Seven best Bollywood dancers who set the screen on fire with their moves
By ASJAD NAZIRMay 20, 2022
THE Bollywood Dance Festival takes place at the Great Hall, The People’s Palace in East London from Monday May 23 until Sunday May 29.
The festival featuring top dancers, choreographers and social media influencers celebrates the dance magic of Hindi cinema with live performances, classes, and workshops.
Eastern Eye decided to get you ready for the seven-day event and a step closer to Hindi cinema by selecting the seven best on-screen dancers of all time, along with a memorable song they performed in.
Vyjayanthimala in Jewel Thief
Vyjayanthimala: The first great dancing star of Bollywood used her brilliant Bharatanatyam ability to blaze a trail for all those who followed in her giant footsteps. She broke ground for the Hindi film heroine with her dynamic dance numbers. The most technically gifted dancer out of all the Bollywood leading ladies had many unforgettable moments, including the stunning Hothon Mein Aisi Baat musical number in Jewel Thief.
Helen: Item numbers have played an integral part in Hindi cinema history and by far the greatest exponent of these was the stunningly talented dancer. From the fifties, right through till the late seventies, the Bollywood item bomb lit up huge blockbusters with her free-spirited dancing. Although Piya Tu Ab To Aaja (Caravan) provided her most iconic moment in the cage, her dance number that really stood out was Mehbooba Mehbooba from Sholay because it was part of a record-breaking action movie.
Shammi Kapoor: Before the explosive Bollywood answer to Elvis Presley emerged, all leading men were largely static. He introduced the kind of rock ’n’ roll energy that kicked an industry in cruise control out of its comfort zone. His improvised high-energy style inspired other leading men to follow in his giant dance footsteps. His most memorable moments saw him team up with accomplished female dancers, in numbers like Aaj Kal Tere Mere Pyar Ke Charche from Brahmachari, where he danced with Mumtaz.
Sridevi: An all-round ability propelled the iconic actress to greatness and a big weapon was her dynamite dance skills. What made her one of the greatest dancers of all time was the way she could deliver everything from fun musical numbers to ones that were sexy and full of power. A stand-out moment for the woman with the most dangerous hips in Hindi cinema was the snake dance Main Teri Dushman, Dushman Tu Mera from Nagina, which became iconic.
Rekha: There was a reason why Rekha was called on to play a courtesan so many times and that was because of her undeniably brilliant dance ability. She exuded power, grace, and an old-world charm during a time where dance numbers had taken a backseat in Bollywood. That classical charm was most evident in her Umrao Jaan numbers like In Aankhon Ki Masti.
Madhuri Dixit in Tezaab
Madhuri Dixit: The greatest Bollywood dancer of all time used her cool Kathak ability to deliver arguably the most memorable musical numbers of all time. Whether it was solo numbers or teaming up with other accomplished dancers like Aishwarya Rai for dynamic Devdas number Dola Re, she blazed a trail for every leading lady that followed in her footsteps. She is so far above that it is difficult to pinpoint just one dance moment, but Ek Do Teen from Tezaab and Choli Ke Peeche from Khalnayak remain iconic.
Hrithik Roshan: The greatest male dancer in Bollywood history raised the bar to a stratospheric new level for all leading men. His magnificent musical numbers showed off the kind of dancing that has never been seen by a commercial Hindi film hero. Although he has delivered unforgettable dance moments in so many films, the one that will remain most special is Ek Pal Ka Jeena from Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai just because it changed everything and set a standard for a new generation.
Adrian Lester, best known for his work on television and film, returns to the stage in the eponymous role of Edmond Rostand's 1898 comedy, Cyrano de Bergerac.
Rostland’s play centres around Cyrano - a little-known romantic 17th century French libertine poet, soldier, and philosopher. The play is based partly on his letters written on behalf of his love rival Christian de Neuvillette as he tries to charm Cyrano’s cousin, Roxanne with whom Cyrano is also in love.
Cyrano is cursed with an overt self-consciousness in the form of a large nose. His insecurity is such that he prohibits anyone to refer to it directly or indirectly. Together with his wit, his skills as a swordsman, and the directorial splattering of our own vernacular, they provide the play with a certain infectious - albeit teenage - humour.
Despite Cyrano unexpressed love for Roxanne, the latter has fallen for Christian who is handsome, but useless when it comes to expressing his feelings in words. But then, he is also useless as a swordsman and clearly no match for Cyrano’s mastery and maturity. Realising this and being utterly selfless, Cyrano offers his help to the youthful Christian to woo Roxanne by writing for him poetic and hyperbolic proclamations of love and longing. All he wants is Roxanne to be happy even if he himself has to do with nursing a broken heart.
Christian Patterson and Levi BrownMarc Brenner
The result is a farce of the highest order and mistaken identity, coupled with threat and violence
This RSC production is directed by Simon Evans who has provided a very lively and engaging interpretation by all accounts. Apart from a skilled, highly polished ensemble of cast, there’s interesting theatricality at work. Every now and then, for instance, one gets a sense that the stage is a reflection of our own world and vice versa. Characters mingle with the audience, they break the fourth wall, and the theatre band wander around with the characters and referred to with some bemusement and fun.
In a 17th century French world – not unlike our own, 21st century – external beauty, speech, language are prized. Expression has become almost secondary. It’s a world in which fakery, deception and lies are paced above sincerity, honesty, and truth. Looks and external beauty outweigh the inner beauty of man.
Evans removes the original piece from its French setting to England, littering it with a Brummie accent, and accentuating our preconceptions about hopeless romantics and those with meaningless verbiage. The effect is one of joyous atmosphere and true entertainment.
Adrian Lester provides a magnificent performance as the wordsmith, Cyrano. His character is verbose, comedic, and sympathetic in equal measures. Lester is enticing, hilarious and – judging by the reaction of the audience –appreciated as a versatile actor who can do comedy just as well as drama. Levi Brown’s Christian is a fiery - overtly hopeless - romantic who cannot paint his feelings into words. Brown gives a very energetic and magnetic performance. Similarly, Susannah Fielding provides a sprightly Roxanne who is heart-warming and an utter pleasure to watch.
Adrian Lester (front right) and companyMarc Brenner
It’s hard not to notice but as an audience, we are invited to consider the value of language that may sound romantic, but may – in actual fact – be little more than a shallow expression of fancy. Whereas, the seemingly absence of language – though painfully inadequate - may actually embody real sincerity and the true meaning of love.
Whatever you may think, one thing is certain: you will enjoy this production. It’s a real treat.
The play started at the Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon in early September, with its run lasting until 15th November.
Rating: ***** (5 stars)
(Cyrano de Bergerac is playing at the RSC Stratford until 15th November 2025.)
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