Shiamak Davar feels both Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif are great dancers.
Shiamak Davar is one choreographer who has moved Bollywood dancing away from trees to bring it closer to techniques. Starting with Dil Toh Pagal Hai that got jazz into Bollywood and a National Film Award for Best Choreography for the ace choreographer, Shiamak became the face of choreography with movies like Kisna which had contemporary dance form, Dhoom 2, which brought hip-hop moments in Bollywood and many others. Now with Jagga Jasoos, which is all set to reach the theatres on July 14, the choreographer promises to reinvent dancing in Hindi movies. Before the release of the film, we talked to the man behind “Ullu Ka Patha”, a song from the Ranbir Kapoor-Katrina Kaif starrer which is already topping the charts.
The song, which released last month, created waves, not for its music or visuals but for it being shot after a fraught break-up between Ranbir and Katrina. While watching the video of the song many wondered what the actors were feeling, but for Shiamak the personal life of the actors didn’t affect his work. When asked if it was difficult to get the actors dance on his tunes, Shiamak says, “Katrina and Ranbir are true professionals so there was no problem shooting with them and moreover, they are my friends, and among friends, there is no awkwardness. I would not say one was better than the other because I know my choreography was difficult and unusual. It had these little funny and quirky moments, which both of them practised well and then gave their best shot.”
Jagga Jasoos is a musical film with around 25 songs in it. Not only Ullu Ka Pattha, Shaimak has choreographed other songs in the movie as well. “I am very excited for the project. When the producer of the film, Ranbir asked me to come on board I said yes within a heartbeat as Ranbir is very professional and he is a brilliant actor too. All my moves he can interpret through his acting. My entire choreography was about expressions and I would say he did complete justice to it,” said Shiamak.
Shiamak is one choreographer who is more inclined towards doing stage shows and musicals around the world. He says, “I do only films where I resonate it in terms of dancing. I love to choreograph dance shows as they challenge me. This movie was a challenge for me. I don’t care if this film becomes a hit or not but for me, I enjoyed working with Anurag Basu as Jagga Jasoos was a challenge for me.”
Ask him if Ranbir’s dancing skills are still untapped and unexplored, he says, “I think both Ranbir and Katrina are fabulous dancers. Katrina did some great dancing in Chikni Chameli and with Ranbir, he dances with emotions. He dances as his character and not as an actor or a dancer. A choreographer can ask nothing more than this. There is definitely more to both of them.”
Shiamak started his Bollywood career with a Khan, Shah Rukh Khan but never did he got a chance to choreograph another superstar Khan, Salman. Why? “Salman Khan has his own choreographer, Mudassar who is great at his job, so I don’t think I will ever get a chance to choreograph him,” revealed Shiamak. Also, for him, Shah Rukh is the best of the three Khans of Bollywood to fit into his choreography. “Shah Rukh Khan in Dil Toh Pagal has been the best for me. So, Shah Rukh, I think will suit best to my choreography,” said Shiamak.
