Through the years, he’s danced his way into our hearts, and onto many a global stage. This Friday, Kolkata boy Shantanu Maheshwari — who calls Kumartuli home when he’s in the city — will make a big (make that huge) debut in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Gangubai Kathiawadi. The film — on the life and times of real-life shero Gangubai Kathiawadi — has Alia Bhatt in the title role, with Shantanu starring opposite the actor.
With two songs featuring the pair opening to positive reviews and the film poised to release in theatres on February 25, The Telegraph caught up with Shantanu on the ‘dream’ called Gangubai Kathiawadi
Such a biggie on debut! You must be on cloud nine as Friday approaches....
I am very happy, though I am still absorbing it, in terms of the fact that the film is releasing in the next few days. At the moment, I am enjoying every bit of it. And, of course, I am excited to watch myself on the big screen! (Laughs)
The reactions from friends and family must be overwhelming....
Yes, most of them were pretty shocked to see me in the second song (Meri jaan) after the first one (Jab saiyaan). Most of them were surprised that I am in this movie because apart from a few people, I haven’t really spoken about this film with anyone. The trailer didn’t have me, but when the first song came out, everyone took notice. And now after the second song, they are like, ‘Oh God! You have another song?! (Laughs).
But yes, everyone is loving the chemistry between me and Alia (Bhatt). That’s especially true for Meri jaan, which has been shot in a single take and portrays a rollercoaster of emotions. It starts in a different mode and ends on a very different note. I am very happy with the appreciation.
My family back in Kolkata is very excited. They have been such a huge part of my journey and have always believed in me more than I even believed in myself. They are very happy and also very emotional (smiles), and they can’t wait to watch the film.
How did the film happen?
It was a series of auditions, screen test and look test. I couldn’t believe I had landed the part. Even after I was told I was doing Gangubai Kathiawadi, I was in a state of uncertainty... I wasn’t too sure, you know (smiles). Till the time I started filming, I wasn’t quite confident about whether I was really in the film! (Laughs) That was the thought process I was going through, and I was anyway not allowed to disclose to anyone that I was doing this film. Only a few close friends knew about it.
Shruti Mahajan, the film’s casting director, was the one who called me to say that I had landed the part. She was very excited, and though I was happy, I remember I went completely blank! (Laughs) I was like, ‘Is this really happening to me?! I am part of a Sanjay Leela Bhansali film?!’ So yes, it was overwhelming to the point of throwing me into a state of shock (laughs).
Was being directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali the experience you had expected it to be?
It was much more. I expected style, which is anyway his trademark. But in terms of the intensity, the exploration of scenes, it was very different from the experiences I had so far. I had to grasp so much in any given situation and perform to the best of my ability. I had to be natural. People have this idea about Sanjay sir that he shouts a lot on set and he has his own way of doing things, but beneath all of that, he’s very passionate about what he does. He knows exactly what he wants, he’s very aware, very observant and if you can grasp his style of working and what he expects out of you, then you are all set. That’s something that happened quite naturally with me and him. So I just went with the flow and concentrated on being in the moment.
The way he approaches each and every scene makes you, as an actor, invest your time and energy to the fullest. This film was not about learning our lines and turning up on set, it was about exploring every scene in so many different ways. Even after a scene was written, we would still discuss and dissect it on set and look at how we could explore it even more. This is something that is very unique, one doesn’t find that with too many other film-makers. He makes sure that all the energies are explored and the best ones come alive on screen.
Shantanu Maheshwari with Alia Bhatt in Gangubai Kathiawadi
How is Alia as a co-star?
She is absolutely amazing! I loved working with her. What an effortless actor, what a natural actor! She’s also very helpful and very collaborative. She would give me space and made sure I was comfortable around her. She never made me think that she is Alia Bhatt the superstar... we were very much co-actors on set who collaborated and delivered to the best of our ability.
High-energy dance is your core strength, but whatever we have seen of you in Gangubai Kathiawadi so far is all about romance, chemistry, thehrav.... Did exploring this side of you make you aware of a whole new skill set?
In a way, yes. All the scenes that I have in this film have so many different layers. It’s definitely something that I have never done before. I loved it, and it did help me rattle a different side of me (laughs)... it made me explore a different side of me. It was very challenging but Sanjay sir believed in me and that gave me a lot of confidence to go ahead with his conviction.
Going forward, how do you plan to leverage this big launchpad?
Right now, I am just living in the moment. I know I should be strategising things and harp on the fact that this is such a huge launch (laughs), but I am just enjoying the moment. I never imagined or even dreamt of being launched by Sanjay sir in such a beautiful film. I am just enjoying that till release and after that, I will think of what I want to do next.
I have waited for two-and-a-half years for this film to release. Not only me, everyone involved in the film has waited through the pandemic, to see this day happen. Even in the middle of some OTT releases, sir made sure that this film has a theatrical release. And I am happy about that because this film deserves a big-screen release.
All said and done, will dance always remain your first love?
Dance has given me everything. It is dance that made me explore acting as a career and it will always have its special place. I am passionate about both dance and acting equally.