Cine Dance Countdown

9. Hamsageethe (Kannada -1975): Directed by G.V. Iyer and based on the life of eighteenth century Carnatic musician Bhairava Venkata Subbiah, Hamsageethe won accolades for the scene that depicted a dance duel between a proud Tanjore Bharathanatyam dancer and Subbiah’s protégé, a local dancer, to whom Subbiah renders his beautiful voice. The Film won two National awards.

8. Bhangra (Punjabi - 1959): Though not essentially a film on Dance, Jugal Kishore’s immortal romantic comedy, with Hansraj Behl’s rustic Punjabi music, is a story of a man who falls in love with his moneylender’s daughter. Mohammad Rafi and Shamshad Begum’s voices resonated through the entire film, which had the Bhangra dance sequences shot in the fields of Punjab. The Bhangra dance number ‘Jat kudiyan ton dar de maare’ became a rage all over Punjab.

7. Sagara Sangamam (Telugu - 1983): Directed by K. Vishwananth, ‘Sagara Sangamam’ featured South Superstar Kamal Hassan as a poor unsuccessful Classical dancer Balakrishna, who derives success as a Guru in the twilight of his unfortunate life, through his student - the daughter of his former lover (Jayaprada). The film’s touching climax, in which Balakrishna (Kamal Hassan) dies on the wheelchair while attending his student’s Dance performance, emotionally moved the audience. The film was screened at the International Film Festival of India and the Asia Pacific Film Festival.

6. Aayna Ka Bayna (Marathi - 2012): A film by Samit Kakkad, ‘Aayna Ka Bayna’ is the story of Shivani Madam (Amruta Khanwilkar), who picks up nine youngsters from a reform home to take part in a Reality Dance show. Opposed by the reform home warden (Sachin Khedekar), the students face all odds before ultimately succeeding. The Film was a blockbuster hit.

5. Mayuri (Telugu-Malayalam - 1984): This biographical film on the amputee dancer Sudha Chandran was directed by Singeetham Srinivasa Rao. The Film traces Sudha’s unfortunate road accident and her return to Bharathanatyam dance using the artificial ‘Jaipur foot’. The Film was a huge success in many languages and won the National award in 1986. Sudha Chandran became a household name, featuring in many memorable roles in Tamil movies and Hindi serials.

4. Navrang (Hindi - 1959): It is Shantaram’s all-time classic, with music by C. Ramachandra, and features his muse Sandhya, the dancing queen of her times. Navrang is still remembered by old timers for the immortal dance sequence of Sandhya (Arre ja re hat natkhat), in which she dances as a male (back view) and a female (front view) - the first attempt of its kind. Audiences flocked to theatres to have a glimpse of this one dance sequence.

3. Any Body Can Dance (ABCD) (Hindi - 2013): Rarely does a Contemporary film rank high on a list of movie Classics. Choreographer Remo D’Souza’s 3D Dance film featured well-known dancer-choreographers Prabhu Deva and Ganesh Acharya. The Film grossed Rs. 312 million within the first week of its release. This is the story of a raw bunch of dancers who are trained by Vishnu (Prabhu Deva) and Gopi (Ganesh Acharya), in order to challenge an established prosperous Dance group of a proud choreographer Jehangir Khan (played by Kay Kay Menon). The motley group ultimately defeats its adversary in a Dance competition called ‘Dil Se Dance’. The Film has been dubbed in Tamil and Telugu and the makers are working on a sequel. 

2. Tillana Mohanambal (Tamil - 1968): A.P. Nagarajan convinced the versatile genius, Tamil superstar Sivaji Ganesan, to play the role of a Nadaswaram player Sikkal Shanmuga Sundaram, who falls in love with a Bharathanatyam dancer Mohanambal (played by the legendary danseuse Padmini). The classical song and dance sequences received excellent reception from the movie viewing public. The Film won the National award for the Best Feature Film in Tamil.

1. Guide (Hindi - 1965): Directed by Vijay Anand , who also contributed to the screenplay, Guide is a romantic classic starring Dev Anand  and Waheeda Rehman . The Film is based on the critically acclaimed novel, The Guide , by R. K. Narayan , and is debatably the best masterpiece of Hindi cinema. The film was a huge box office hit. The memorable music by S. D. Burman , and Waheeda Rehman’s surreal portrayal of a neglected Classical danseuse Rosie, combined exquisitely with Dev Anand’s ‘effortless’ essaying of the role of Raju Guide, the protagonist. Time Magazine  listed it at Number Four on its list of Best Bollywood Classics. Also adapted by a US director, the Film was screened at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival , 42 years after its release…to thunderous applause.υ 

The Writer is a renowned Kuchipudi Danseuse and Choreographer