#ABCD2 is trending on Twitter with people posting their dance videos to the forthcoming movie’s songs and B-town celebs lauding and calling it a bonafide blockbuster. Vaishnavi Singh reports
From daredevil jumps at the Grand Canyon to braving sub-zero temperature while shooting for a dance sequence and tearing up a muscle or two, apart from other injuries, the ABCD 2 troupe has really given it their all. Tinseltown heartthrob Varun Dhawan, the beautiful Shraddha Kapoor and Delhi boy Raghav Juyal were in town to share their camaraderie and details of their rigorous dance training in various dance forms from their forthcoming release.
They spoke about the long hours of dance sessions that they invested in the movie and how lucky they felt to be a part of such an endeavour. “We practised for six months prior to the movie and have learned around 18-20 dance forms for ABCD 2,” Shraddha told us. Varun further added how proud he was to be a part of this movie. “We have attempted something that nobody in the industry has. Raghav, Puneet, Dharmesh and all these dancers have trained us.
We’ve reached a higher level but I would never say that we’ve matched them,” he disclosed. Always the fun element in the room, Raghav, whom we’ve also seen on the dance show Dance India Dance, commented, “It felt as if we were making Border 2 and not ABCD 2. The amount of injuries we all witnessed were just so many.” Shraddha was nearly saved from a surgery when she attempted a split, getting a partial muscle tear in the course. This easy and comfortable comradeship between the three was highly entertaining to watch and the entire crowd was abuzz with their presence.
All praises for their director, Remo D’ Souza, who sadly could not make it to the event, the actors told us how thrilled they were when they were offered the movie. In a rare show of emotion, Varun revealed, “Remo sir approached me in a unique way. He didn’t show me a script; rather he showed me a five-minute documentary of the troupe upon which this entire movie is based. I felt so patriotic that somebody from the streets of Mumbai had reached an international dance platform to showcase their art and represent our country. It was such a proud moment for me that I couldn't even think of not being part of this movie.”
For Shraddha, Delhi has always proved to be lucky. She told us how all the movies her father had watched here have turned out to be hits, and that is what these stars are hoping for. They hope that they continue to keep the legacy of ABCD alive. “Dance is a very powerful tool in our country. If the country wins a cricket match people dance, if somebody passes an exam they dance.
That is what Remo sir and Disney have used in a creative way with an innovative twist, releasing the movie in 3D. Dance is the superstar in this film and not us,” Varun shared. Raghav quickly added, “These two have practised rigorously and have done a splendid job. It doesn’t look like these are actors dancing.” The support all of them displayed for each other was great to watch.
When the presence of no fairytale like prince or princess in the movie was questioned, with it being produced by Walt Disney, Varun joked, “Kya main kisi prince se kam hun. Aa jaao idhar, abhi batata hun.” Continuing with the joke, Varun said that Shraddha had come in an attractive yellow dress for this very purpose and Raghav wittily added that he would stand at the side with the both of them like a senapati.
On the importance of this art in the country, Raghav eloquently said, “Over the years dance as an art has gained value and recognition in India. Parents have become more supportive of sending their children to dance classes or making a career out of dance than they were earlier. I always say fame is a devil and art is an angel. So always be honest to your art.” The actors are extremely attached to this film and say that it is a very inspiring movie of how the underdogs rise to fame.
The strong emotions portrayed in the film and the relationships among different characters are well thought out. “ABCD 2 has a moving script based on a true story, strong dance sequences and is made for the audience. It does not have a lot of melodrama but we have tried to give realism to it. like I propose to Shraddha in the same way Remo sir had proposed to his wife,” Varun explained.
With Shraddha’s never-seen dancing abilities coming to the fore with this film and Varun’s exceptional performance during the song Chunar, the movie has more to offer. We were told that the best two dance sequences have not yet been released, and have been kept for the theatres. Varun told us, “In Chunar, I am seen attempting contemporary.
This was especially difficult for me as my body is a bit stiff as compared to a dancer’s body. But upon seeing the end result, Prabhu sir was extremely happy and surprised and praised me for the same. To get into shape, I had to train the most for this film. I trained rigorously for six months and watched my diet.”
The film has already started to create buzz and Shraddha shared how people have stopped them at airports and told them that they are looking forward to watch ABCD 2. “This is always a good sign,” she said and added, “Children are sending us dance videos on the film’s songs and tweeting them to us. It’s a very exciting experience.”
photo Sanjeev Kumar
