Watch any of Hrithik Roshan's dance performances, and you'll realize how easy he makes it look. Well, a lot of hard work goes behind that magic.
It's very difficult to put Hrithik Roshan - the dancer - into a specific box. Because for him, especially in a film, dance is not just for the sake of dance, but an entire performance. If it's a mere number like "Bang Bang", "Fire", or "Ghungroo", he will go all out and set the screen on fire with his moves - of course, he is remarkably good at it. However, what sets him apart is he knows when to restrain himself and dance as per the character he is playing and the particular juncture in the film. And that's - if you are a dancer, you'll know - an incredibly tough job. As Abhishek Bachchan said in one of his interviews, "Crying and dancing... like the character and not as yourself, is one of the hardest things to do." There are numerous examples of the same: one is the "Basanti No Dance" sequence in 'Super 30' (which Jr. Bachchan talked about in his interview) where he dances as a teacher who is just happy and not as Hrithik Roshan. Another - which is my favorite - is the "Gun Gun Guna" sequence in 'Agneepath' where he dances just to complement Priyanka Chopra's performance. He never tries to grab the spotlight here with his moves, as he knows it's Chopra who owns the scene and not him. This proves how secure he is as a dancer - he neither needs to show off his skills nor wants any validation from his audiences like, "Waah! Kya Dance Kar Raha Hai. Waah! Kya Dance Kar Raha Hai."
Hrithik Roshan in a still from ‘Super 30’ song “Basanti No Dance”
The Greek God turns 51 today. On this occasion, we celebrate the dancer in him by revisiting some of his best performances.
From where it all began - "Ek Pal Ka Jeena" in 'Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai'. This performance is a masterclass on how to execute complex choreography effortlessly. His body moves fluidly from one step to another, with his iconic hand wave defining the mood of the song. Whether it's his sense of rhythm, his natural charisma, or simply his physical fitness - it leaves us awestruck in every way. And if you closely observe his performance, you'll notice how beautifully he aligns his movements and expressions with the mood of the film at this particular juncture.
(Credit: Zee Music Company)
In all his films, director Farhan Akhtar uses music as a tool for storytelling. "Main Aisa Kyun Hoon" is an important sequence of 'Lakshya' where Hrithik Roshan's character is being established - explaining his situation and quest for a purpose. Prabhu Deva's choreography is abstract and asymmetric based on the character, and Roshan pulls it off perfectly. Beyond his fluid moves, it's his expressions and body language that make the performance so special. He doesn't show his style and confidence here (because that would contradict his character) and makes it raw, unpolished, yet precise.
(Credit: SonyMusicIndiaVEVO)
Without an iota of doubt, "Main Aisa Kyun Hoon" is one of the finest choreographies and dance performances ever in Indian cinema.
As already mentioned, when it's just a dance number where Hrithik Roshan should dance like a Hrithik Roshan - well, it just turns out to be a spectacle!!! "Bang Bang" - the title track of 'Bang Bang' (2014) - is a fine example of that. Here, he perfectly complements the fast-paced rhythm of the song and showcases his phenomenal charisma at every step. From quick reflexes to rapid spins to complex footwork and more - he leaves no stone unturned in his performance. And it also showcases the sheer control that he has over his body.
Hrithik Roshan, Katrina Kaif in ‘Bang Bang’
Notably, in one of his interviews, he explained how he performed such a complex choreography so effortlessly. In his words, "There is a step in Bang Bang in which I am going backward. That step, I was not at my best. I learned that everything matters, the shoe, the floor, the friction. So, I used to then test with which shoe and on which floor can I get the right amount of friction that I leap more and stop well. For that, I changed nine pairs of shoes. I had taken all my shoes from my house and spray painted all of them black. For each step I did, I wore a particular shoe which made that particular step easier on my knees because they were injured very very badly. So, to get that smoothness out, I use all of these tactics. It just worked out.”
(Credit: Zee Music Company)
Besides the above-mentioned numbers, it also includes "Dil Na Diya", "Bawre", "Fire", "Tu Meri", "Dhoom Again", and "Ghungroo".
