I needed some time to fight my own battles: Sooraj Pancholi

Sooraj Pancholi’s Hero released in 2015 and though several projects have been offered to him since then, he has finally picked his second movie. The young actor is on board for Stanley D’Costa’s Time To Dance, which will be produced by Remo D’souza and Salman Khan Films. Sooraj will soon fly to London to begin shooting and has been training rigorously to get his look and moves right.

In a candid conversation with After Hrs, he reveals what prompted him to choose this dance film and why he wants to dedicate it to his mother, Zarina Wahab. Read on...

Why was there such a long gap between your debut film and second project?

The first film always chooses you, but you choose the second one. That’s one of the reasons it’s taken me so long. I didn’t just have to take care of movies. There were a lot of other things going on in my life, including the court case. So, I needed time. I’m actually happy that I did not take on any work that was offered to me. Had I accepted a film, I would have got lost. I needed some time to fight my own battles.

Now, you have signed a dance film, which you begin shooting for next...

Yes, Time to Dance is happening, so I am extremely happy. I have forgotten the past and have moved on. See, no matter how hard you work, perception is something that rules this industry. Talent comes much later. That’s why I am cautious about what I say and whom I meet. Once a perception is built around you, even if you do bad work, people will forgive you for it.

Did you always like to dance?

My first dance class was with Shiamak Davar when I was seven-eight years old. My mom insisted that I start learning to dance early because she’s a trained classical dancer. My father’s too tall to maneuver his body around. I want this movie to be a surprise for everyone in my family. I want to prove to my mom that I’m an amazing dancer.

Why is it so important to you?

When I was young, I was a huge Michael Jackson fan, but I would dance only in front of the mirror, alone in my room. I got a wig for myself and a hat, too. My dad’s friend had also made me a black shiny MJ costume. I would watch the King of Pop’s songs on those big laser discs and dance. Whenever my mom would come to my room, I would stop. She always used to tell me ‘Beta, mujhe bhi dance dikhao’. I never used to do it because I was so painfully shy. As she always wanted me to be a dancer, I’m extremely conscious when I’m in front of her. Also, I hated going to dance class back then. I would prefer karate. So, this film is for my mom.

Would you like to dance with your mum someday?

I have never danced with her but I would love to, one day. Maybe, once I get as good as her.

Tell us how Time To Dance actually happened.

Remo sir and I have been in touch. I was supposed to work with him, long back while I was shooting for Hero. It was a project on car racing. I don’t know what happened to it. We were supposed to start it right after A Flying Jatt. After a few months, he called me to his house and offered me this film. He narrated the story and I fell in love with it. He wanted to start a new franchise like ABCD. Since then, I have been dancing with my trainer at his office. At that point, the female lead hadn’t been decided. Things started rolling and then, Isabelle Kaif was introduced to Remo sir. It’s a beautiful romantic dance film which the audience hasn’t seen before and it’s a difficult one.

What are the different types of dance routines you are training in?

During Hero, I was a decent dancer. But now, I’m 10 times better. We are putting in 10-12 hours of rehearsal every day. We have about a few weeks to go on floors, now. We started at maybe 10 per cent, now we are at 70. We have just two weeks to get to a 100. We are doing Hip Hop, Bachata, Contemporary Latin, and, of course, Bollywood. Along with that, we also have House, which is a new form of Hip Hop and I haven’t done that before. There are over 15 different styles of dance that we will showcase in the film. Isabelle is a super fun and hard-working girl. As we have several lifts in the movie, we have to be muscular enough to hold each other. She makes my job easier because she’s a great dancer.

Do you believe that now there’s a huge audience for dance flicks in India?

Films have changed today. Actually, when it comes to the dance genre, it’s TV that changed the whole game. There are so many reality shows and majority of them are dance based because the audience also enjoys the space. Even a dadi or a nana would now know what Hip Hop or Contemporary means. There’s a huge audience base for these films. Look at the number of dancers we have today. We have the best in India and now, a dance film has more scope than a sports movie, I feel.

Is there a particular strategy you are adopting henceforth?

I am taking each film as it comes. There’s not a particular genre I want to stick to. Yes, it’s true I only want to do commercial films but it can be action, drama or romance, with romantic films being my top priority.

So, will we see you in more movies now?

I’m not taking a break. I’ve had my time. I needed my family, but now, I’m raring to go. We will  shoot in London for 50-60 days and will wrap the film by June.