I started learning Bharatnatyam from the age of three. I have also learnt folk dance.
My whole family is involved in the arts - my sister is a professional Bharatnatyam dancer, and my dad helps me out on the music business end.
My mother learnt Mohiniyattam as a child, and my father loved singing.
'Lakshmi' is a dance film, a musical that deals with the emotional bond between the guru and his sishya.
I had learnt Kathak for six years from the age of eight and did a foundation course from Kathak Kendra in Delhi. I was not fond of classical dance, but today, I'm glad my mom made me do it.
Among my classical dances, I loved my 'Mrig Trishna' dance. People should try that on stage. I don't know why they don't. It's beautifully written.
Indian classical dance is sustained by a profound philosophy. Form seeks to merge with the formless, motions seek to become a part of the motionless, and the dancing individual seeks to become one with the eternal dance of the cosmos.
I was a dancer, so it was easy for me to dance in films. I had studied Kathak, Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Odisi and Kathakali much before I even thought of becoming an actor.
Initially, I was into dance and learnt Bharatnatyam for eight years. I appeared on various TV shows.
Being a Kathak dancer, learning Bharathanatyam was a challenge as it was not that subtle, when compared to my natural form of dance.
I had trained a bit in Bharatanatyam in the past but did not learn in depth. The same goes with jazz, western, and cinematic dance, as I was quite laid back with the training.
Indian music is brilliant and for me, anyway, (this is only personal) it's got everything in it. I still like electronics and all sorts of music if it's good but Indian music is just... an untouchable you can't say what it is, because it just is.
Since 'Shamshera' is set in a particular time, the dance sequences require me to have a very Indian, very classical body language, which is why I started taking kathak classes to learn the nuances and the grace.
I follow dancers like Jennifer Lopez and Beyonce, as they are in my zone, but when it comes to Indian dancing, I am a huge Madhuri Dixit fan.
