how her ballet journey became a turning point long before acting entered the picture, Tara says, “I appeared for ballet exams at the Royal Academy of Dance, UK. I didn’t know I would be an actor back then, but even when I performed musical theatre, my ballet training taught me how to present myself to the world.”
Recalling her first time performing ballet on stage, the actor shares, “My first time on stage was performing with the Kazakhstan ballet company that had come to Mumbai’s NCPA (National Centre for Performing Arts) to perform the Nutcracker ballet. Along with the girls and boys in our ballet school, I joined in the performance. To be working with such accomplished professionals at the age of six, where I played a snow angel, is a memory of a lifetime.”
Tara signs off by encouraging others to take up performing arts. “The training helps me a lot in my career, but it’s important to have classical training in voice or dance, no matter what profession you are a part of. It helps guide your life and teaches you how to carry yourself. Parents need to encourage their children to take up any form of classical training in the performing arts. It teaches you how to use your arms, legs and keep your core in place,” she ends.
With Kesari Chapter 2, I was referencing Catherine Zeta Jones-Masaba Gupta
10:58 AM
Masaba Gupta, who leads the cabaret song Khumaari in Kesari Chapter 2, on referencing Catherine Zeta-Jones’ act in Chicago
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; April 24, 2025)
A week before her January 2023 wedding, fashion designer and actor Masaba Gupta got a call. It wasn’t the expected congratulatory call; instead, it was casting director Panchami Ghavri requesting her to front a dance number in Kesari Chapter 2. “I thought it was a bizarre request to come my way,” recalls Gupta, whose cabaret song, Khumaari, is a surprise element in the Akshay Kumar-led period drama.
Not many know that in her teenage years, Gupta trained at Shiamak Davar’s institute, and has always been enthusiastic about dancing. Tell her it shows in the song, and she attributes it to director Karan Singh Tyagi’s vision.
“He had this thought [of casting me]. It was earlier meant to be a burlesque number, and then, it became a cabaret song. The fact that I knew I could do justice to it made me say yes. I’ve been a dancer all my life, and always wanted to do something like this. My gut feeling was that I should do it because it was a Dharma film, set in the right backdrop, and it could be something that I could lend myself to,” she says.
Before the shoot, Gupta rehearsed for two-three days with choreographer Vijay Ganguly. She even had a reference in her head. “I was referencing Catherine Zeta-Jones from her performance in [Chicago]. In my head, it was a toned-down performance of Zeta-Jones’ in All That Jazz,” she smiles, adding that while the dance was a breeze, she faced an unexpected hurdle.
“I had bad cramps because of the tight corset, and was curled up in the vanity van between takes. But it sorted itself out thankfully, and everyone was patient with me.”
I asked Saroj Khan, ‘Who is the best dancer among all the heroines’ and she responded with Aishwarya’s name-Subhash Ghai
8:22 AM
When director Subhash Ghai’s Taal was released in 1999, it revolutionised the musical genre in Bollywood. As Taal, starring Aishwarya Rai, Akshaye Khanna and Anil Kapoor, marks its 25th anniversary today, Ghai reflects on his creative process that he considers to be the pinnacle of his career
Yashika Mathur (HINDUSTAN TIMES; August 13, 2024)
RAHMAN WAS THE REAL HERO
For Ghai, composer A R Rahman was central to the film’s vision. “I told him (Rahman) that ‘my title is Taal and you are the hero’ and he was very happy,” Ghai reveals, adding “Once you name a film ‘Taal’ you have to live up to the title. For this, Rahman, who has international sensibilities, worked with lyricist Anand Bakshi and singer Sukhwinder Singh. Subsequently, the songs were recorded, and we spent some 80 days together. After that, I redrafted my script as per the music.”
DANCE MAESTROS BEHIND TAAL
The film’s choreography was a collaboration between three renowned choreographers. “Because the journey was from rural areas and cities to the cosmetic world, there was a growth in story, even in terms of costumes and presentation. So Shiamak Davar, Ahmad Khan, and (late) Saroj Khan came together for the film and helped me a lot,” Ghai says while adding that their combined efforts contributed to the film’s exemplary dance sequences.
THE NEW SUBHASH GHAI
Reflecting on the challenge of reinventing his style and creating a film that was distinct from his earlier works, Ghai shares, “I was inventing a new Subhash Ghai. I changed myself as the director [everyone knew] and went for a different trip,” adding, “The film was a very big shift from my own sensibility of commercial cinema. Since it was a pure musical, I decided to do away with villains, fights, violence as well as mirch masala.”
SAROJ KHAN VOUCHED FOR AISHWARYA
Although there were rumours that actor Mahima Chaudhry was first considered for the role of Mansi, Ghai reveals that (late) choreographer Saroj Khan was instrumental in casting Aishwarya Rai.
“One day I asked Saroj, ‘Who is the best dancer among all the heroines on my wishlist’ and she responded with Aishwarya’s name. So I called up Ash, narrated her the story and brought her on board,” Ghai shares.
I kept thinking, ‘Why did I do Padmaavat?’ I had no perspective-Shahid Kapoor
8:23 AM
Ishq Vishk to Jab We Met, Kaminey to Kabir Singh—Shahid Kapoor on his 20 years of Bollywood
Mayank Shekhar (MID-DAY; July 8, 2023)
It was around when he was about six or seven, Shahid Kapoor recalls, his father Pankaj Kapur took him out to New Delhi’s popular food joint, Nirula’s, for a meal. Unbeknownst to what would hit them, the two were suddenly surrounded by “a hundred people, who’d picked up gajar [carrots], and were charging at them on their restaurant table—almost like zombies, going, Hehehe…. Gajar khaiye, gajar, hehehe…”
“Par mein bete ke saath pizza kha raha hoon [But I’m having pizza with my son],” Pankaj Kapur shot back. But no avail. The public was, of course, responding to Pankaj Kapur’s iconic role of Detective Karamchand, and his love for gajar, in the 1980s, on Doordarshan.
Father-son had to eventually rush out of Nirula’s. Shahid told his dad, who was visiting him from Bombay then, to never take him out again! “By virtue of distance, the interaction between him and me was anyway limited.”
Shahid’s parents had separated/divorced, when he was quite young. He was then growing up in Delhi, with his mother, Neelima Azeem, and his maternal grandparents, who were both journalists with the Russian publication, Sputnik.
Sasha, that’s the “ghar ka naam” his grandparents gave him—and that his tribe of fans, self-named Shanatics, call Shahid by—is also a common Russian name, he points out.
It was only when he turned 10, that Shahid also moved to Bombay to be with his mom, a trained classical/Kathak dancer, who was looking at a career in acting.
Shahid himself was one of the top dancers at Shiamak Davar’s dance academy—moving up from the back rows, at dance performances, to the front row, and eventually becoming a trainer at the institute, “which is how it works at Shiamak’s school; you have to prove yourself, every step of the way.”
In fact, if you notice closely, you can find Shahid dancing in the group in Subhash Ghai’s Taal (1999), even Yash Chopra’s Dil Toh Paagal Hai (1997). On stage, he was ecstatic to be “moving right behind Aishwarya Rai, Salman Khan, at popular award shows.” By 16, Shahid says, he was already earning enough to manage without pocket money from home, “even help out with the household income.”
A picture, from a trivia night, we show Shahid, is of him with actor Ayesha Takia. They’re both such lovely children, posing with coffee mugs to the TV screen. Shahid and Ayesha were the OG: “I’m a Complan boy, she’s a Complan girl!”
He laughs, “Ayesha was a really big [child] star at the time. We had to wait for her to turn up on the set, while I got my solo shots done!” But these were “one-off appearances on screen, because I was a cute kid, and someone or the other saw and cast me.” His mom was clear she didn’t want him to get full-time with commercial/advertising work still.
Cut to: 2003. Which is when I first met Shahid, seated quietly at the reception area of the mid-day newspaper office, in Lower Parel. A publicist had called to check if I might be free to say hi to a young kid he’d brought along. I was a young recruit/intern type at that office myself.
Having stepped out for a minute as a favour to the publicist, you could see other people quizzically wondering who this boy in their midst was. They had seen him somewhere, just not sure where.
“Back then, before there was social media, it used to take years for you to reach out to people. Now, it can happen in weeks and months,” Shahid recalls. The exact date for that first meet-up is not hard to figure. Shahid says his debut film, as lead, the teenage romcom, Ken Ghosh’s Ishq Vishk, released on May 9, 2003.
On that Friday, he’d excitedly gone over to Bombay’s Sterling cinema to watch himself on the big screen for the first time: “Between noon, and when the film finished, while I had just been around doing nothing, the people’s perception of me had totally changed. Barricades were put up. I was too young, at 23—which from an exposure point of view, is very different from how 23-year-olds are, now. And I thought, oh, wow, is this what stardom is?”
That ‘media round’ must’ve taken place a couple of days after. Which is almost exactly 20 years since, that we’re recording the episode of Sit with Hitlist, at the mid-day office again (this time in Bandra East).
Only that Shahid is full of confident banter that’s hard to reproduce in text—he’s a major Bollywood star (with over 50 releases to his credit). Having been through a “turbulent journey, of ups and downs”, and indeed a cracker, eclectic career—over those two decades.
Starting out as the ‘chocolate boy’ romantic lead (Ishq Vishk to Jab We Met), graduating to a more action/masala hero (Bloody Daddy, his last release), and even layered parts, whether on the big screen (Kaminey to Kabir Singh), or OTT platforms/series (Farzi).
Even at the beginning of his stint, young Shahid never introduced himself as son of the great Pankaj Kapur. We might have seen him differently. It was a conscious, self-respecting call he had taken—of making it on his own.
For four years, Shahid remembers, between age 18 and 22, he’d simply been incessantly screen-testing for parts: “I like the word ‘struggler’, they use [only] for aspiring actors. It’s true. It’s a life full of rejections. Four years means about 1,200 days—and I would have easily given about 200 auditions.”
None of those films apparently made anybody’s career, so he’s glad for it. One of which, Shahid says, he rejected himself—N Chandra’s Style (2001), because he was clear, even at that age, that he would debut only as the solo-lead.
It’s another matter, he says, that once Ishq Vishk did well, commercially—he was considered too young for producers to cast opposite existing, established female leads: “They’d rattle out names of three-four popular, female stars, and say, ‘You’ll look like a kid with them! Where’s your ‘mardaangi’ [manliness]? There was no work for my age-bracket, and for the way I looked.”
Also, he submits, there was a perception in Bollywood at the time, that a star was born, at best, only once every half a decade: “And Hrithik [Roshan] had already become huge [with Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai] in 2000. Vivek Oberoi quickly followed [with Company] in 2002. So, apparently [by law of averages], I didn’t stand a chance!”
Of course, all these rules are assumptive. They fail in the face of public choice, which is impossible to predict. Another such rule I point out to Shahid is how, when it comes to a loyal female following—the credibility built from a particular film cements it so much for a male lead sometimes, it can easily lead last them a lifetime.
Take Ryan Gosling, for instance. Take The Notebook (2004) out of his filmography. And he wouldn’t garner half the female fans that’s stuck around him since. Likewise, with Shah Rukh Khan, and Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995). The connect is irreversible. The persona sustains. I wonder if it’s the same relationship with the female demographic that Shahid attained with Imtiaz Ali’s Jab We Met (2007), first. He says, “I know Jab We Met gets a lot of credit [as it should]. But let’s not forget Vivah [2006]. It was a small-budget film—by the legendary [producers] Barjatyas’ standards.”
“Their [more expensive film, with modern sensibilities] Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon had just failed. Sooraj [Barjatya] and his father [Raj Kumar Barjatya] were planning to do a movie, with new actors, to test their original, traditional lower middle-class audiences/sensitivities. Vivaah is the last Indian movie to do a ‘silver jubilee’ (25-week run in theatres),” Shahid claims.
Audiences like me, of course, remember him more for Vishal Bhardwaj’s Kaminey (2009)—decidedly from the dark side of the moon, which was as diametrically a U-turn for his onscreen image.
We wonder how different could it be to be on a Barjatya set, over Bhardwaj’s: “Chalk and cheese. Vishal doesn’t like anything sweet. He’d keep asking me to go ‘kamina’. Sooraj would want me to throw way all city [slicker] influences, and be sweet. It’s schizophrenic [to be on both sets]!”
As for Imtiaz Ali, Shahid recalls, “He was a new director, when he came to me. The first thing that struck me was how good-looking he was, himself, [lost] in his dreamy thoughts. Then the fact that he narrated out of a bound script, which wasn’t common. Back then, you heard a 30 to 40-minute narration that the director would then develop, if you said yes [to it].
“The script had ‘Geet’ written on it. I asked him, ‘What does this mean?’ He said that’s the heroine’s name. I told him, ‘The next time you go to a hero—don’t go with a script with the heroine’s name on it!’
The next time, he came to me with the same script, he had ‘The Train’ written on it,” Shahid laughs.
Eventually they settled on Jab We Met, because big daddy Pankaj Kapur came up with the title over dinner: “I was telling him about how I want an English-Hindi mixed title, and what the story was about.
He said, call it Jab We Met.” Which was one of the titles entered into a public poll held by a newspaper. “The other was Bhatinda Express. The third one I don’t recall. People picked Jab We Met!”
As for his female following—evidenced from the fact that this conversation itself is being recorded with an all-women audience—Shahid attributes much to his more recent, by far the biggest hit of his career, Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Kabir Singh (2019), as well.
The film was a scene-by-scene remake of Arjun Reddy in Telugu, by the same director. So Shahid knew exactly what he was walking into—the part of a drug-addled abusive boyfriend, that remains his most controversial yet. So much so that it’s been four years, and he feels the need to defend it still.
He says, “There were so many people refusing to accept that people are liking the film. I was like, ‘Arey bhai, logon ko acchi lag rahi hai, tum log baithe ho apni [high] chair mein—suggesting, how dare you like the film? Well, accept it.”
He’s also willing to engage on the criticism. Which is perhaps not that people were refusing to acknowledge the commercial numbers/footfalls. But that the film was about the sort of character, who may exist in real life, surely. But who was instead being lauded as a hero of sorts. That was the issue that some people may have had with arguably a misogynist subject.
Shahid disagrees, “Well, Kabir slaps the girl [Kiara Advani]. She slaps him back. But when he slaps her, it is so shocking that it stays with you, and it disturbs you, right? Everything that happens to him after in his life, is a downward spiral. Until the last moment when somehow, the girl agrees to be with him! He is a complete mess. A very cinematic character. It is like Taxi Driver, or Scarface.”
The deranged Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro) in Taxi Driver ultimately kills himself, though. “Kabir Singh is actually about how everyone should get a second chance. In love, who hasn’t messed up? And if you see it, right from the promo—at no point is it being said that he is a great guy.”
“I’m nothing like him. But as an actor, it’s my job to play different characters. You don’t have to like him. You should like my performance. He’s not the hero. He’s the protagonist.”
Which can be said of Shahid’s equally messed up, Punjabi hip-hop star, Tommy Singh, from Abhishek Chaubey’s Udta Punjab (2016). What did he find in common between both the characters?
“Nothing, besides that they are both Singhs,” Shahid laughs. “There is a scene [in Udta Punjab], where Tommy says that he’s never done anything for anyone else. And that he must [for Alia Bhatt’s character]. He’s been completely self-centred. Which is how he’s different from Kabir, who gives it all [for his love]. And she’s nice enough to have him back. Love stories must end with a note of hope.”
The other thing common between Tommy and Kabir is, of course, that they are both substance abusers, isn’t it? “Yes.” Played by an actor, who’s a sworn vegan, and teetotaler! It’s something you don’t associate with movie-stars still. “You can call me boring, I don’t mind,” Shahid smiles.
The other thing unusual for a movie star is getting into an arranged marriage, which is what Shahid made as a life-decision, when he married young Mira Rajput, in 2015.
“Well, if you’d asked me then, I’d have said arranged marriages don’t make sense to me, either. But it happened [organically].” He says they met through family: “We were part of the same spiritual group that I was obviously aware of. She was all of 20 years old. I was 34. I was a little embarrassed [about that].
“But I was really looking for someone who could understand both aspects of my life—the spiritual side, and that I’m an actor [a public figure]. She was genuinely interested in figuring me out as a person. And you can tell, when these things are real. She was not affected [by my profession].”
The first time they got on the phone, Shahid remembers, they spoke for seven hours straight. He knew he’d found the one. He feels the same way about her family, that he treats as his own: “They’re very classy, and sorted people.”
During the two years of the pandemic, Shahid says, he stayed over with his in-laws’ throughout, in a place called Dera, in Punjab: “We had reached there, just three days before the lockdown got announced.”
A few years back, Shahid had recounted to us a trigger point on this aspect of his life. He’d been single for a while. He was returning home, alone, having had won the Filmfare Award for Vishal Bhardwaj’s Haider (2014).
That big night, he slept with his statuette. Acknowledging a thing amiss, that he must do something about: “I felt the need for a companion. But even then, I didn’t know I’d find a perfect life-partner. It’s tough.”
Up until then, you could describe Shahid as ‘seriously monogamous’: “I had always been that guy in my 20s—in long, settled relationships.” The other aspect that early success in showbiz thankfully affords the young is a rich, rockstar life, when you’re merely in the 20s. Sports stars are similarly privileged. I’m sure that must’ve been a legit high, before he decided to proverbially settle down.
“It’s a stupid high,” Shahid explains. “So, I’d go and buy myself a fancy sports car, and then I would feel like, ‘Why did I do this? Now, I am broke, again!’ You’re a little stupid in your 20s—making stupid choices, and then you blame other things. When I look back, I’m like, ‘Okay, I should have made better choices, I would have been more comfortable, yar!’”
Which is to say, “I also didn’t have time for anything—too busy holding on to my position [professionally], working on the set 240 days of the year; let alone promoting my films thereafter.”
How about dating the hottest women in Bollywood, though—surely that’s a great perk of being a star into only life’s second decade, when most others are busy moving up from the low rank/station, attempting a half-decent living!
Shahid isn’t particularly impressed/nostalgic by that reminiscence: “See, at the end of the day, you are dating good-looking women. But you are also considered desirable, and good-looking, right?
“So, it is not something that you are getting three levels above your own league! I mean, there were enough women interested in me as well, right?” Spoken truly with that feisty swag of a 20-something!
Looks apart, going by talent from pedigree alone—as a star performer, doubtlessly, Shahid has picked up his dancing skills from the mother, and acting prowess from the father. He’s quick to point out here,
“I was more happy about getting my hair from my mom, and acting chops from dad! I was like, ‘Dad, I don’t want your hair!’
“He was semi-bald at 30, and he used to keep messing with me saying, ‘I’m an actor, I can play all kinds of characters. Abhi toh tu hero ban gaya hai, agar tere baal udd gaye toh tujhe kaam hi nahi milega [You’ve become a star. Now if you lose your hair, you’ll get no work!].’ He used to mess with me, dude!”
Much as the father and son couldn’t have had a more separate career graph, from the looks of it, Shahid did indeed imbibe the ambition of gaining respect as an actor from Pankaj Kapur. It’s part of his natural training.
“I’d seen all my father’s film, growing up—whether that be Rui Ka Bojh [1997] or Ek Doctor Ki Maut [1990]. Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro [1983] is, of course, one of my favourite films ever.”
The two collaborated most ambitiously as actor-director, in fact. Wherein Pankaj Kapur debuted as filmmaker with Mausam (2011), starring Shahid in the lead. They’d produced the film as well—charting a story as wide in scale as The Gone with the Wind, no less.
This was around the time, Shahid says, that he’d himself gone through a makeover, in terms of how he’d go about his career goals.
“I was done with walking into a set, being given dialogues to perform right there, and carrying on. I wanted to approach films with a sense of commitment, and had chosen to work in one project a year.” Which is the time and energy he spent on Mausam, along with his father, who spent over year and half on it.
“But we realized, that’s not how everyone else works. And so, while the film was in production, others had moved on. We were finding it hard to match dates [with cast/crew]. Even when I saw the film’s final cut, I knew this was not going to land [well]. It wasn’t the film that my father had envisioned.” Mausam bombed at the box-office, causing a career setback for Shahid, to start with.
One of the things, it appears, that Shahid regrets about stardom is the sort of time it takes to finally get a hang of the system: “By the time you know exactly what’s going on, you’ve already lost eight to 10 years. When you come from a [mainstream] film family, on the other hand, you’ve experienced much, up, close and personal, already.” That’s the advantage, he says, his half-brother, young Ishaan Khatter, has.
Having grown up under the wings of Shahid: “He’s watched me and my choices closely, and always had an opinion on it. For instance, he wouldn’t like me in a [Dil Bole] Hadippa, but totally love me in Kaminey. As an elder brother, you sort of become the guy riding the motorcycle, with him on the back seat!”
Having seen all his films, it would be fair to suggest some of Shahid’s early script-sense could be befuddling, at best. For instance, I point out, what could have made him sign up for a pic like Paathshala (2010), that I remember wondering the same, even while watching it: “That was a friend who asked me to give him seven days of my life, and he badly needed it.” All choices have a reason.
Consider Prabhu Dheva’s R… Rajkumar (2013), and Rajkumar Santoshi’s Phata Poster Nikhla Hero (2013), that Shahid hit the screens with, soon after Mausam hadn’t worked, theatrically.
“That was [me seeking] commercial success. If you’re not successful, you actually have no power to make any choices. So, you just have to get successful, first. It’s simple. R… Rajkumar, in fact, did well. And Phata Poster did not.”
From a film industry POV, he looks at movies very differently, Shahid concedes. Namely, you need films of all palette to march on as an industry: “What I don’t get is people who can only make dosas saying, that those who eat burgers, are no good. That’s not how it works. I stay away from such people.”
And it’s not that commercial success, or massive footfalls, is the only criterion, surely. Soon after the release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s blockbuster, Padmaavat (2018), there were news reports suggesting Shahid wasn’t pleased with his own presence in the pic, along with Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh, who evidently stole the show. Was there any merit to these assertions?
He candidly admits, “It’s true. Everyone was lovely in that film. And I don’t want to get into details. But I kept thinking, ‘Why did I do this film?’ I had no perspective. And I don’t want to blame anybody.”
Which also relates to insecurities that come naturally with an actor’s mercurial job? To take another example of published reports, there was one about how Shahid didn’t get along with co-star Kangana Ranaut, during the making of Vishal Bhardwaj’s Rangoon (2017). True?
“Not true. I got along fine with Kangana. She’s a fine actor.” Long pause. Okay, that is a long pause. “What do I say? You’re not asking me anything else. You’re talking about insecurities, looking in from the outside into an actor’s life. But it may not be [those] insecurities. There are so many things that can be there, if first of all, there is a problem!”
Which is fair. And being a star, as against a professional actor alone, inevitably involves media scrutiny—as part of the job, even if an occupational hazard, on occasion. Surely, over two decades of being right at the centre of Bombay showbiz, has come with its own potholes.
The one story I remember concerning Shahid, and in fact mid-day—shortly after we met first at the newspaper’s office reception—were a series of paparazzi pictures that the tabloid had published in 2004, starring Shahid and his girlfriend then, taken at a Juhu nightclub, Rain.
Those pictures were clicked by a bunch of kids randomly hanging around in the nightclub, with a digital camera. There were no feature-phones with cameras at the time.
Those juvenile delinquents arrived at the mid-day office, demanding Rs 500 for the set of blurry but innocuous images/video of Shahid, kissing, in love, evidently. Unmindful of possible minders around.
I wonder what that did to Shahid, once those pictures appeared, in what became a big, salacious, tabloid story. Which was hardly a big deal though, if you look at it objectively, rather than voyeuristically.
“Of course, it was a big deal. Let’s be honest—putting out pictures like that would get you a lot of eyeballs. That’s the honest truth of it. It’s okay. You know, we all take it with a pinch of salt. But what was your question, again?”
The question was, what did he feel about it, when that happened, then? I don’t think he’s spoken about it in all these years.
“Oh, I was destroyed at the time. I was just 24 years old, a kid. I felt my privacy had been invaded, and I could do nothing to protect it. I was a mess. At that age, especially—because you don’t even know your own feelings. You are figuring out how to be with a girl you are dating. And in the middle of all that, this happens…”
What’s changed with stardom and the media landscape since, of course, is that practically everyone is with a smart phone, making videos, pictures, selfies in public. Shahid, 42, reasons, “Now, you are aware that [a paparazzi snap] like that is 100 percent going to happen. At that time, we were caught off guard by it.
“So, that is like an informed devil, as opposed to an uninformed-devil scenario, then. You at least know, ‘Yeh toh hone wala hi hai. Also, ab toh meri shaadi ho gayi hai, bacche ho gaye hain (Now, I’m married with kids). Nobody is interested in those things about me. They have other 24-year-olds to focus on.”
We rehearsed Shah Rukh Khan's performance on Jhoome Jo Pathaan 21 times at his house-Shiamak Davar
8:19 AM
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 4, 2023)
Shiamak Davar choreographed all the dance performances for the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre gala. Ask about his favourite moment and the National Film Award-winning choreographer recalls the time “when Shah Rukh Khan (actor) appeared on stage”. He says, “We rehearsed his performance on Jhoome Jo Pathaan 21 times at his house. He was such a sweetheart. It took me a week to choreograph all the performances.”
Spilling the beans on what it was like to be there at the lavish affair, the 61-year-old says, “It was an intimate affair. My team, managers and assistants had put in a lot of hard work and I couldn’t believe how wonderful it (the performances) turned out. My dearest Nita and Mukesh (Ambani) were clapping and screaming, while Isha (Ambani; entrepreneur-daughter) and I sat on the steps and watched the whole show. Rekha ji (actor) was there, too. The energy in the room was wonderful and so positive.”
What was also special for him was working with his students Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt (actors) again.
“I also got to work with Shah Rukh after so many years. Alia was fabulous and Rashmika Mandanna (actor) was outstanding. Varun is my jaan, he is such a sweetheart. He learnt all the new steps and worked really hard. Ranveer Singh (actor) is so high-octane,” exclaims Davar.
Gigi Hadid had told Varun Dhawan, ‘When you are going to be on stage, bring me up’-Shiamak Davar
8:18 AM
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 4, 2023)
Videos of actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ranveer Singh and Varun Dhawan’s Jhoome Jo Pathaan (Pathaan) act and Alia Bhatt and Rashmika Mandanna dancing to the beats of Naatu Naatu (RRR; 2022) at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC) gala on Saturday night broke the internet. Another clip from the event that surfaced and became the talk of the town was the part where Dhawan excitedly swoops up American model Gigi Hadid in his arms and twirls her around, giving her a peck on the cheeks. Social media was abuzz with chatter that her consent wasn’t involved.
While Hadid made it clear through an Insta Story that she was happy with what happened, choreographer Shiamak Davar, who directed all the acts for the night, tells us, “Varun told me that Gigi said to him, ‘When you are going to be on stage, bring me up’, to which he said, ‘Okay’. That’s why he picked her up. It was her idea and everything was pre-planned.”
Mention the discussion on consent that’s doing the rounds and Davar asserts, “It is not true. It is Gigi who told Varun [to do so].” The choreographer adds that he was amazed with the kind of response that moment received: “I couldn’t believe how much they (the audience present at the do) loved it. Mukesh (Ambani; business magnate-host) had tears in his eyes and [his wife] Nita (Ambani; philanthropist and host) was wiping them.”
It’s Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor’s prerogative to invite whoever they wish to-Ssmilly Suri
4:24 PM
Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; April 13, 2022)
Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt are getting hitched on April 14 in Mumbai. With one of the most anticipated celebrity weddings set to take place this week, speculations have been rife over functions, venue, trousseau and the guest list. It has been reported that the wedding will be an intimate affair with limited people in attendance.
We asked Ssmilly Suri, who is Mahesh Bhatt’s niece and Alia’s cousin, whether she would be partaking in the functions and she replied, “I have been inundated with calls regarding Alia’s wedding as if I know everything about it (laughs!). To be honest, I have no clue. I am not a part oft he guest list... at least not yet. I wish both of them happiness. Their wedding is a private affair and it’s their prerogative to invite whoever they wish to. To each their own. I might invite just two people to my wedding.”
She shared, “I am in my own world and don’t know what’s happening in people’s lives. I am not in touch with anyone apart from my brother Mohit Suri and cousin Emraan Hashmi.”
Talking about her equation with Alia, whom she last met at Mukesh Bhatt’s daughter Sakshi’s wedding in 2019, the Kalyug actress recounted the time when she taught her dance. She said, “I taught dance to kids while I was learning it from Shiamak Davar at his academy. Alia was one of my first students. I was 13 and she must have been six back then. A couple of years ago, I received a call from her team saying that she wanted to learn pole dance. However, she told me that she got busy and couldn’t attend my class.”
Ssmilly added, “Alia is understanding and sensitive. She is an old soul. She has achieved so much at such a young age, but remains grounded. Success hasn’t gone to her head. She is a lovely girl and takes care of everyone around her. I am not surprised that she has found a family in which she is fitting in so beautifully. I am sure all of them dote on her. I wish her luck and hope she brings a lot of happiness to her new family.”
One should want to work with people who are at the top of their game-Shahid Kapoor
8:58 AM
Teaming up with Raj-DK for his OTT debut, Shahid on approaching his craft from a new lens
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; April 6, 2022)
In 2022, Shahid Kapoor is set to make up for the lost time of the past two years. Where he will be back on the big screen with Jersey, he will also make his digital debut with Raj-DK’s yet-untitled series. A new endeavour is always an exciting prospect. The actor has the added assurance that for his web debut, he is being guided by two of the most ingenious storytellers from the current lot. “I have two genius men with me,” he proclaims.
“It’s my first attempt at long-format [storytelling]. It becomes a new experience to structure your character, knowing that it will last for four to five hours. How do you build the part? How will people view him? They can stop [the show] at any point and do their [daily chores]. These thoughts help you approach something, which you have been doing for a long time, in a different way.”
Little is known about the Amazon Prime Video offering, besides the fact that it also features south star Vijay Sethupathi and Raashii Khanna. Kapoor gives us a glimpse of his character, describing him as “Mumbai ka launda.” “He is a boy from the streets of Mumbai who has to work hard to earn money and survive. I could relate to him because that’s who I was when I was dancing with Shiamak Davar [before his Bollywood debut]. I used to travel by train, and try to save money. I have lived that life from 16 to 21. It is an edgy character.”
Teaming up with Raj-DK has bolstered a belief he long held. “One should want to work with people who are at the top of their game, who inspire you to do great work. You should be surrounded by people who know what they’re doing. With time, you realise these things matter so much.” Sharing screen space with Sethupathi is the cherry on the top. “I have admired Vijay sir’s work. We shot for only two to three hours together. He is a fantastic actor.”
An amazing thing that the stage has given me is my husband-Shweta Tripathi
8:09 AM
Titas Chowdhury (HINDUSTAN TIMES; March 27, 2022)
Actor Shweta Tripathi Sharma, who owns a theatre company today, holds a rather special relationship with the stage. Two plays, in particular, gave her the wings to dream of being a performer.
She tells us, “I remember watching a play where Yashpal Sharma (actor) was performing. There was a scene on the top of a train, and I fell in love with it. Then there was a musical called Graffiti choreographed by Shiamak Davar and directed by Roshan Abbas, which I remember very vividly.”
But the biggest gift that the stage has given her is her husband, rapper Chaitanya Sharma aka Slow Cheetah. It was during a play that they met for the first time. “An amazing thing that the stage has given me is my husband. We were the understudies for a play. Two actors weren’t available, and both of us had to step in,” recalls the 36-year-old actor, who adds that he “proposed” to her for marriage on the stage.
One of her biggest desires is to travel the world and catch as many musicals and stage plays as possible with her husband. “We keep discussing that we want to travel the world and watch different performances. It’s important to remain inspired,” concludes the Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein actor.
Besides dance, we would also help the kids in Kamathipura with their studies-Vikrant Massey
8:20 AM
As told to Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 23, 2019)
I had joined the Summer Funk course at Shiamak Davar’s dance institute (left) when I was around 16. I had a blast and even won an award after being adjudged one of the best dancers. Unfortunately, the trophy broke while I was returning home from the performance hall. Now, that was heart-breaking. But I guess I must have caught the eye because soon after, I was selected for a special potential batch and started assisting an instructor by the name of Kunal.We were given two options: we could teach at one of Shiamak’s commercial classes or as a part of an initiative, train the kids of sex workers in Kamathipura. I chose the latter and worked as an assistant instructor with them for almost a year. Besides dance, we would also help them with their studies. It was an incredible experience and life back then was hectic.
I remember I would catch the 5.50 am local train from Andheri to Grant Road. On the way, I would grab a samosa-pav and Rooh Afza-laced milk. The class would go on for an hour or so after which Kunal and I would go to an Irani bakery for breakfast. Then, I would leave for college while he would head towards a work commitment. In the evening, all the instructors would meet again for training. Our day never ended before 10 pm, sometimes even 11 pm. I was one of the youngest instructors, VJ Manish Anand was one of my colleagues, and I have fond memories of the time we spent with those kids.
I earned my first salary from a school assignment. Some people had flown down from New Zealand and were working on a catalogue. They needed a still photographer for their project and zeroed in on me. I was paid Rs 200 for those pictures and I used the money to play video games.
While I was dabbling in all this, I knew deep down that I wanted to be an actor but the plan was to get into it after completing my education. But when I was 17, I was working at the dance institute where I met this producer who offered me a TV show. It was Diwali night. I grabbed the offer and shot for it, waiting impatiently for the show to air. But because of some legal issues between the producers and the broadcasters, it was stuck. It finally released after six years in the 2 am slot. And my mother would stay awake to watch it.
However, while I was waiting for it, I worked in the same producer’s office for two-three months as an assistant in the creative team. I would conduct auditions. After that I tried but since no offers were coming my way, I joined a coffee shop in Juhu. I was the cleaner-cum-worker. The idea of starting work at such an early age was to support myself and my family in whatever way I could. I worked at the coffee shop for six to seven months. My job included monitoring the restrooms to see that they were cleaned every few hours. I had to check if the soap and the tissue paper were there, among other things. Sometimes my friends would show up and order a cappuccino, leaving behind a Rs 10-Rs 20 tip for me.
Occasionally, I would see people giving me the ‘look’, wondering why a well-spoken guy like me was working at a coffee shop. One of my seniors there knew I had acting aspirations and would encourage me a lot. He called me “sundar ladka” and believed good things were in store for me.
I hung on to my acting dream and eventually Dharam Veer (below) happened in 2008. This TV show was a fictional story of two princes set in 13th century Aryanagar with me playing the righteous and dutiful Dharam and Rajat Tokas as Veer. This was followed by Balika Vadhu a year later, followed by other TV shows like Baba Aiso Varr Dhoondo and Qubool Hai, followed by my big Bollywood break in Lootera in which I played Ranveer Singh’s friend. I have just wrapped up Meghna Gulzar’s Chhapaak with Deepika Padukone.
Duniyadaari chhod ke nahin pyaar hota hai-Vikrant Massey
8:20 AM
Actor Vikrant Massey believes duniyadaari and love can both happen at the same time. In fact, it has to...
Deebashree Mohanty (TIMES LIFE; May 26, 2019)
How has your journey been in Bollywood so far?When I look back at my journey, it seems surreal. My school teachers thought that maybe I could do something in performing arts, and I went ahead with it. I was already working with Shiamak Davar when I was in college. When I was 16, an opportunity came my way and I lapped it up. I am grateful with the way things have shaped up, and 2018-19 has been the icing on the cake. Let's see what happens next.
Has this exposure helped you to understand what kind of an actor you are - studied or spontaneous?
This is a trick question. I wouldn't like to box myself at this juncture. Maybe the people who have worked with me are in a better place to judge. I'd call myself a method actor with a lot of spontaneity. With regards to roles I've played… I have been very selfish about them. I have only picked up those which I thought would help me grow personally. And I have let go of the ones which weren't great but came with a hefty pay package. Paisa toh kama lengey aage phir kabhi...
What is it that you want to achieve as an actor?
I want to be able to pick parts which also help me explore a different side of me; roles that bring out what I am good at. As an actor, I want the world to know that Vikrant Massey is capable of much more.
You avoid parties and other social dos. Why?
I am just a very shy, private person. I am aware that there are a lot of peripheries with regards to being an actor which doesn’t involve you just facing the camera and portraying a character. It would be foolhardy for me to say that all these peripherals are not important. But I do recognise that I am bad at it.
How you begin and end your day?
My regular day starts at around 6. 30 am. If I have a shoot lined up, everything revolves around it. If not, I’m happy doing nothing. Or just reading newspapers, sitting in front of the TV and catching up with my family. In the evening, I would treat myself to a couple of drinks and go out with friends. I prefer coming back to a regular home. Coming back to this reality from the glamorous, fragile, world of make-believe is what keeps me sane.
Do you work out?
I have only started taking my physical fitness seriously. I don’t think I fit into the same space as the abs-flaunting heroes of today. And I was never desperate to hit the gym and develop six-pack abs anyway. My mother is a huge Satyajit Ray fan. Like her, even I am fascinated by the maverick. The people who I look up to aren’t the conventional heroes but those who were extraordinary with their talent. Be it Naseeruddin Shah, Irrfan Khan or Pankaj Kapur. Having said that, if there’s a character that demands a chiselled body, I’ll get it. I'm working towards it for a project.
What’s your hobby?
I am an avid reader. I read two to three books at a time. At present, I am hooked to Khuswant Singh’s autobiography, and the Kashmir In Conflict by Victoria Schofield.
How often do you take holidays?
Everybody needs down time. There is a lot of competition in every field that is waiting to engulf you. I do travel. I work for almost 10 months a year. I make sure that I spend at least 2 months just doing nothing with my family and friends.
Is there time for love?
There is always time for love. You need to find the right wavelength with the right person. Duniyadaari chhod ke nahin pyaar hota hai. Love has to happen side by side. Everyone needs a companion. Everyone needs that one person. I am blessed with mine.
What do you find destressing?
Cooking and cleaning is very therapeutic. I find washing utensils and doing jhadoo pocha and dusting very de-stressing. I cook rarely but whatever little I make, my companion says I am a great cook!
BUCKET LIST
I want to go to Sweden and Iceland with my family this year.
FASHION SENSIBILITY
I am comfort conscious. I’m not very picky with clothes. I’d wear my brother’s clothes when I was younger. Whatever he outgrew automatically became mine. Even today, I get a lot of clothes passed on from him.
OTHER FETISH
I am crazy about fragrances, watches and shoes. And I love Tom Ford London, and get Kolhapuri chappals from a particular shop in Kolkata.
BEST ACTOR TO TAKE FASHION ADVICE FROM
Saif Ali Khan’s fashion choices are very subtle yet royal.
A POSITIVE ROLE MODEL
Irrfan Khan for his resilience.
Dance has been a passion of mine since childhood-Shraddha Kapoor
8:59 AM
Deepali Singh (DNA; April 29, 2019)
As early as two or three years of age, all it needed was her parents to put on some music, and Shraddha Kapoor would get up to shake a leg. “My earliest memories while growing up — I mean, as early as I can remember being on my feet — are of dancing. Dance has been a passion of mine since then,” she recalls. Although she did indulge in short stints of training for various forms, the Stree actress never ended up learning it formally.
“In school, as part of the curriculum, and like any other kid, I did a bit of whatever dance was required of us. So, I learnt a bit of Kathak. Then I joined Shiamak Davar’s and Ashley Lobo’s classes for extremely short spans of time. At Boston University, I was a part of the college dance group called Chankaar and there are many precious memories of the same,” she adds.
However, it was when she was cast in Remo D’Souza’s ABCD 2 (2015) that Shraddha got an extensive opportunity to explore dance. “There were so many styles that we learnt a bit of — locking, popping, whacking, krumping and house, to name a few,” she tells us.
The actress, who is currently filming Street Dancer with Varun Dhawan, reveals that these forms are being re-explored in this movie as well. “It’s been super-challenging, especially because one needs a lot of practice, years and skill development to be able to dance really well. It is a lot of hard work,” she admits.
Right from Dance Basanti in Ungli (2014) to Milegi Milegi in Stree (2018), Shraddha has been a part of some of the most popular dance numbers. Not to forget, she has matched steps with some of the best in B-Town, including Tiger Shroff and Varun.
Remember Cham Cham in Baaghi (2016) and Sun Saathiya and Bezubaan Phir Se in ABCD 2? “Whatever love and appreciation I’ve received, I’d attribute it to the little bit of dancing I did while growing up and to Remo sir as well as his team that focussed on me during the prep of ABCD 2 and now, Street Dancer,” she adds.
Shraddha, who counts Hrithik Roshan, Shahid Kapoor, Varun and Tiger among the best dancers in the industry today, says that while she has become better at her skills, she is never satisfied with herself and wants to keep improving. “I make sure that I enjoy everything that I do, because that is the only way to do anything you love,” she signs off.
I cleaned tables at a Versova cafe...the plan was to earn a fixed salary and maybe land a movie role-Vikrant Massey
7:16 AM
As told to Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 10, 2018)
My first job for which I got paid came to me while I was studying at St Anthony’s High School in Versova. A group from a New Zealand health advisory board was in the city and had selected a few kids from our school to appear in a catalogue. I was one of them. The model playing my mother had to feed me syrup. After the shoot, I was paid Rs 200. I kept half of the money for myself and spent some of it on a tennis ball. My friends and I played with it till it was in tatters. I spent the rest of the money on chewing gum, chocolates and playing video games on the jukebox, which was popular back then.
My next job, which I started in the 10th standard during the summer holidays, was as a contemporary dancer in Shiamak Davar’s troupe. I was one of the youngest dancers in the senior group. I worked with them for two years.
Shiamak’s was the first job that came with a monthly salary. After a few performances I got into a special batch of 40, chosen from thousands of students, but in my mind I knew that acting was my true calling.
During that period, I took up another job, cleaning tables at a Versova cafe. I was a Yari Road boy and there was a coffee shop at every nook and corner of the neighbourhood where ‘filmi people’ would hang out. The plan was to earn a fixed salary and maybe land a movie role.
At the time, I didn’t even have Rs 30 to buy a cup of coffee for myself. The lady who hired me warned, “If anyone gets to know that I’ve hired an underage guy, I will not only be fired but put behind bars.” I assured her no one would know. We told people that I was three years older than my actual age.
During my time at Shiamak’s and the coffee shop, I also applied for a flight purser’s job at an airlines and cleared the initial rounds. I was at a stage in my life where I needed to make money to fund my education. I eventually did not take up the purser’s job because I had landed some acting projects on television by then.
Then, I landed my first film, Vikramaditya Motwane’s Lootera, in 2013. It was a surreal experience for me, because I had seen his Udaan twice in the theatre. Clearing my first audition call was a high. I didn’t know how big my role was as I hadn’t got the script to read but I wanted to work with this man. And I have to admit that I learnt a lot from him. I believe, every project makes you what you are as you’re learning things along the way.I’ve learnt the significance of earning my own bread because of my early exposure to work. To survive, we must adapt to the times we live in. It’s a constant trial-and-error process.
Shiamak Davar shuns trolls, gives thumbs up to Ishaan Khatter’s recreation of Zingaat
4:51 AM
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; July 6, 2018)
With social media making it possible to seamlessly express opinions, industry folk are well aware that recreating a revered chartbuster is likely to inspire mixed reactions. Ishaan Khatter and Janhvi Kapoor’s Zingaat, the recreated version of the song from the Marathi blockbuster Sairat, faced a similar fate. While part of the audience celebrated the song — choreographed by Farah Khan — trolls also took to online platforms to bash the duo in the Hindi version.
But, leading man Khatter may find respite in the fact that his dance tutor, Shiamak Davar has given his thumbs up to the peppy number. “I really liked the video,” Davar tells mid-day, adding, “Ishaan, being a natural dancer, sets the tone of the song. I like the fact that he is a complete actor. So, even when he dances, one can see the actor in him; he performs as per the role he is playing. This is the most effective quality that emerges in this performance, and every time that he dances.”
Khatter, who was part of the third instalment of Davar’s year-long dance degree intensive, OYP, in 2013, impressed the choreographer with his professionalism. “He’s dedicated, and I’m glad that the world can see how talented he is. When he would come to class, he never behaved differently due to his relation with Shahid [Kapoor, brother]. He would interact with his batchmates, learn willingly, with genuine interest. Even today, every time before a release, he always messages and seeks [my] blessings.”
Having admired the young actor’s work in his debut outing, Majid Majidi’s Beyond The Clouds, Davar is certain Khatter has a promising career ahead. “With his first performance, he announced that he is a genuine actor. He is made for big thing.”
I needed some time to fight my own battles-Sooraj Pancholi
7:47 AM
Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; April 13, 2018)
Sooraj Pancholi’s Hero released in 2015 and though several projects have been offered to him since then, he has finally picked his second movie. The young actor is on board for Stanley D’Costa’s Time To Dance, which will be produced by Remo D’souza and Salman Khan Films. Sooraj will soon fly to London to begin shooting and has been training rigorously to get his look and moves right.
In a candid conversation with After Hrs, he reveals what prompted him to choose this dance film and why he wants to dedicate it to his mother, Zarina Wahab. Read on...
Why was there such a long gap between your debut film and second project?
The first film always chooses you, but you choose the second one. That’s one of the reasons it’s taken me so long. I didn’t just have to take care of movies. There were a lot of other things going on in my life, including the court case. So, I needed time. I’m actually happy that I did not take on any work that was offered to me. Had I accepted a film, I would have got lost. I needed some time to fight my own battles.
Now, you have signed a dance film, which you begin shooting for next...
Yes, Time to Dance is happening, so I am extremely happy. I have forgotten the past and have moved on. See, no matter how hard you work, perception is something that rules this industry. Talent comes much later. That’s why I am cautious about what I say and whom I meet. Once a perception is built around you, even if you do bad work, people will forgive you for it.
Did you always like to dance?
My first dance class was with Shiamak Davar when I was seven-eight years old. My mom insisted that I start learning to dance early because she’s a trained classical dancer. My father’s too tall to maneuver his body around. I want this movie to be a surprise for everyone in my family. I want to prove to my mom that I’m an amazing dancer.
Why is it so important to you?
When I was young, I was a huge Michael Jackson fan, but I would dance only in front of the mirror, alone in my room. I got a wig for myself and a hat, too. My dad’s friend had also made me a black shiny MJ costume. I would watch the King of Pop’s songs on those big laser discs and dance. Whenever my mom would come to my room, I would stop. She always used to tell me ‘Beta, mujhe bhi dance dikhao’. I never used to do it because I was so painfully shy. As she always wanted me to be a dancer, I’m extremely conscious when I’m in front of her. Also, I hated going to dance class back then. I would prefer karate. So, this film is for my mom.
Would you like to dance with your mum someday?
I have never danced with her but I would love to, one day. Maybe, once I get as good as her.
Tell us how Time To Dance actually happened.
Remo sir and I have been in touch. I was supposed to work with him, long back while I was shooting for Hero. It was a project on car racing. I don’t know what happened to it. We were supposed to start it right after A Flying Jatt. After a few months, he called me to his house and offered me this film. He narrated the story and I fell in love with it. He wanted to start a new franchise like ABCD. Since then, I have been dancing with my trainer at his office. At that point, the female lead hadn’t been decided. Things started rolling and then, Isabelle Kaif was introduced to Remo sir. It’s a beautiful romantic dance film which the audience hasn’t seen before and it’s a difficult one.
What are the different types of dance routines you are training in?
During Hero, I was a decent dancer. But now, I’m 10 times better. We are putting in 10-12 hours of rehearsal every day. We have about a few weeks to go on floors, now. We started at maybe 10 per cent, now we are at 70. We have just two weeks to get to a 100. We are doing Hip Hop, Bachata, Contemporary Latin, and, of course, Bollywood. Along with that, we also have House, which is a new form of Hip Hop and I haven’t done that before. There are over 15 different styles of dance that we will showcase in the film. Isabelle is a super fun and hard-working girl. As we have several lifts in the movie, we have to be muscular enough to hold each other. She makes my job easier because she’s a great dancer.
Do you believe that now there’s a huge audience for dance flicks in India?
Films have changed today. Actually, when it comes to the dance genre, it’s TV that changed the whole game. There are so many reality shows and majority of them are dance based because the audience also enjoys the space. Even a dadi or a nana would now know what Hip Hop or Contemporary means. There’s a huge audience base for these films. Look at the number of dancers we have today. We have the best in India and now, a dance film has more scope than a sports movie, I feel.
Is there a particular strategy you are adopting henceforth?
I am taking each film as it comes. There’s not a particular genre I want to stick to. Yes, it’s true I only want to do commercial films but it can be action, drama or romance, with romantic films being my top priority.
So, will we see you in more movies now?
I’m not taking a break. I’ve had my time. I needed my family, but now, I’m raring to go. We will shoot in London for 50-60 days and will wrap the film by June.
I understand differential equations but was clueless about where to apply them in real life-Sushant Singh Rajput
7:55 AM
As told to Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 9, 2017)
I was in my first year of studying Mechanical Engineering at the Delhi College of Engineering (now known as the Delhi Technological University) and really wanted to buy myself a swanky sports bike. I had also enrolled for Shiamak Davar’s dance classes and wanted more money for advanced lessons. At the time, Shiamak had also wanted me to pursue theatre and asked me to train at Barry John’s acting academy, and for that too, I needed more money. So I started tutoring 12th standard students from my university and even though I was only a year senior I managed to get a bunch of students. Some of them wanted coaching for the higher secondary board examination, while others wanted guidance for their medical and engineering entrance exams. And it wasn’t a scam at all, this was serious tutoring, one-on-one long sessions, and, though I say this myself, I was a pretty good teacher!
I’d won the National Physics Olympiad and cleared around 11 engineering entrance exams. I mostly took physics and math classes. Eventually, I got a lot of students and made quite a lot of money to live out all my dreams.
In hindsight, I realise that even though I knew how to make my students understand differential equations, I was clueless about where to apply them in real life. It’s a redundant way of teaching, to tell students “how to think”. By 2005, I was fed up of studying engineering altogether. Around the same time, I was also picked up as one of the background dancers for the Filmfare Awards. I also performed in the cultural programme of the opening ceremony of the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Australia. And this opened new doors for me.
I always remember this one thing my mother told me — no matter what you choose to do in life, it’s important to complete your education. (Sushant’s mother passed away in 2002, when the actor was 15 years old). I would have liked to follow her advice but couldn’t. I didn’t wait to get my engineering degree and dropped out in the final year to pursue dancing and eventually, television and acting against everyone’s wishes.
It was not the safest decision to take but in retrospect, I can say that it was the right one for me. I am happy with my choice of vocation. Because of my personal journey, I believe that teaching students how to realise what they want to do, showing them “how to think” over “what to think” should be a crucial part of our education system. But some day, I’d also like to go back and get my degree.
Last year, during the promotional tour of M S Dhoni - The Untold Story, I was invited to IIT Bombay to give a motivational speech. That was a high! Years ago, I’d aspired to join IIT Delhi or Mumbai but didn’t score enough to get in. And yet, there I was speaking to the students. So I guess, life works in strange ways.
Today, I am an established actor, but I am continuing to take small steps in my own way with the ‘Sushant 4 Education’ programme for students. I hope to activate a strong sense of learning in young minds as I believe in the power of education. We have already provided round-the-clock counsellors to some schools to help students make the right career choice based on their strengths and aptitude. These sessions have begun in two city schools — St Elias High School and S S Sahney High School. In one school, we’ve also provided projectors so that teachers can use films and documentaries instead of only archaic textbooks.
Majority of the kids I want to cater to are first-generation learners. So the next step is to start a scholarship for students to travel overseas for a semester at an international school so that they get some much-needed exposure early on.
I’ve now moved from being the tutor who told students “what to think” to the actor who wants young minds to be free, to think and question. I want to inspire the kind of teaching they follow in a few medical schools in America. In some places, for example, a student will be asked what he or she enjoys studying about the most. If the answer is dinosaurs, everything from maths to chemistry will be taught using examples and theories related to the extinct species. These students don’t follow exam patterns like ours, and yet in their final grade 10 exams, 90 per cent are among the top 10 per cent rankers in the US. That’s exactly the kind of learning I want to inspire in our country too.
Sushant Singh Rajput who was background dancer at IIFA 2006, to perform an act at NYC this year
7:48 AM
Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; July 15, 2017)
In 2006, Sushant Singh Rajput attended the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards in Dubai as a background dancer, a part of Shiamak Davar’s troupe. Over a decade later, he is set to take centrestage at IIFA 2017 in New York. He will perform with rumoured ladylove and Raabta co-star Kriti Sanon to a medley of chartbusters.
Rajput dropped out of engineering college in his third year in 2006 to pursue a career in acting and dancing. In his initial years, before he bagged his claim-to-fame TV show Pavitra Rishta in 2009, he would travel with Davar’s troupe.
After his Bollywood debut in Kai Po Che! (2013), Rajput has been attending the film awards gala, but this year is special. Life has come full circle for the actor, as he now takes to the stage at the MetLife stadium in New York. Sushant will dazzle the audience with his performance at the same awards event that marked his humble beginning.
Sushant says, “I was studying engineering, but dropped out in my third year. I joined Shiamak’s group and performed at IIFA with them in 2006 as a background dancer. So it feels great to step on the stage again as a performer now.”
He has been nominated in a category alongside Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan.
In 2006, Sushant Singh Rajput attended the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards in Dubai as a background dancer, a part of Shiamak Davar’s troupe. Over a decade later, he is set to take centrestage at IIFA 2017 in New York. He will perform with rumoured ladylove and Raabta co-star Kriti Sanon to a medley of chartbusters.
Rajput dropped out of engineering college in his third year in 2006 to pursue a career in acting and dancing. In his initial years, before he bagged his claim-to-fame TV show Pavitra Rishta in 2009, he would travel with Davar’s troupe.
After his Bollywood debut in Kai Po Che! (2013), Rajput has been attending the film awards gala, but this year is special. Life has come full circle for the actor, as he now takes to the stage at the MetLife stadium in New York. Sushant will dazzle the audience with his performance at the same awards event that marked his humble beginning.
Sushant says, “I was studying engineering, but dropped out in my third year. I joined Shiamak’s group and performed at IIFA with them in 2006 as a background dancer. So it feels great to step on the stage again as a performer now.”
He has been nominated in a category alongside Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan.
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