How it all started...

For all of you who don't know me, haven't seen me perform, haven't remotely had even one random, off the wall conversation with me- I've wanted to be an actress since I was eight. 

Now it wasn't really a burning self consuming desire until I was about twelve. At which point I went to bed every night asking God 'to please let me be an actress when I grow up'. 

It all started when I performed at a local indian dance competition in Dothan, Alabama. I had decided that I wanted to win. That was it. I still remember getting up on stage with my runny nose and all and performing to 'Radha Nachengi' from Saudagar. If you see the home video my dad recorded of that performance- it's anywhere but aimed on me- his hands were shaking so hard. I won that year- and I was on a high. The next year I started rehearsing six months in advance for 'Jab Se Mile Naina' from 'First Love Letter'. I remember Lina Patel helped me with that song. She was so sweet to take time away from her college classes to help me come up with steps for the number. I ended up winning that year also. And the year after that. Unfortunately they stopped the competition after that. 

But my performances didn't stop. I performed everywhere. Weddings, cultural shows, events. You name it. And my parents would drive from 2 to 6 hours to get me to my destination. 

I used to go tom-tomming about how I was going to be an actress when I grow up. Once an aunt told me that my parents were just indulging me and weren't really serious about me pursuing acting. I remember telling her straight to her face- 'my parents never lie- and if they say I can be an actress, then I can be'. My parents have till date never backed away from their word. They've believed from their very being that I can be anything I want to be and they're belief has feuled my desire to be here. 

'Let's Dance' has been perfect for my first film. Surprisingly, I’m not really a hip hop or western dancer, but in ‘Let’s Dance’ that’s what I have done. Growing up I was more into lyrical, contemporary dancing, but with my choreographers’ help it all turned out beautifully. 

This film is about dancing for your soul, dancing because you’re passionate about it, dancing to focus you energies in a positive direction. Kyunki dance karne ke liye- ‘Bas ek bahana chahiye!’

Luv,

Gayatri

One hell of a day!!

Hey Guys!!

 

All my friends and family from the states have been incessantly asking me about my experience while shooting Let's Dance, so despite the fact that I'm neck deep in figuring out media plans, hoarding plans, and music release logistics... here we go.

 

The first promo that has been released is the Song Promo of the Let's Dance title track. The film opens with this number, but this was actually the third song we shot.

 

It's been shot in Kandivili on the streets in the scorching sun. Now let me tell you that is quite a task.  Longinus Fernandes (of Slumdog Millionaire - "Jai Ho" and Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na - "Pappu Can't Dance" fame) choreographed it.

 

I think when we watch films from afar; we always think that the actor or actress has rehearsed for days prior to a touch dance sequence - in my case we rehearsed for max two days before the shoot- sometimes for only two hours a day each.

 

For Let's Dance in particular I rehearsed alone two days before shoot, but one day prior to shoot I was shooting for another part of the film, so I rushed to rehearsal at 8 pm after shooting the whole day and then rehearsed with all the dancers for the sequence.

The actual shooting of the street portion of this song was hot (as in sweltering scorching, can't breathe hot), but breezy as we had at least rehearsed twice.

 

And Longy (as we fondly call Longinus) was extremely particular about me going back to the Vanity Van after each take so I wouldn't tire myself out. We shot the street portions for two days. 

 

After a break of one day we shot the Cabaret and Qawwali portions of the song.  That turned out to be a catastrophic day.  I arrived on set and my director and I discovered that the outfit my dress designer had made for me paled in comparison to the lavish set which had been put up.  In fact, it even paled in comparison to what the dancers were wearing.  Immediate chaos prevailed- it was 8 am and no stores were open and no tailor could make an outfit in a record time of 2 hours.  So we stalled shooting.  At eleven o clock- Longy took me to a store and we picked up the outfit.  By the time the outfit was chosen and fitted it was 1 o'clock! After makeup and hair it was three! So you can imagine how short on time we were! I went on set - Longy taught me the moves and we wrapped up this section at 8 pm.  So when you see me in the blue dress with the cabaret set up as a backdrop- that's the part this all happened in!

 

I then rushed to the van to change into the qawwali outfit- I had been told there would be no dancing in this sequence- so I was pretty calm as my stylist and make up artist transformed me into a dancer from the era of the moguls.  At 10 pm I stepped onto a beautiful qawwali set to discover that I actually was going to dance and I must learn the sequence in 10 min. as we had an 8 am shoot the next day. I put my brain into super alert mode and focused to get all the moves in record time.

 

When we finally packed up it was 1 am and there was a collective sigh from the entire unit!  One hell of a day!!

 

The final portion in the Let's Dance Song has been shot in a club.  The choreography for this part has been done by Rajeev Goswami (Vaibhavi Merchant's ex-assistant).  We shot this portion actually 2 months before the rest of the song and it culminates into the Let's Dance song beautifully!

 

So there's the shooting of the title track of 'Let's Dance'!! Hope you all enjoy it.

 Luv,

Gayatri

 

Introducing Gayatri Patel, the dancing tornado

Bollywood’s new import from America!

 

Since time immemorial, Bollywood has had icons known for their dance and styles. Be it Neetu Singh, Vaijayanti Mala, Padmini, Helen, Waheeda Rehman, Asha Parekh, Hema Malini, Madhuri Dixit, Karisma Kapoor, Shilpa Shetty or Urmila Matondkar, we’ve idolised their dance. But it’s been quite a few years now, the industry has seen a new dancing sensation.

 

As if to fill in the void and rock the floor, here comes US-born-and-bred Gayatri Patel, all set to storm Bollywood with her debut movie ‘Let’s Dance’ releasing on June 19. The film has the girl playing a simple but determined dance teacher, who on her path to fame, changes course, to motivate a group of underprivileged kids.

 

This petite dancing tornado aims to make everyone groove to her moves. She can, as she is no novice to the world of dance. Gayatri is trained in Kathak and is also a pro at Yoga. A lethal combination this, it helps her attempt the most daring dance steps, breath-taking whirls and swirls and some awesome splits.

 

“I could have very well been a doctor like my father, rather than an actress, had I not started performing on stage at the age of eight,” she reveals.

 

At the tender age of seven, Gayatri went to a local Indian dance competition in Dothan,Alabama and decided that she was going win the trophy the coming year.  She did win the next year and the year after that and the year after that, till they stopped the competition as she had none. Now that’s something!

 

While in the United States, the spunky girl graduated from high-school and went on to study at the acclaimed Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Here, she also won the ‘Miss India Georgia’ title and later emerged the first runner-up at ‘Miss India USA’.

 

“Around this time, I realized that I loved theatre, dance and acting, more than studying science,” she quips. Finally, her family decided she shift base to Mumbai to pursue acting. Reaching here, Gayatri spent time taking tips from theatre top-guns Satyadev Dubey and Makrand Deshpande, did an acting workshop with Veena Mehta and played the role of Ophelia in Neeraj Kabir’s play ‘Hamlet’. She also did three music videos for Venus opposite Inder Kumar and Jugal Hansraj, till one day, National Award winning editor Aarif Sheikh decided to launch her as the lead in his directorial debut ‘Let’s Dance’.

 

Having music by Vipin Mishra and another National Award winner Tarali Sharma, her movie’s songs have been choreographed by none other than Longinus Fernandes (of “Jai Ho”-‘Slumdog Millionaire’ and “Pappu Can’t Dance Saala”-‘Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na’ fame), Rajiv Goswami (of ‘Veer-Zaara’ and ‘Dhoom’ fame), Pappu-Malu (of ‘Saawariya’ fame) and the evergreen Saroj Khan.

 

Produced by Dr Arvind Patel, the film co-stars Ajay Chaudhary, Aqib Afzaal, Sugandha Garg, Asif Basra, Abhaas Yadav, Nikuunj Padaya, Paras Arora and Anjan Srivastav. “I've done jazz, hip-hop, filmy, Kathak and Natwari dancing in the film,” informs Gayatri.

 

So here she is, urging one and all to don their dancing shoes. Now let’s see, if ‘Let’s Dance’ helps Bollywood find its new groove.