It all began in August 2025. At that moment, I did not know that I was stepping into one of the most emotional and defining chapters of my artistic life. A call from the office of Vishal Bhardwaj changed the rhythm of my life. I was invited to meet him for his upcoming film O...
It all began in August 2025.
At that moment, I did not know that I was stepping into one of the most emotional and defining chapters of my artistic life. A call from the office of Vishal Bhardwaj changed the rhythm of my life. I was invited to meet him for his upcoming film O Romeo, produced by Nadiadwala Grandsons.
I remember walking into that meeting carrying years of experience as a live performing artist, but also carrying the quiet humility of someone who understands that cinema is a different universe. A universe where movement must breathe through the lens. Where expression must travel beyond the stage and live forever on screen.
I walked into that meeting with curiosity. I walked out with responsibility, gratitude, and a dream.
Building Avinash Tiwary’s character as “Jalal”: Where Flamenco Met Fire
The film had sequences shot in Spain. Avinash Tiwary plays Jalal, the owner of a bullring, a matador, a man who carries pride, danger, and poetry in his presence. A man who commands the arena, who understands danger, and who carries dignity in silence.
To create authenticity, we did not begin with steps in a dance studio.
We began with research.
We studied the world of bullfighters and the culture. The stance. The pause before movement. Their posture, their silence, their stillness before the storm. And then we explored the soul of flamenco — the attitude, the grounded strength, the defiance in the spine, the fire in the eyes.
Flamenco is not merely a dance form. It is history. It is pain. It is rebellion. It is pride. It is an internal storm expressed through controlled movement.
We began incorporating the characteristics of a flamenco dancer into Jalal’s physicality. Through rigorous training sessions, Avinash immersed himself completely. His dedication was relentless. He did not want to “look” like a bullfighter; he wanted to become one. He absorbed the aura, the masculinity, and the emotional weight of the form.
The training sessions with Avinash were rigorous, demanding, and deeply transformative. There were days of exhaustion. Days of repetition. Days when we broke movements down to their emotional core. But what made the process extraordinary was his commitment.
Watching him surrender to the process was nothing short of inspiring. His discipline, humility, and hunger to achieve realism were remarkable. He wanted depth. He wanted authenticity. He wanted to earn the skin of Jalal.
Working with Avinash Tiwary was a tremendous experience, one filled with artistic hunger. As a choreographer, there is nothing more fulfilling than seeing an actor surrender completely to the process.
The Vision of a Director Who Trusts
What made this journey extraordinary was the unwavering trust of Vishal Bhardwaj.
He is not just a filmmaker. He is an artist in the truest sense — a storyteller, a singer, and a composer. His vision is layered, emotional, and fearless. He is a man with immense emotional intelligence.
From our first conversation, his clarity gave me freedom. He knew what he wanted, yet he allowed me to explore. That balance of guidance and liberty is rare. And it allowed me to flow.
Because his vision was so precise, I could align myself completely with it. I did not feel lost. I felt guided.
Then came a moment that meant the world to me.
He entrusted me with choreographing a massive Spanish Carnival sequence, a pivotal moment in O Romeo. Over 70 dancers. A scale grand in vision, yet intimate in emotion.
For me, this was not just another assignment.
It was faith. It was belief in my ability.
The Spanish Carnival – Movement as Emotion
The Carnival sequence was designed to be deeply flamenco in spirit, yet cinematic in scale. A Bollywood canvas — but painted with Spanish fire.
Here we were, making a Bollywood film, yet attempting something visually and culturally distinct. A massive experiment on a grand cinematic canvas. And I truly believe that someone like Vishal sir was the only one with the vision and courage to attempt something so pure and unconventional within mainstream cinema.
Every rehearsal was about purity. About honouring the form. About ensuring that the essence of flamenco remained untouched, even within a commercial film space.
Avinash once again pushed his limits, adapting to a completely new dance form with humility and discipline. His transformation during this sequence was beautiful to witness.
Creating that world — the rhythm, the formations, the emotional arc — was an experience that moved me deeply. It was my first film as a choreographer in Bollywood. And it did not feel like work. It felt like destiny unfolding.
I feel overwhelmed, not by pressure, but by gratitude.
Gratitude, Release, and a Heart Full of Emotion
To be entrusted with such responsibility by Vishal Bhardwaj, under the banner of Nadiadwala Grandsons, and to collaborate with a committed actor like Avinash Tiwary, is something I will carry with immense pride and humility.
Today, on the 14th of February 2026, as O Romeo releases across India, my heart is full.
This project was more than choreography.
It was trust.
It was belief.
It was alignment with a director’s vision.
I am deeply grateful to Vishal Bhardwaj for finding me, seeing me, trusting me, and giving me this opportunity based on my years as a live performing artist.
Some journeys change your career.
Some change you.
Some shape your spirit.
O Romeo has shaped mine.
This one stays close to my heart as a reminder that when art is guided by vision and carried by trust, it becomes something eternal. It reminded me why I chose this path. Why movement speaks to me. Why storytelling through the body feels sacred.
And for that, I remain deeply and eternally thankful.