 Well, hello. How are you doing? I'm fine. Nice video after a long time. I saw you two, three videos. I will talk about the dance and the so nice of you. So sweet of you both. Thank you. Thank you. It is the pleasure is all ours. We've wanted to since it's been a long time we've got introduced to you. I think the first video we ever saw of yours was Mukabala. If I'm saying that correctly, I think that was the first video of yours we had ever reacted to. And we were blown away. Obviously, now I think we've seen almost all of your songs. So we are obviously big admirers of you as a dancer and a choreographer. And so the first question I would actually have for you is one, we actually say there's our fans of our channel, I think have a drinking game for whenever we watch your stuff. There's certain words that we always come up with when we watch you. Fluidity is one. Creativity is another one. You and your choreography and your dance ooze creativity. Just it comes out of you. So just to start it off as a choreographer, how do you see choreography, the dance, the music when you first hear it? How do you see that when you first hear the music for the first time? When I hear the song first time, I'll get the visual. First only I will get the visual. When you hear it, immediately I get the visual. According to it, I follow it. That's it. I just follow it. When I hear the song, I get the visual. This has to be like this. According to it, I will go. That's it. Wanted to ask you this question as well. We have so many. Every time we've ever watched you dance, there's a million questions that come up in our minds. I remember when we were interviewing A.R. Raymond and I asked him if he ever got writer's block. He said no. When you're doing any choreography, you hear the music, you visualize. Does it always just come and flow to you as you're creating? See, what happens when we get the song? Sometimes I hear video. Sometimes I sleep, used to sleep. In the dream I used to think, I have done like 100 songs like that. Dream I have done. And what I used to do, I get up in the night if I am sleeping. I get up in the night, some idea comes. I dance in the night two o'clock and then again go to sleep. See, when we hear the saying, we'll be sleeping. But music is going on. For that moment, some dance will come. See, because of its dream, sometimes we used to tend to forget it. Normally dream, what happened? No, something. So I don't want to miss it. So what I do is when anything moment comes, I get up, dance it. So it will be in the body. Then I write that it happened for me. That doesn't, that does not surprise me. Wow. And she's you. Like I said, the creativity is one that always comes up because you come up with either as a choreographer, as a dancer, both some of the most unique dance moves that I don't think anybody except for you has ever thought of, like to do this to a song. And it's absolutely brilliant. So is it just like you, you feel the music and you're like, I think my body would do this, whatever it is, how whatever creative moment is out. Is that how it comes to you is just like this weird motion for lack of a better term is just what you've come up with in your head. Is that, is that, is that what happens? See, what happens when I do real cells, when they hear the song, normal, when I do real sets, nobody's allowed. I won't allow anybody because I might be doing mad things, bad things. It might not look nice. Nice. Because creativity, when we create, many, it will go. But so I don't allow you with request only. I used to tell director, producer and everybody, please don't come. Please don't come. I will do it. Also, understand because so as you say, my body is doing or not, my mind thinks when the body does only, it's not like that mind is different, body is different. Yeah. Yeah. When it can do only, the body tells to do it. I'm thinking it's like that. It's already prepared. I can do it. In the process, it might not look nice also. That's why we do real cells. Because some people might judge it's not good, something, it might look very bad also sometimes. But until you try, how will you know whether it's bad or good. With dancers, it's okay. I don't feel. And also when we listen to the music and when they enter the real cell, the world is different for me. That world, that dancers, see, acting is different totally. Anything is different, normal life. But dancing world is like, I think you are also a dancer. When we enter the dance world, it's like a track. It's something else. So I will go into it. I don't feel like somebody is nearby or like that. I don't care only when I'm shooting like that. That's my world. It's my world. And I have to give and I never take one song is a super it. So second time when we are doing, I have done this song. I must do better than this song. No, I won't do it like that. That's over. That's it. I don't take it any song is like that. This is my new song first song. I have to give this. This might look bad also again, something. I don't know. I don't know. But I give my 200% then how it is happening? God. Have you ever filmed the process of one of your creations? Have you? I know you said a moment ago when you're beginning the process, it's very private. You don't want anyone to see it until you've really got it fleshed out. Have you ever recorded yourself from that beginning point until the completed process? Have you ever done that? So it's on record? See that those things recording happened now only like last five years and the making came. Sure. There is no making nothing. Right. I think this YouTube also now only okay. Now only we're seeing us know before there is no nothing or what we didn't and done. Right. So this process even but now also beginning process. See, I know it's important to catch it but still the creating when somebody looks and creating it. No. I don't want to do it. Yeah. Yeah. I understand. Because somebody is watching me. I have to do for a performer. It becomes like that. That is a art. Art is there. So I can but after in shootings, they can do it. Even in shooting spot, while making I used to tell them don't come in front of me. Don't come behind me. Somewhere zoom it and take don't please don't come in front of me. Because somewhere I feel yeah, anything creativity is bigger than anything. I think that's so I like that. Yeah, that makes sense. That makes sense. So not only are you as a choreographer and a dancer extremely creative, you're also extremely fluid like your body movements outside of when you're people that you've done choreographer and dance with before Rithik to the two most fluid people I've ever seen. But when you're doing choreography and you're also extremely fast in your dance as well, is it ever difficult for you to sometimes describe what you can do and what you see in your head to your other dancers because of you have a ungodly ability as a dancer that no one really else on this planet that I've seen has. So is it ever difficult for you to explain slash get others to do what you do? No, no. I think because I'm good. My work is choreographing to teach. Yeah, I don't feel any difficulties like that. Okay, because so only thing it's not for me is you are a dancer. It's not dancer is not important for me. You might be not dancer also every actor is not a dancer also. It's not important. But the interest you give to me towards me is important. The interest and the hard work you put that is you might be a big dancer also if you're not interested like very like why why then though that is even if you're not a dancer, but you are showing interest you want to do on the hard working pudding then we are but till now everybody has put interest and hard work because when they call me they know they know I'm so the 100% thanks to everyone who have done they're all so sweet to me like that. So nothing there is no difficulties and that's not my job to how to make it simple how to do it choreographing know each person body is different and also first day in the real sales are in half an hour I used to study how he walks sitting we know in the in the first moment only we know so we will get to intense if we can do this I will set the bar like this he can do it but he doesn't know whether he can do it but I will tell no he can do it do it do it yeah right right and any in your in your especially in your younger years towards mukaballa and all those did you as a dancer did you ever have to slow down because of how fast you are to not be so far ahead of everybody else because it seems like it sometimes know what I do see the beat is one two three four five six seven eight okay got you next eight bit starts so I used to do with the dancers only one two three four five six but one two three four after that I used to get the time see if it is one two four people but in between one and two I used to get time in that I do my my stuff and again I'll come to them I'll put my put my some signature styles and with fast that is those days nowadays I don't get time in between because I became age now before in the one two three four five six seven eight again one two three four in between I used to get like the timing I'm so fast I used to stay one two I stay and then going to again tell that nowadays one two no time no stay before for eight beats I used to dance for 32 32 right now for eight beats I'm just dancing by eight only but you're still you're still faster than oh yeah anyway so what so that's one thing is why I am not I won't dance I don't think and dance you don't think and dance that should be like do it no no no because my body even if I forget my body is to dance is the muscle memory right yeah like it's like it's like I must not think next to what is going to happen no I won't dance like that no never no yeah like and also I used normally people I used to tell the muscle I don't dance for music I dance for my dance music has to come like that only I do it mm yes yes yes that much connection that has to be why each and every moment has to be come from my body the sound has to come from my body I think yeah is that why is that why you can choreograph songs when you've only heard a portion of the song you can continue to do choreography and then when you're on set you'll dance to the whole song but when you when you were doing the choreography you sometimes don't have a whole song right sometimes yes yeah yeah but that is very rare the beginning days of air rum and sir yeah you have to give part by part right we were ready yeah we are ready and uh see for me when the song starts the beginning when we do the song it's not when we hear the song first movement yeah A to Z if it is some yeah if you come still is it mm pass pass pass go ahead yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah so when I do a moment if I first song I heard I heard the moment this first moment will lead to the second moment for me I do the second move without knowing that will fit right the second moment will lead to the third moment without knowing it comes from the body it just comes right I like that. So I like that. That's it. Yeah. And most of it I choreograph any song comes like one hour, two hours, to laugh. That's it. Yeah. Yeah. That makes sense. Yeah. And on that note, there's a lot of myths, legends about you as a dancer that I've heard in terms of like, do you have a photographic dance memory? Like, can you see something one time and basically know it? Like, know the entire dance now? Because I've heard that multiple times from multiple people that like you have seen the dance once and now you can basically do it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's not super. When I see only, I dance inside. I dance real soon inside my mind. So I dance like that. I see dancing. But I'm seeing only dance inside. Yeah. Body is dancing inside. I thinking my done. But subconscious is dancing like the things like so I go and put to some time, take past time. Yeah. Yeah. That's it. So two questions. No, no, no, no, no, please. I think you've got to give me that. Yeah. Absolutely. Yes. For sure. For sure. Yeah. Two questions. When did you know you wanted to be a dancer and when did you know you were a very good dancer? When I was very bad at studies, I got to know I wanted to be a dancer. So my father is a choreographer. Right. Right. He has done 1,000 films as a choreographer. Yes. Yes. So I was very bad at studies. I don't know what to do, but we all learned Bharatanatyam. So my Guruji, two Guruji's are there. One is like Dharamraj master. He is like fire. He is very angry person. Very angry means literally angry person. Like one, one, one is Laxminar and master is very soft like ice, fire and ice like that. So but both loved me like anything. They came to know I am, see normally what happens in Bharatanatyam, it will take 10 to 15 years. There is no limit for Bharatanatyam. You can learn 100 years also. But they came to know I am a good dancer. I don't know. They know. I don't know. So over learned one year, they used to teach me in one month. They gave me so much you can do. So they used to see normally in a song like six minutes and all. Normally those days, they will take one month to teach for them because the children know they will take them. But I used to dance whatever they give. In one month, in five days, I do it. So they thought this boy is little different. Let him give more. Let him give more. Let him give more like that only. And they also, I have seen must have seen Kung Fu films. How Jackie Chan trains. Oh, yes. Like this, like this, like this. They have trained me like that. Not that, but what happened in Bharatanatyam that is supposed like this. We have to keep it like this. They used to keep it me like this and they used to eat, drink, eat, they talk. Then I used to tell them also, sir, you forgot me to understand. No, no, you have to be like this. So you were talking about first they came to know I am a good dancer, I believe. I don't know when I became a good dancer. When people used to tell me you are a good dancer, then I came to know. Otherwise, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. So you were just talking about learning and I apologize for not knowing the, I can't, I'm bad at pronouncing the names. Brad, you just said that. Yeah, thank you. And I know you have learned many, Rick is changing. There's a flare on his. That's why that's what he's doing. He's not leaving. But the, I know you know many different dance forms Indian or otherwise. I don't know only one. I know only one dance, Bharatanatyam dance and my dance, whatever it is. I don't know this. But you kind of dance, you've kind of danced to them all, though, a little bit, right? I mean, maybe if it's not like strict to the, to the, to the form, but you've danced to them all. I think those who are in film, everybody dances for everything because our film wants everything. So we are playing like that. What, what, what type of music, if any, do you find the most difficult to dance to? Because I am choreographer, whatever type. None. None. Yeah, that's what I thought. I won't take it now. I will make it easy for me. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, that's what I thought. Is, is there a style of dance that you've not done that you would like to do? No, many things are there. Many dancers are there, style. Yeah. Many, many, like thousands of them there. No, those things are all very tough. I know my dance, that's it. So some people now it's like ABC, when I'm doing street dance, ABC department, they are all too good. The dancers who are there in theater, half of my age, and they do fast like that. So I used to learn them and they dance. Oh, god. Nowadays, the level of dancing is gone. Some of their level. Very high. Yeah. And I love to dance, but not that much now. I can dance my dance only. What do you do? Yeah. Absolutely. What do you think makes a great choreographer? Choreographer. See this, I don't know what to say. Each person is different. Each perspective of choreographers are different. I might say something like, I don't know, really no idea. No idea. What makes a great choreographer, really no idea. No worries. No worries. Who were, obviously we have heard that one of your favorite dancers of all time was Michael Jackson. Yeah. And who were some of the other dancers that you really admired when you were growing up? Or even now, who are some of those dancers that you really love to watch dance? Gene Gehle. Yes. And Fred Duster. Oh, god. See, at least the other dancers, we can at least a little bit try for them. But Gene Gehle and Fred Duster, even there is no cut shot. It's going on, going on and they make them dance one high, high, high. Oh, god. Yeah. You can see it. That's it. Michael, I must not try it. Yeah. And so I've noticed in your choreography, in your dance, you bring, maybe it's just the creativity that you have, you seem to like to bring a lot of comedy to your dance. At least that's what it feels like. Why is that? You're just a funny person? And is it just what you like to bring that sort of funness to? What's the purpose behind all that? No, normally, when I do, I don't, before only I don't think, now everybody has told I must do funny. No, I don't do it. As I said before, what song needs, I do my thing. If it's funny or not, I don't know. I must do something funny. No, I don't do it. It comes, that's it. I don't know whether, wantedly, I don't force it. Right. I don't force it. I never force anything else. I'll never force anything while choreographing. No, no, now it has to be like this. No. The song will tend to do this, this and that. According, I told. Yes. Song gives one visual. I follow it. I don't know whether I'm doing funny, bad, wrong, like good and I just follow it. I don't already put a rule like this. Now I must do some funny things. No, I don't. It comes from the flow. It comes from the flow. Otherwise, no. How long? I don't know why it came because I gave it to the industry like when I was 14, 14, 15. Right. I became choreographer like 15 and up 16 only. So might be I'm a small boy. So how long does it typically take you from the moment you've heard a song until it's you've done the choreography? How long does that typically take you to choreograph a number? Sometimes half an hour, sometimes one hour, sometimes half a day. Once you start, the song just tells you and you go wherever the song tells you to go. That's it. I told you the first moment leads me to the second moment. The second minute leads me to the third moment like that only. So immediately it gives, it only tells when I see normally as you are a dancer, when we dance and stop and some other moment come, our body, something we will do, something we will do. That's the second moment for me. That's it. Yes. Yes. You will give a cue for the next turn or something. When we see normally anywhere they will do this or this or that like that. Right. The second moment gives the third moment, third moment like that only. Yes. Sometimes half an hour, sometimes one hour, sometimes half a day. Yes. Do fast. Yes. That doesn't seem normal. I don't know what normal is but that just doesn't seem normal. So when obviously you're a big fan of Michael Jackson, you were talking about that. But what I want to ask is in the beginning, especially around the 90s, I guess, era, when obviously you can emulate him very well, did people often ask you to try to emulate Michael Jackson and did that frustrate you because they wanted you to do Michael instead of wanting Prabhu? Did that ever happen to them? Was that frustrating? No, no, no. Because with love only they are asking me. I never get frustrated. With love, now they are asking why should I? I told them. And those days, they don't know about much of Michael Jackson also. I think so. Now only that in the video, 90s, very rarely. But even if they tell, I laugh and sometimes I do, I don't do much in the public area and the only shootings I dance. Otherwise, I'm very little I feel shy to do what I do only. I don't know. Even I feel sometimes seeing mirror. Is this a person who's a dancer or like that? I don't feel like I'm a dancer. Once the song and cut, normal if you see me outside, even I don't think I'm a dancer like that. I just normal like any people walk around. Well, you are definitely not a normal dancer. I could tell you that. Yes, yes, yes. Have you, I think I know the answer to this question, but I guess the question would be how many times have you either had to perform or do choreography while you were injured? We know the legamentare one. Legamentare. Yeah, Mukabla song. Yeah. Mukabla song was a legamentare was there. So those days, I don't know what is legamentare also. We don't know. Only bones we know what is legamentare. Then they said that in between legamentare it was done. It was so see when Mr that small jerk gives so much pain. So what I did I fully tied my leg fully tied left leg will be like a 10 size shoot this size 9 size shoot dance only not that's it that that one portion like that many times small small things happen but when dance comes not later will the house will come and cry and do something. That is later. The date and the timing is committed we have to do that's it like not many times but because I don't not many times very very little not many times very few times only because I used to take care of my body correctly not doing so much. I don't do acrobatics if you see me. Right. I don't do acrobatics dancing. I do because of acrobatics sometimes we get pain these that yes I don't do acrobatics I do dancing I even if they do like this and I tell no no no I dance yeah yeah. So I take care of my knee everything corrective weight and I don't go to gym also I don't take lift right no gym I never done I never went to gym in my life. Wow. I don't go I don't do gym. But I do but with my body body weight. Do you encourage that the dancers you work with do you encourage them to do that as well because I know if you for example Rithik is very unusual because he can have muscle mass but he also can have fluidity. Yeah when when you work with that it is very rare what did you help him understand that or was that already there when you started to work with Rithik? Yeah you know he was already a superb dancer it's there in his body it's there yeah it's there it's there it's there in this body it's not like I'm happy to work with him he is he's already muscle and both it's very abnormal yeah it's so straight that's why he's unique yeah that's why yeah um on that um because you I have a very uh you're the way your body can kind of the fluidity you have and the speed which you have what other actors or I guess dancers do you think most uh have been able to match your kind of fluidity in in your same way because we think it's it's Rithik in terms of like his fluidity but no those days you know actors were not dancing nowadays many actors are dancing yes they are giving the even if the song comes they do super they're giving that full and 200 percent and the nowadays each person are if it is not fluidity also each person has their own style and speed is there now they are giving their one full and because song has become so important nowadays people are loving it see even you are also loving the song no absolutely yes or so each person is different everyone is different you can't compare see my style is different other days everybody is different yeah I don't compare absolutely um one of the things among many that have blown us away particularly me is you can achieve things with your lines not not your lines as an actor your lines as a dancer that that remind me so much of Michael not the style but the execution that when you are in a particular place your lines are mathematically so beautiful to look at do you work I know Michael worked a lot in front of a mirror do you work a lot in front of a mirror or you do do you prefer to not look in a mirror when you're working no no I don't prefer in the mirror but but when I used to tell to others people also see normally what happens when dancing I as you say line means I understood what that like yeah yeah the way the lines yeah so I give my I don't see what when we're standing simply dancing normal also some people go like no I used to do dance with that I give my the finishing the finishing they tell now I give fully yes I do it fully even I used to tell the other people also do it fully then it's easy I used to tell other way your body get your body is in unbalancing it's not balanced if you're doing fully it will be balanced so that you can go to next like that anything round round and stay stay round and if you're not staying where there is there is no balance so I give me a full when I dance I give that's what I I believe that's what you were telling that's a line yeah it's it's two things it's the speed but it's also when you for example if you make a turn if you did a move like a mic where you simply did a shoulder roll in a turn the the lines this understood yeah understood yeah that is because of Bharatanatyam also ah okay now Bharatanatyam so in Bharatanatyam it's very it's a rule in Bharatanatyam it's like see any other form you can do anything it's dance little but in Bharatanatyam this is the way when you go like this it has to be like this when you go like this it has to be like that might be inside it's there I've been trained like that as I told you know before my training is like was like yeah the lines this line goes like that yeah whatever happens when I round or stay like that I used to stay like that even the leg when I take like that like this leg stay goes like the knee state it's a tape that's it there is no not bad no that is all the Bharatanatyam helped me like anything and also when we are doing and dancing it's not like living the ball it I don't know whether body is in my control or I am in the body controls yeah body controls everything like that only I think that's what I don't think my body controls when the music starts I don't know from where the strength comes I don't know it's uh we got we we got the pleasure of having our first ever interview be Ustad Jizakir Hussein and when we talked to him we asked him a question about being a master at his at his craft and he was he basically said something very similar to what you just said it's not me master this over over the instrument the instrument allows him to perform and so it's very it's great minds I guess think alike in that aspect but do you think as a choreographer as a dancer anybody can become not just a dancer can become a great dancer yeah anybody can become a dancer and nowadays thousands of the great dancers great dancers are there only they have to channelize now correctly correctly and the interest how they when they enter how it is well now after now also I am so interested in dancing like interest or how much you are interested so when the song's happening when we act and the songs happen night and all I don't I don't get sleep only I don't know I used to get up by 233 because song is there I must do very energetic and become like that that the interest I'm feeling yeah so if we are even the interest and artwork is there anybody we can become and what advice would you give to say specifically a young dancer who wants to be a great dancer what advice would you give them to become a great dancer seriously telling everybody is very good I don't advise on I don't I never I never advise at all and nowadays the boys and girls see when I came very rarely people are dancing here very rarely like statewide nowadays each and every house boy and girl is dancing and better than me really better than me so what advice I will give it to them they are better than me what no bravo no no no no no I find that hard to believe sir no really you could be you could be as humble as you want but that doesn't make it true might be I came I came before I came before that's why but you're a teacher no but people are now dancing the different level only thing they have to take care of the health not I have I've taken care of my health till now still I'm dancing by God's grace touch would like yes still they have to they also do after a while David must not lose the interest artwork they must not take it very they must not like like take it seriously a little bit when God dancing comes yes mind that's it yeah if they do it anybody yeah yeah yeah well go ahead yeah go ahead for no please no no go no I was just going to say is there is there anything coming up we've been talking a lot about dancing obviously you do more the dance you correct you act is there anything coming up that we may not know about that you would like us all to know that you're involved with that's going to be coming up soon I'm acting people I mean but what you are how you are coming to know now without I didn't tell those things you only searched and what you're doing is good search and take it would be better it's nice to hear like that yeah we are doing it yeah if it's very good it will come to you if it's bad it won't come to you well I want to end off thank you once again for for sitting down talk to us I want to end this off with a little rapid fire questionnaire here for you quick questions yes first and foremost coffee or chai green tea I don't drink good coffee I don't know yeah green tea isn't that a big dancer thing green tea or is that just a singer thing no both I think I think yeah yeah I'm not I'm not either so this is probably an impossible question who's better Fred Astaire jean kelly oh both are great I don't know which one I do I never thought like that they're so different I never thought he's the best he was yeah yeah favorite Michael Jackson music video thriller read it your favorite film Tamil film it's like I love it I'm not I'm not I'm yeah I've seen like 40 50 times it's a Tamil film who's the director of it three years like it's 1960s we've seen some classic Tamil films and so I'm I'm bad with remembering names though we need to remember that one yeah absolutely um sorry uh who uh no not that one what is probably Davos go to wedding dance move you know that's I said in public I don't dance only you don't dance at weddings ever no I feel shy now people are there if nobody is there I can favorite thing about being a dancer say it loud by everyone least favorite thing about being a dancer no no at least no least favorite thing love it all uh if you could only do one for the rest of your life direct or act what would you do dance great answer and last question here I like to choreograph I love to choreograph what anything acting directing choreograph yeah I figured those would be the top and who would be a or a couple uh Hollywood actors that you would love to choreograph for that you think are would be a good dancer to choreograph for I don't know who dances because everything film I watched it is like not see never film dance every film is there Hollywood films are not like that no it's different no no I don't know who is dancing I don't know uh you could you could uh choreograph uh Leo see uh which would be very Leo the caprio I don't think so but you could make them you could make them a very good dancer oh like that but I want to thank you so much for talking to us it was an absolute pleasure it's um it's like watching uh listening to a master class because when we talk about when we talk about dancers and like we've done it many times like who do you think is the top five dancers in all of India we've done this many times we always have to leave you off because you are you're clearly number one for for us and I think most people and so if there was if there was a Mount Rushmore of Indian dancers you would be the only one up there sorry to say so we wanted to talk to you for so long because we admire you and your your talent your your mastery of your craft and it was it was an absolute pleasure to talk to you so thank you so much Rick of course we love of course we love you to both yeah I I grew up you know here in LA in the industry and and I did a lot of dance I did tap jazz I grew up Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly Gene Kelly was the one for me but Fred Astaire as well and Michael was a big influence on me as well as a dancer we've said this before on the channel for me personally and for my wife who's also she's she's an odyssey dancer um I the names in my mind now forever for all of my life that are to me the greatest dancers I've been able to watch are our Gene Kelly Fred Astaire Michael Jackson Bob Fosse and Prabhu Deva and Mikhail and Mikhail Burushnikov yeah you you are you are in that category not just not just in your ability to dance but in your ingenuity as a choreographer your endless creativity your originality your your as good at what you do as anyone could be at anything and it is an honor we have wanted to talk to you for years and to get the chance to talk to you as a huge honor thank you so sweet so thank you both so sweet I can tell you what to say but no worries I will try my best to be do my job I will try to entertain more people thanks for you both so sweet of you and try to call me and talk to me and get the answers so sweet of thank you thank you so much it was a pleasure talking to you man have a good day thank you bye