We are at the end of 2015 and looking back, we must admit that we haven’t had a stupendous year when it comes to well-choreographed dance numbers. But from the few good ones, here goes our a selection of our favourite ‘top five’ choreographed numbers of 2015-
1. Gallan Goodiyaan from Dil Dhadakne Do
With an impatient camera at her disposal, Zoya Akhtar shoots the entire song in one irresistible take. When you have an ensemble of stars to focus on, it’s already a difficult proposition, but this song tops it by democratising the whole procedure, capturing the lesser mortals in the frame, in gay abandon. With continuous movement from start to finish, you just can’t take your eyes off the screen. And that’s nothing short of an achievement.
2. Deewani Mastani from Bajirao Mastani
No contemporary filmmaker can shoot songs like Sanjay Leela Bhansali, for his operatic take on visualisation distinctly stands apart from the rest. Deepika Padukone may not have Madhuri Dixit’s fluidity when it comes to swerving to desi dance steps, but she holds forth earnestly. With a hat tip to Mughal-E-Azam’s iconic Pyaar Kiya Toh Darna Kya, this song reaches its peak when the qawalli digression creates swirling dancers placing themselves in geometric shapes. This bewitching gold coloured delight is another triumph for Bhansali’s visual oeuvre
3. Gulaabo from Shaandaar
When you have an able dancer like Shahid Kapoor in your stable, you are bound to come up with a competent dance number. With pre-wedding lunacy at large, Gulaabo uses Shahid to maximum effect. Alia lends good support to the better dancer. The choreography mixes show-off with streaks of madness, and that’s infectiously enjoyable. Though nowhere close to Shahid’s dramatic flair in Bismil (Haider), which we witnessed last year, this still works as a quick mood-lifter.
4. Hey Ganaraya from ABCD 2
If you look at most of the current dance shows on TV, they are more about acrobatic skills than graceful movements. ABCD2, created on the lines of the Step Up franchise, showcases multiple dance numbers with laborious, complicated arrangements in a bid to deliver spectacles. Out of the lot, Hey Ganaraya wins our vote for its kinetic energy and hyperactive intensity in devotional devastation.
5. Dard Karaara from Dum Laga Ke Haisha
A love letter to the kitschiest decade of Hindi cinema, Dard Karaara makes nostalgia palpable and heartfelt. With chunris flying all over, and background dancers blooming in combustible colours, this song voiced by Kumar Sanu and Sadhana Sargam brings the ‘90s alive with deep affection. Ayushmann Khurrana and Bhumi Pednekar’s chemistry provides it an easy charm, and the accessible steps make it joyous even for non-dancers.
(The writer is a journalist and a screenwriter who believes in the insanity of words, in print or otherwise. Follow him on Twitter: @RanjibMazumder)
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