Cannes is proof that our dances catch world’s fancy
Last year Cannes celebrated 100 years of Indian cinema with much aplomb. This year was no less either.
Cannes film festival is the most talked about film festival in the world and each year stars descend on the French Riviera to make a memorable appearance and talk about their film or brands they represent. For many years, Hollywood had ruled the Cannes red carpet and the film market, but in the recent times, Bollywood has made its presence felt too. It all began with Aishwarya Rai almost a decade ago and then Mallika Sherawat followed her with Jackie Chan film The Myth which I was fortunate enough to choreograph. After the two divas, it was time for the entry of my student Sonam Kapoor as the L’Oreal girl.
After that, Bollywood has never looked back. Last year Cannes celebrated 100 years of Indian cinema with much aplomb. This year was no less either and I was fortunate to be invited to the 67th Cannes Film festival as the Indian represen- tative of dance.
My job was not just to walk most talked about red carpet with my dance partner and wife Jesse Randhawa, but to talk about the importance of dance in India, especially in Bollywood and it acquiring global stature in the recent times. Being a delegate of dance was not an easy job for me as the Cannes film festival never really had invited dancers for its festival ever before. This invitation just proved that Indian cinema and its dances have started to conquer the hearts of people world over.
Being a ballroom dancer, it was easy to be the face of modern dances in India, but the problem was to represent the true Indian forms. I did not want to go wrong in portraying the Indianness on the coveted red carpet. Finally Jesse and me decided that we should try and wear Indian clothes, which will correctly represent our country as one that embraces all cultures and dances from world over with warmth and love but at the same time maintain and carries its traditional values with great élan.
I am thankful to my designer Deepak Shah of More Mischief for making the amazing shervanis and bandgalas for me and to my dear friend Rohit Verma who designed Jesse’s colourful indo- western gowns that stole the limelight on the red carpet. Dev Balani of Malkish Jewels helped us put together the pieces of tasteful jewellery with our cloths. We were shining on the red carpet like true performers all because of these wonderful people and their creative creations. I was asked to walk the red carpet for five nights, but Jesse was able to join me only for two, as she was busy back in Mumbai shooting. Day one made me feel so proud of being a dancer from India, the royal entry and the treatment given to me made me feel that dance and Indian dancer have started to make a mark in the foreign shores. On the red carpet I was introduced to the world paparazzi as the “Maharaja of Dance from India”. Those moments were so wonder- ful and so beautiful that it makes me feel humbled with the honour.
On day two I again made a solo entry dressed in a tribal printed woven jacket, and this time I was referred to as the “Sunshine from Indian dance world”. The only disappointing part was when some media did not see Jesse with me and thought there was trouble between us and slammed me for walking alone on the red carpet.
But all went well when when we both walked hand in hand on the red carpet on the third day wearing royal blue and green matching outfits and were addressed as “Dancing Peacocks from India”. These introductory words make me wonder about the image people have for India and its art of dance. Well, yes we have a lot of sunshine, peacock is our national bird and the maharajas are the pride of our country and yes, we are traditional people. But at the same time, we are modern with our look and approach, and our television dance reality shows prove it entirely.
Day four was when Jesse wore white flowing gown with a diamond magtika by Dev Balani and stunned people with her Indian beauty. I supported her by wearing a shervani teamed with a red dupatta. I was happy that this time the festival did not give us any title reference, because I am happy to believe that names and titles do not matter. What matters is the work we dancers put into our art form and this hard work is what gets the titles and appreciations.
The last day I went solo on the red carpet wearing a brocade bandgala with royal blue jewellery and accessories. I am glad that this time, my Cannes outing was very well received by the organisers and people present there. I even had my dance talk day, where I spoke on dance and demonstrated some fun moves for the Cannes film festival guests, about which I would like to share with you too in my next piece. Till then Good Bye and see you soon or like the French say “Au revoir a bientot”.