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Dancing to a new tune

Lawrence bares his heart in a chat spanning his directorial ventures, personal life and humanitarian dreams

STYLE BHAI Lawrence looks ahead towards a new role

Speaking to Lawrence, one cannot help but be impressed by his calm demeanour and graciousness. There is clarity both in his thought and vision. He chuckles as he explains he had always had affinity for dance. "I never learnt dance from anybody. Even my brother Vinod picked it up by watching me practice at the studios."

Lawrence is in the news for having directed Style. He says the film is going to be a big hit for sure. "I was a bit scared with Mass but with Style, I'm totally confident. Style is not about designer suits and shoes. It is about a style of living life after surmounting problems." So what made him change gears from choreography to direction? "I must thank a particular director for humiliating me. But for the incident, I would have never become one. Having said that, I feel all these positions in the industry, and also in life, are transitory. I have seen so many ups and downs that nothing effects me."

Ask Lawrence why he changed his name and he replies, "Actually my father is a Christian and my mum a Hindu. When I had brain tumour, my mother had taken me to Raghavendra Swamy temple and I was completely cured. Swamy gave me a second life and so I was rechristened Raghava Lawrence. Incidentally, this took place on a Thursday. Ever since, I have become sentimentally attached to that particular day. I met Rajinikant on a Thursday, got my dance card on that day, narrated the story of Mass on Thursday, even the film released on the day. Even Style's audio release was held on Thursday. All this without being planned."

These days, the ace choreographer is constructing a temple for Raghavendra Swamy in Chennai. He says the temple's progress is going along well. About his doting brother Vinod, Lawrence says, "It's too early to drag him into films. I brought him up like a son after my father passed away."

Lawrence had recently announced he would launch dancing classes for the visually impaired and other handicapped children, not just in Hyderabad but in the other metros as well. He says he was very moved when he went to see them at the Devnar School of the Blind. Finally he adds, "It's unfair to ask god for anything more. Let's ask for others. As human beings we all have the potential to be happy and compassionate people. We too must bear some responsibility and take personal initiative. A genuine change must first come from within the individual, only then can he or she attempt to make significant contributions to humanity."

Y. SUNITA CHOWDHARY

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