'Dancing is a very tough thing'
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Shiamak Davar. Click for bigger pic!
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Yes, I can do the normal masala films. In fact my masala will be different. It will have a little bit of chillies, coriander, spice, and will not be the typical masala; it will have my touch. I cannot be Saroj Khan. She is fantastic in what she does, Farah is great in what she does, the other choreographers are great in what they do.
I cannot be them, I don't want to be anybody but myself. I cannot match Saroj's movements in the filmi style. I think each one has their own strengths, and I'll do mine. I am not being diplomatic saying this; I really think that the choreographers in the film industry are talented. I don't want to compete. I will not be doing so many movies, because I want to build my school, I want to do my album, I am interested in my singing. So, for a year or two, I will work on that.
But coming back to DTPH. How was it directing, Madhuri Dixit and Karisma Kapoor? Did you encounter starry nakhras? Was it difficult from other students?
Oh, they were fantastic, both Madhuri and Karisma. You know, I was very nervous teaching them in the beginning, because you hear of them as film stars. But both Madhuri and Karisma, to my surprise, gave me even rehearsals... There weren't many retakes.
Madhuri is a very, how do you say... I have always liked her, from day one. I find her -- besides being such a fabulous looker and all that -- a very lovely, simple girl. Simple, simple girl, you know, the one you can take home to your mother kind. It's a fact. Because I was observing her on all the days of the shoot.
God, she is so humble and so down-to-earth. And besides discussing dance we discussed all interesting topics, like life-after-death, UFOs, all of which she also believes in. Her parents too. I was really fascinated with her, and I enjoyed working with her a lot. A very talented and very professional girl. And her expressions are amazing.
Karisma is young, vivacious, bubbly, energetic. If I give Madhuri a movement to do she does it like a woman, and if I give the same movement to Karisma, she does it like a little girl. That's the difference. But I must say that both complemented each other. If you see the movie you will know what I am talking about.
One thing beats me. If I see the film how will I know which songs are choreographed by you and which are done by Farah? Are there separate credits?
There are no separate credits. Since you ask which numbers are mine and which are Farah's... The first song, Le gayi le gayi, by Karisma, is mine. Then there is the other song which I did with the children, Koi ladki hai, Chak dhum dhum. Then I did the jugalbandi between Karisma and Madhuri, where Karisma appears upset that Madhuri is dancing in her territory, I did the jugalbandi dance of envy, with Madhuri and the boys. Then all the stage shows are my dancers. Then there is the major song, Arre re arre yeh kya hua, the main song, I did that one.
What I did not choreograph is Dil to pagal hai, Dholna, Bholi si surat and... Any other one? There is an Indian dance with Shah Rukh on the drums. I didn't do that. Anywhere you see jazz, shows, my dancers, bodies that are very thin... They are mine. Farah did more of the famous Yash Chopra songs, the hit songs. That was with only the cast. There were no dancers really with Farah, except one, Chandni taanana... But where you see dancers you will know it is my work.
I will let you in on a little secret. If you see my movie -- god my movie! no, our movie -- I take great pride -- whether hit or flop I don't care, but I take great pride in my work -- it was my most precious moment and I loved it. There is a scene where Madhuri is talking to a girl called Shabani about how the typical Indian girl has to find a man, and then how they learn to love the man... Behind them there is a jazz class going on. Then Madhuri begins dancing with this girl. The song that is sung then is by me, Mohabbat Karle. It's not in the credits, it is from my forthcoming album. Yash uncle loved my song so much that Adi went crazy about it and used it
Have you got more film offers since?
No.
Are you keen on taking up offers if they come?
No. Not now, a little later maybe. I am not closed to any offers but I want to focus on my school, my singing and theatre... Behind the scenes I can do a lot when I am a little older, but I want to do more performing now...
Usually, artistes change their label only if they are unhappy. Why did you move from HMV to Polygram?
I changed my label simply because my contract with HMV had expired. And Polygram was really interested. Vineet Sapru heard me sing One moment in time. He came up and said, 'My god, that guy can really sing. Why haven't we thought of him?' Out of the blue. That's why I always believe that God does help.
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Davar protégée Diana Hayden. Click for bigger pic!
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There may be some delay in God's house but no darkness.Der hai andher nahi that's it. I believe in it. I always believe that God doesn't say no, he only says not yet. And I believe at the right time things open up for you.
But your first album did not do well. Or did it?
My first album was in English, and English doesn't sell well in India, But this one did sell pretty well. In fact it outsold many other pop acts at the time, so I was happy. We didn't expect any great sales out of an English album. Again, I enjoyed myself with Ranjit Barot, the producer of that album. Out of that album I came out with one video. Only one. It didn't do really well -- some people loved it, some hated it.
Did you shift to Hindi because it sells more?
No, yes. Hindi does sell more. It's a fact that I did do it for that. But I didn't do it only to sell more. I did it because I am realising more and more that to reach out you have to do good quality work. If it is in Hindi, so what? I tried with Hindi, and it seems to have worked. Anyway, all my shows I finish off with a Hindi number.
In all this wouldn't you say that your theatre has suffered?
Yes. I haven't done much of it because I was concentrating on my school. To get a school organised is not easy... I mean, have you every known of a school for performing arts in India, in jazz. I am probably the only one trying to do it. So it is even more difficult. So I have get the permissions, the halls and... It's not so easy trying to organise all this. So I am trying to focus on my school and give Indian people a scope to really improve their talent. I see the kids dancing today. Some of the steps they do I could never do when I was four and five because I never had the chance to learn them.
And to clarify, I do not teach aerobics. That is a wrong word for what I do. I teach jazz, which is different from aerobics. Aerobics is more jumping. We do not jump, we do a lot of controlled movements. We work internally, inside out. And ours is an art form, so you learn an art; at the same time you are getting fit. So that's why it's a double advantage to do jazz.
Talking of fitness, do you have a special regimen or anything like that?
No, my fitness is my mental fitness. I have to organise so much, and I thankfully have good managers. Life is unpredictable, and you have to do everything you have to do fast, but when I say fast I mean grab opportunities when you get them. At the same time you got to do everything with your heart. If there is no truth in your performance, either in school or on stage, it is of no use.
How did you get involved in the world of mediums, after-life, etc? Your office, I noticed, had those giveaway candles before portraits...
That I have been involved with for the last 15 years... I am a firm believer in God, I am a firm believer in destiny, of what you make of it. Not sitting on your a## saying this is my destiny, but what you make of it. I am a firm believer in the life after. I believe in positive efforts and action, karma reincarnation... I believe there is a new age coming, a golden age. I believe that you can fool your friends, you can fool yourself, but you cannot fool God, that every action has a reaction. I believe that as you sow, so shall you reap.
There is a lot of Hindu belief underlying what you say. What is your faith?
No, I believe you generally pay for your sins. I believe that there is a justice that God gives you, whether it comes now or later it will come. Whether all this is Hindu or not, I believe in a God. People think it is very un-hep to believe in God. 'Oh come on, why don't you believe in today, science and all that?' I say, 'no, I am sorry, this is my belief, take it or leave it.'
Yeah, but does your God have any name, or it just a...
No, God is a force. God is a very important force, and I believe in force which directs and guides us. I go to the fire temple, but not every day. I don't make a ritual out of it. I pray in the car, in trains... I mean anywhere.
My original question was how did you get involved in the strange of mediums, seances and all that?
I met this couple -- Parsi couple -- 13 years ago, and my life changed.
Is it a frightening experience, communicating with spirits and the rest?
If you are on the right path, then there is no problem. Everyone has faults, so no problem. You see, basically a mother is talking to her son. Would she disturb her son or anything like that?
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A still from Dil to Pagal Hai. Click for bigger pic!
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Would the son disturb the mother?
No, on the other hand, he is helping her, guiding her. And they are guiding thousands of people. When you guide someone you rise spiritually, the other person also rises spiritually, so it's good. I am not much into astrology, I like everything that is spiritual.
Now let's go on to your other occupation, which is to make swans out of ducklings. First Aishwarya, now Diana Hayden as Miss World. Can we talk about her?
Oh, she (Hayden) was a very sweet girl, another very humble girl, and I cannot tell you how grateful she was to me. I hardly did anything for her, in the sense that she only came for seven days. But she apparently got a lot out of it, she was really, really happy.
What exactly did you teach her?
She was taught movement, she was taken into some classes to get her body into shape, at least to make her aware of how to stand, how to move. You know, physical deportment, gait, it is the most important thing... But what I wanna say is that I am very grateful that she has been appreciate of the work that SDIPA has done for her.
First Aishwarya came to me and she won, now Diana came to me and she won. I am thankful that that company had the vision to do this... But Diana, you know, the amount of thanking she has done for me even before she went was so overwhelming that I felt... I felt guilty. It is not as if I have done anything great. That's why probably she won, because she is such a humble girl....
But you didn't train anyone in between Aishwarya and Diana?
No, I didn't, because I wasn't asked to. That's why I believe that God does the right things at the right time.
Choreographing a film, driving Miss Diana to win, things are certainly happening for you. With all this, do you think you have finally arrived?
I don't think of myself as having arrived. I just feel that I am working. Arriving is what one does when they are... I'll tell you when I think I have arrived. I will think I have arrived when I feel that I have completed a lot of my work on earth. Not only my work in my films, singing, dancing and acting departments but in my spiritual balance as well.
With your kind of looks it should be as easy for you to be on the other side of the camera. Have you thought of that?
You know, inDTPH, the titles say 'introducing Shiamak Davar' so a lot of people thought I was also acting in the film. A lot of people were also upset that I wasn't in the film...
But why didn't you do a dance number yourself?
No, no, I just can't do that. It's not my movie, I just can't come on screen, it's not my decision. If I get the chance to star in a film I would have to think very hard, because I am not a chocolate hero. I am not a great looking guy like Aamir, Shah Rukh and all these good-looking guys who -- how do you say -- make for very colourful films.
I don't know if I will ever do it, but if the role was like Westside Story and I was asked to do the lead role with a fabulous director and the right script... Or something really, really good I would then think about it. I don't want to kid myself and do something that I may not do well.
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