Tollywood finally learns to groove

The Bollywood jhatkas have finally arrived in Tollywood to take audiences on a fantasy trip to sea sides and snow-capped valleys. The Raju Khans and Pappu Khans are now ruling the studios in Kolkata as crowds lap up dance sequences in picturesque locales.
Bengali commercial cinema, whether it is directed by Swapan Saha or Prabhat Roy, now needs a couple of colourfully choreographed dance sequences. Haranath Chakrabarty’s hit film Pratibad had Tolly’s hero number one Prasenjit and Arpita Pal shaking their legs on Vidyasagar Setu. “Arpita wore a very fashionable short leather skirt. The dance number was a big hit. More than two choreographers from Chennai and Mumbai had directed this song sequence,� said Chakrabarty.
More recently, veteran director Shakti Samanta’s Devdas has veteran choreographer P.L. Raj directing Indrani Haldar’s (Chandramukhi) mujras.
“It was a pleasure working with such an experienced dancer who has trained the likes of Helen and Amitabh Bachchan,� said Indrani.
Annadata, which is running to packed houses presently, has a dreamy dance sequence with Prasenjit and Sreelekha Mitra. “Choreographers like Babu and Mohan Kishan from the south directed the dances,� said Sreelekha. In another film, Hatath Brishti, she was trained by Bollywood’s Habiba for a dance sequence.
Director Anjan Choudhury feels there is no dearth of talent in Kolkata but the kind of dances that are popularised by Bollywood are best choreographed by outstation trainers. “The biggest advantage is that they are trained in many dance forms and are very professional,� said Choudhury, adding, “I am looking forward to working with Saroj Khan now, but everything depends on the budget.�