Growing up, he often heard remarks that questioned his love for dance.
“Why are you dancing like a hijda?” people would say. Others added, “Boys like you bring shame.”
Despite the taunts and biases, he went on to perform Kathak at the opening ceremony of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
His love for dance began when he was 10 years old, after watching Madhuri Dixit in the film Devdas. Inspired by her performance, he started learning and practising quietly, tying ghungroo around his ankles.
But the moment people noticed them, the jokes began.
“Ladke aise nahi nachte,” (girls dance like this) they would say. Many avoided befriending him, and even a few teachers tried to demotivate him. To them, men dancing was “gay”. Some would ask, “How did these feelings even come to you?”
Still, his love for the art remained strong. He refused to let their opinions break his passion.
He worked on his fitness and style, determined to continue. His first real break eventually came on a reality television show, after he kept auditioning again and again.
Recognition slowly followed. And as his career grew, the same people who once doubted him began to respect him.
At one point, Madhuri Dixit herself told him she was his fan.
Even today, he says money is uncertain on most days. But quitting is not an option.
For him, art has no gender. And through his journey, he hopes to show the world that ghungroo do not make someone less of a man — they make you fearless.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: thebetterindia.com
