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Raju Sundaram is fast becoming one of the most sought-after choreographers in the South
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Raju Sundaram comes across as a simple, candid person without the affectations that film folks often use to cover inadequacies in their work. His colleagues and seniors say he is great during rehearsals, wonderful to work with and co-operative. He is one of the most sought-after choreographers in the South. Thirty-five, married and with a kid, Raju Sundaram says dance was never his passion and he was dragged into the field by his father.
"I remember running away when I was asked to work as an assistant. Now that I am here I believe in doing justice to my work." In a chat, the charming choreographer says his dance is spontaneous and never driven by too much thinking and method.
Good music, a must
<167,2m,1>Raju feels that to be a dancer or a choreographer, an understanding of how to perform is essential. "To be able to pass that skill on to other dancers is important. One needs to have a basic knowledge of some kind of dance. Just as you need a good subject for a film to become a hit, good music is necessary to create good steps. Most of our heroes have no formal dance training, they learn it on the sets." Ask him if one can be taught choreography and he says, "You can't be taught choreography, it's an expression of yourself. Be true to yourself. If it feels right to you, then you are probably on the right track. If you are creative and talented, people will definitely give you work. The film dancers here are organised by the trade unions. They have their own dance masters and the dancers sometimes need to meet certain criteria regarding their height, weight and looks, but this is not the case with choreographers. Dance masters and choreographers are different people. To be a choreographer, you need to have the right technique!"
Varied experience
Raju says he has worked with different technicians, visited several locations and met different people. "I do what comes to me on the spot," he says.
Asked what inspires his choreography, Raju continues, "It's like an exam paper. Like I said earlier, a good film depends on a good subject, and good music on a good choreographer."
He adds, "However, I will never do anything I don't like and never harbour grudges. Life is short, so one should learn to enjoy it."
Tips for wannabes
Any tips for wannabe dancers and choreographers? "Don't have a closed mind. Keep your options open. See a lot of others' work. Don't just dance; watch it. Watch different types of dance. The film industry is big and as long as there are songs in Indian films, there's enough work for choreographers. Don't be worried about anything; there are people out there who want to see you dance, me for one!"
Y. SUNITA CHOWDHARY
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