‘The song in Stree was written in the script… So it was not like some other films where it suddenly cuts to a song. This song moves the story forward.’
Key Points
- ‘Papa had the biggest highs when he won National Awards back-to-back. Nobody else got National Awards back-to-back in that category.’
- ‘I found dance and Rupali always loved acting. That’s how it happened. I taught dance for 13 years.’
Vijay Ganguly is thrilled to win his first National Award for Stree 2‘s hit song, Aaj Ki Raat.
The choreographer rose to fame after his song Galti Se Mistake (Jagga Jasoos, 2017) became a big hit.
He has choreographed several chartbusters for hit movies like Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 (2024), Jigra (2024), Atrangi Re (2021), and Dhurandhar (2025).
He tells Subhash K Jha, “What I have learned is that nothing is permanent. Aap jo bhi karte ho, wo uss time ke liye hota hai, and it sets a benchmark. You have to keep working on it. Failure is not permanent, success is not permanent. You have to keep being consistent.”
Congratulations on your first National Award!
And the third in my family! Papa (filmmaker Anil Ganguly) won two awards 50 years back, for Kora Kagaz (1975) and Tapasya (1976).
How did the special song in Stree materialise?
The song in Stree was written in the script because the situation was that these guys plot to lure Sarkata (to capture him, and use Tamannaah’s character in the process, since she is a dancer).
So it was not like some other films where it suddenly cuts to a song. This song moves the story forward.
How was Tamannaah and the bevy of graceful male dancers chosen?
While we were choreographing it, when we got the song, Director Amar Kaushik told us that there can be only one girl. So we were stuck. We were like, I don’t know what to do.
So we thought of this idea where we got contemporary dancers to do all the nazakat and adaawala stuff and they did a phenomenal job.
It was five degrees and very cold, yet they danced shirtless and no shoes. They didn’t flinch either.
Are you expecting another National Award for the Shararat song in Dhurandhar?
(Laughs) Fingers crossed! The number in Dhurandhar is being talked about and I’m so happy that it’s receiving so much love. We don’t expect that when we do a song because you don’t know the fate of the song.
Your father was a distinguished director and your sister Rupali Ganguly is a well known television actress. Why did you choose choreography?
I did not choose choreography. Dance chose me because papa was very strict.
He told Rupali and me that it’s very easy for him to call people and ask for opportunities for us, which he did at his level, but we had to find our own calling.
So I found dance and Rupali always loved acting. That’s how it happened. I taught dance for 13 years.
It’s not been an easy journey for you.
I’ve done live shows, danced at award functions. Even choreographing films was almost by chance because I was an AD (assistant director) to Anurag Basu for Jagga Jasoos. That’s how Galti Se Mistake — and choreography — happened to me.
Your father had his highs and then some lows. What did you learn from him?
Papa had the biggest highs when he won National Awards back-to-back. Nobody else got National Awards back-to-back in that category.
After that, he gave a lot of hits and flops. Sahib was one of the most talked about films in 1985.
What I have learned is that nothing is permanent. Aap jo bhi karte ho, wo uss time ke liye hota hai and it sets a benchmark. You have to keep working on it.
Failure is not permanent, success is not permanent. You have to keep being consistent. That’s what I’ve learned.
Who are your role models in choreography?
I really looked up to Saroj Khanji. When we choreographed Shararat, I watched Dola Re (Devdas) a lot of times to see how we can use the essence of what she had done in her songs. I always look up to the work she’s done, with the expressions and the storytelling.
If you had a chance to do a dance with actors from the past, whom would you pick?
I would have liked to choreograph Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit because they were wonderful.
Madhuri ma’am is still wonderful, I would love to choreograph her one day.
Among the male stars, dance was not as important as what they did with their expressions and style like Dev Anand and Dharmendra. I mean, he (Dharmendra) could not dance but he conceived a dance step that people can copy.
Photographs curated by Satish Bodas/Rediff