EXCLUSIVE| Hrithik Roshan on meeting 8 dance influencers on International Dance Day: I have to grow with them now!

It’s a special, sunny day at his Juhu house, overlooking the beach. As we walk into Hrithik Roshan’s house, we see a bunch of enthusiastic dancers waiting eagerly to meet their idol, munching on a spread of snacks laid out for them.

“Main bachpan se unki videos dekh ke bada hua hoon, unke steps copy karta hoon. I have got this opportunity to meet him, I can’t believe it. That’s why I am sitting quietly, I don’t know what I will say to him,” tells us Tarun Namdev, popular for his reels where he starts dancing in the middle of the road.

Eight such influencers, all dancers, have been personally invited by Roshan. He walks in dot on time. “I am nervous, because of you all,” he laughs, and instantly breaks the perfect ice breaker.

Roshan is widely regarded as one of the finest dancers in Bollywood. It’s been a full 23 years since he burst onto the film scene with Ek Pal Ke Jeena (Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai, 2000), and he has never stopped dancing ever since.

HRITHIK THE MENTOR

He has over the years, also been almost like a guru, encouraging budding dancers via social media, leaving a like, commenting, reposting their reels on his account. We ask Roshan what compels him to do this, and he tells us, “I am just following my heart, I don’t think this is going the extra mile. I want to touch and feel this community of dance, I want to understand these dancers’ lives because they inspire me. If I want to still keep learning, I have to grow with them now. I have the opportunity and access to meet them, and did so on this International Dance Day. It is amazing because when I was young, dance was not considered a valuable asset. So these people have come and changed it.”

What’s his takeaway from this meet up with these people? Roshan takes a second to think and replies, “I have information now, that it is possible for me to pick up my phone and call one of them and say ‘let’s do a class’. I am seriously thinking to start learning dance again, this has inspired me. I want to start to dance just for myself.”

HR DANCE CLASSES, ANYONE?

The conversation between Roshan and the curious eight touches upon various topics, ranging from overcoming his childhood inhibitions, his dancing inspirations, to even giving fitness tips to one of the dancers who injured his shoulder. In fact, he is amazed when he learns that Rohit Jethwani and Chinmaya Khedekar hold dance classes in different parts of the city. “Why don’t I join you guys and do a class!,” he exclaims.

What prompted the actor to put in so much of his efforts towards the art form? Roshan is quick to say to us, “It was a lock I think… I believe all of us are born with the dance gene. We need to expose ourselves to something that unlocks it. I think when I got exposed to Michael Jackson is when that dormant gene in me got unlocked. I just followed that passion.”

Ek Pal Ka Jeena, Dhoom Again, Bang Bang- Roshan’s songs always have a hookstep. Does he feel the pressure to up the ante with each of his songs? He agrees, “It does, but that’s what it is about. The challenge is what drives you to find the magic every time. I also have enough encouragement behind me, that I use to push myself. It is special, it is good for me.”