TOI: Shiamak says it with Dance

SHIAMAK SAYS IT WITH DANCE

The dancer celebrates 26 years of his dance academy tomorrow

Seema SInha


People would make fun of me.They would say,Look at your parents,they are PhD,whereas you are dancing.How disgusting... One of my cousins disowned me because he thought I was in a horrible profession that was meant to be effeminate.I used to feel so horrible and I was literally afraid of entering coffee shops and restaurants those days, says Shiamak,who celebrates 26 years of his dance academy along with his students and his charity Victory Art Foundation (VAF) on the International Dance Day that falls on April 29.But I stuck to my guns,my guru,the Bhavnagaris,gave me lot of courage,strength and spiritual values to face the pain, adds Shiamak,the dancer-choreographer.
But one wonders why didnt Shiamak,who revolutionised dance in Bollywood didnt do any Hindi films after the super success of Yash Chopras Shah Rukh-Madhuri-Karisma-starrer Dil To Paagal Hai in 1997 for which he won many awards.I love Bollywood and I am very keen on it if people offer me the right songs to do.In Bollywood they want me to do formula and I cant do formula in dance.Dance is dance,it is not a package.Today all dancers look the same.There is no distinct style like what you see in Saroj Khans Dola Re and Maar Dala, laments Shiamak,who grew up on both Hollywood and Bollywood.I had the best of both the worlds.My sister Shireen was into Hindi films like Saraswati Chandra,Ek Phool Do Mali,Tere Mere Sapne,Teen Bahuraniyan.On one hand I was a huge fan of Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly,and on the other I would visit the sets of Homi Wadia and my great grand aunt Fearless Nadia who was an icon and would enact scenes from their movies.Films run in my blood, says Shiamak.Much before Dil To Pagal Hai happened,Shiamak was supposed to do a film on the lines of Grease with Aamir Khan under director Shekhar Kapur.Mani Ratnam had also approached Shiamak to be part of one of his films,but the film industry in the South was on strike then and hence the film never happened.I met Shah Rukh Khan through his wife Gauri who was my student and Shah Rukh forced me to do Dil To Paagal Hai, says Shiamak.
Meenakshi Seshadhris tandav in Raj Kumar Santoshis Damini,Madhuri Dixit and Helen are some of Shiamaks favourites.And then there is Govinda,a man who has no technique but has the world dancing at his feet,just with his face, says Shiamak.
Talking of Bollywood actors,Shiamak says,Shah Rukh may not dance like Hrithik,he is good with his face,emotions and acting.He is a great performer.Hrithik impressed me in Dhoom 2.Shahid is a natural,but his best is yet to be seen on screen.I love working the most with Abhishek,Rani,Ash and Kareena as they are hassle-free.
Shiamak says hes not competing with anybody.I dont wake up every Friday to see if my films a hit.I dont worry about my choreography.I do my best and leave the rest to God.No future plans for me.I believe in the power of now.