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India Today
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
Curious case of missing dance from dance numbers - no choreography, only clickbait
Once upon a time, a dance number meant dance. It included high-energy choreography, expressive moves, and storytelling through motion. Today, what is often labelled as a dance number feels more like a tactic to fill cinema halls. From weddings to break-up parties, festivals to night outs, the film industry has long provided a track for every occasion. But in the race to go viral, is it losing the very soul of dance?advertisementLook at the recent crop of viral songs. 'Dabidi Dibidi', 'Mere Mehboob' to 'Kissik'. Catchy? Yes. Stylish? Absolutely. But do they have dance? That depends on how one defines it. Because if you think gyrating with the man in the video or jumping on him makes for a step, then you haven't seen the pure challenge of Helen's 'Mehbooba Mehbooba' or the stunning workout-like moves of Katrina Kaif's 'Chikni Chameli'. In today's Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts-driven world, songs are often tailor-made for that one viral step or even just a what does the industry think? spoke to the industry experts - dancers, choreographers, producers, directors, and also the audience to understand where dance has vanished from these sizzling, fun has the process changed? Veteran director, producer, and choreographer Ahmed Khan noted how the process of creating dance numbers has dramatically changed over the years. 'It's not how it was in the early 90s. It has changed in the 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s. The process has been very different. Earlier, there used to be music recordings, sittings, discussions of songs. Then actors used to come for recordings, sit and talk,' he shared.'Now, actors come directly on set at times. I'm not saying there's anything wrong, but I think the actors are more prepared today. They are well-versed in their homework. Before coming into the industry, they trained themselves,' reflected preparation, however, doesn't always translate into physical choreography. It often plays out in how a shot looks, not how a dance line between glamour and discomfortActor Elli AvrRam admits the line between glamour and discomfort can get actors have an opinion when it comes to the making of dance numbers? She responds, 'In costumes? Yes, absolutely. From camera angles, though? I would say once you reach a certain position, you can be allowed to be heard.''I'm not somebody who feels that it is graceful when you suddenly end up seeing your song and there's a zoomed shot of your breast, for example. I feel it is a little bit ridiculous and not tasteful to be honest,' AvrRam the actor's lens, artistic control is often tied to your standing in the industry. She candidly shared, 'It also depends on where you are in your career and how comfortable you are with yourself. You should also have the guts to express your opinion. Without being afraid that it will be taken in a bad way. I think that comes with a lot of integrity - to just have the guts to be you and express what you feel.' But, is it more vulgar than fun?advertisementYet, not all songs maintain this balance. Some openly invite accusations of bluntly said, 'If it's vulgar, it's vulgar. Who makes them do it? The makers, the choreographer, or the director. They have some intention in their mind. As makers, you have to keep a thin line. And that line is on you, whether you want to cross it or not. There's nothing like unknown. When you end up teasing somebody, you can't say 'I did it unknowingly.' You are teasing. There's an effort to it and an action to it.'AvrRam, who has been part of songs like 'Harr Funn Maula' alongside actor Aamir Khan and 'Chamma-Chamma', says her comfort and craft come first. 'Personally, I have not experienced anything like this (criticism) in any of the songs I have done. I don't think I would ever do anything where I feel uncomfortable, or I think it's going in some other direction.'advertisement'I'm very opinionated when it comes to my craft. Because obviously, I want to deliver my best. I want to feel my best while I'm performing. My dance moves have to resonate with me. I've always just surrendered to the choreographer, the director, and their vision,' she her, this line isn't just about personal comfort but social responsibility.'I think in certain things, it's very important as a human being, and when you're also an artiste. It's all very individual - how deeply, sensibly, and intelligently you choose to develop. That you are a part of something, creating something that will reach out to a larger audience. There are sometimes family films. Will it make sense to portray a dance number like this in a family? Like, for children - one has to be extremely sensitive,' the actor said. Entertainment over storytelling for viralityDirector Siddharth P Malhotra admits most of these songs are made more for entertainment than storytelling. 'I don't think there is a narrative purpose it will serve. It just gives you more entertainment. A dance number, unless it's a dance-based film, will not help you in the narrative of the film.'advertisement'What helps is that it creates some kind of trend. If a dance step has become viral, people use it to dance at parties or in nightclubs. You impersonate a star's favourite step and that's pretty much the idea,' he sees a viral song as a tool to increase the film's reach.'Every director does not come with audience expectations. Some directors love dance-steps and are very picky about them. Some are not. Each director today is actually now telling a story and being honest with their story more than the formula of the story. The competition has gone so high that now if you don't deliver, you're gone,' the 'Kal Ho Naa Ho' director said.'You want that one step, which hopefully will become the 'Tauba-Tauba'. It will help your film gain further popularity. The viral dance step will make your film eternal. For the prosperity of the film, every director or producer would want some kind of step that sticks with the youth or with the masses in general,' he said. Do these songs help in business?Trade analyst Girish Johar echoed this sentiment. He said, 'I think that they definitely help with getting a lot of eyeballs and getting a lot of resonance. Music is a very critical element in the Indian movie ethos. Whenever a film does well, music plays a very critical role."advertisementJohar points to 'Tauba-Tauba' and the songs of 'Stree' to illustrate how music still drives audience verdict?From the audience's side, the reactions are more airline professional and mother of two, Seema Chhillar, shared: 'If a song is playing on loop at home because my kids love it, we naturally get curious about the film behind it. It often tempts us to plan a theatre outing. As a mother, I'm always mindful of what my kids are watching. When a song with suggestive choreography suddenly comes on, it puts me in an awkward spot,' she Birla, a 26-year-old software engineer and avid Bollywood fan, said: 'As someone who loves dancing and grew up copying full dance routines from songs like 'Desi Girl' or 'Ghagra', it's disappointing. How am I supposed to recreate some of these dance moves that we see on reels today?' That tension between glamour and grace is where most dance numbers now live. Some dazzle. Some distract. Many barely dance at all. Whether you groove to them or scroll past, they aren't going offbeat anytime soon.- Ends
Time of India
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
'Kissak' kisses: When Sreeleela danced with a little girl fan in her vanity
has become one of the most sought-after stars, as a powerhouse of energy and charm who has become the nation's favourite sensation. First, she took over the fans with 'Kurchi Madathapetti' and later with her electrifying performance in 'Pushpa 2: The Rule' chartbuster song 'Kissik'. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Throwback to the time when the 'Junior' actress shared a heartwarming moment with a young fan. The vanity van dance that went viral Back in December 2024, Sreeleela posted a delightful video of herself dancing to 'Kissik' alongside a little girl inside her vanity van. The video captured the raw, playful side of the actress, who seemed to be enjoying the moment as much as her little guest. Her infectious energy and genuine warmth made the clip an instant hit on social media. Sharing the video, Sreeleela penned a sweet caption, "KISSIK kisses for the cutie kiddy. Vanity visitor" The song is a Telugu-language track composed by Devi Sri Prasad, with lyrics penned by Chandrabose and vocals by Sublahshini. It features Allu Arjun and Sreeleela in catchy music like its predecessor in 'Oo Antava' in 'Pushpa: Part 1'. Her work front Speaking of her upcoming work, she was seen in 'Junior' alongside Kireeti Reddy, who makes his film debut, directed by Radhakrishna Reddy and co-starring Genelia D'Souza. It collected over Rs 1.40 crore as per trade analyst Sacnilk. She also features in 'Mass Jathara' alongside Ravi Teja, with the release scheduled for August 27, 2025. Another Telugu film, 'Ustaad Bhagat Singh', directed by Harish Shankar, is part of her roster. Awaited Bollywood debut She is also set to make her Bollywood debut with Kartik Aaryan and director Anurag Basu. However, the film will need to wait a bit longer, as this project has been delayed to early 2026 due to incomplete shooting and scheduling conflicts.
Time of India
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Sreeleela's remuneration for 'Junior': Find out how much the 'Kissik' star bagged for the Kireeti Reddy starrer -- Reports
Picture Credit: X Sreeleela is one of the most in-demand young actresses in the South Indian film industry today. She is all set to return to the big screen with the upcoming comedy-drama 'Junior' Credit to her star presence, the young actor has reportedly earned a good sum as her remuneration for the role. According to a report by 123Telugu, Sreeleela is speculated to have been paid around Rs. 2.5 crore for her performance in Junior. If true, this marks one of her highest pay cheques for a lead role so far. About 'Junior' Directed by Radha Krishna, 'Junior' is a bilingual film and also marks the debut of Kireeti Reddy, son of politician and businessman Gali Janardhan Reddy. Apart from the lead duo, the film also stars Genelia Deshmukh in a pivotal role and features music by hit composer Devi Sri Prasad. Speculated fee for 'Kissik' song Sreeleela's popularity has been on a sharp rise, with fans and filmmakers appreciating her screen presence and exceptional dancing skills. Her fame reached new heights recently with her sizzling special number 'Kissik' in Allu Arjun's highly anticipated 'Pushpa 2: The Rule'. The actress reportedly bagged a whopping Rs. 2 crore just for her cameo appearance in the 'Pushpa 2' song. With back-to-back big banner projects and lucrative deals, Sreeleela is now among the highest-paid young female stars in Tollywood. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giá vàng đang tăng mạnh trong năm 2025 — Các nhà giao dịch thông minh đã tham gia IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo Recently, during the film's pre-release event, Kannada superstar Shivarajkumar appreciated her performance, "Sreeleela is a phenomenal dancer. Her chemistry with Kireeti in the film looks fantastic," he said. 'Junior' is expected to revolve around the father-son relationship and is touted to be a comedy entertainer, for a young audience and also stars veteran actors like V. Ravichandran and Rao Ramesh, who also play important roles. Sreeleela's last outing, 'Robinhood', received a lukewarm reception. The movie is releasing on July 16th. Apart from this film, she will be seen in multiple films 'Mass Jathara', the period drama 'Parasakthi', and her much-anticipated Bollywood debut opposite Kartik Aaryan.
Pink Villa
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Watch: Amid dating rumors with Kartik Aaryan, Sreeleela's airport look affirms ‘do what makes you happy'
Sreeleela has been tapping her identity as the next pan-India star. She recently completed shooting for her Bollywood debut film opposite Kartik Aaryan and is now back for the Ustad Bhagat Singh schedule with Pawan Kalyan. Her recent appearance at the airport has now grabbed attention. Sreeleela's outfit claims 'do what makes you happy' The Kissik star was recently spotted at the airport, where she obliged the paparazzi with photographs. Sreeleela was dressed in a black co-ord set, and her sleeves featured a sassy message affirming 'do what makes you happy.' She kept her hair half-tied and looked chirpy. Her latest airport appearance comes after she was recently spotted enjoying a date night with Kartik Aaryan. Sreeleela's dating rumors with Kartik Aaryan Rumors about Sreeleela and Kartik 's alleged link-up were fueled after the duo paired up as leads in Anurag Basu's yet untitled and upcoming film. Interestingly, it was back on July 3 when the two of them were spotted enjoying dinner together at a restaurant in Mumbai. Fans were ecstatic about their appearance together and immediately began shipping them together as a couple. It is worth noting that none of them have ever accepted or denied any of the buzz. Has Sreeleela doubled up her fees? Coming to her work front, Sreeleela shot to pan-India fame after her electrifying dance number with Allu Arjun in Pushpa 2, titled Kissik. Lately, the actress who was announced to be part of Akhil Akkineni's next film, Lenin, reportedly stepped out of the project due to scheduling conflicts. Amid this, a Siasat report further claimed that the starlet has reportedly increased her fees per film. She has apparently doubled her remuneration for the upcoming projects. While she earlier used to charge Rs. 3.5 to 4 crore per film, she has now demanded a pay cheque of about Rs. 7 crores for any of her following projects. These, too, are unconfirmed reports at the moment, and the actress, or even her team, has not reacted to the speculations yet.
Time of India
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Did Sreeleela increase her fees after her dance number in Allu Arjun's Pushpa 2?Here's what we know
Tollywood actress Sreeleela is now all set to make her much-awaited Bollywood debut opposite Kartik Aaryan in a romantic film directed by Anurag Basu . The actress recently stunned fans with her bold dance moves in Allu Arjun's 'Pushpa 2: The Rule'. Recent reports state that the actress has increased her pay following the film, sparking speculation regarding her exit from Akhil Akkineni's film 'Lenin'. Did Sreeleela made an exit from Akhil Akkeneni's 'Lenin' due to her fees Pushpa 2: The Rule | Telugu Song - Kissik (Lyrical) Sreeleela reportedly exited Akhil Akkineni's Telugu film 'Lenin' due to scheduling issues. Sources indicated that actress Bhagyashri Borse has been roped in to play the female lead in the project. Sreeleela has previously walked away from two other Telugu films without providing any specific reasons to the public. Sreeleela increased her fees Amid her decisions to opt out of Telugu films, new reports have revealed her revised pay scale. According to Siasat, Sreeleela has significantly increased her fee, allegedly quoting around Rs 7 crore for upcoming projects — almost double her earlier remuneration of Rs 3.5 to Rs 4 crore. She was reportedly paid Rs 2 crore for the special number 'Kissiki' in 'Pushpa 2.' However, no official confirmation regarding these reports has been issued by her team. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trending in in 2025: Local network access control [Click Here] Esseps Learn More Undo Sreeleela's work front On the work front, Sreeleela is currently filming Ustaad Bhagat Singh alongside Pawan Kalyan. She will reportedly begin shooting her portions for the film next month. She is also part of Parasakthi, directed by Sudha Kongara and featuring Sivakarthikeyan, Ravi Mohan, and Atharvaa in key roles. The actress has also been sharing behind-the-scenes glimpses with Bollywood actor Kartik Aaryan from their upcoming romantic film together.
