Have you ever thought that our Bollywood movies are obsessed with various kinds of dance forms? If we compare Bollywood to the other film industries of the world, the Indian film industry believes in pouring the magic of dance music into its movies. Like millions of proud Indians, I’m a huge fan of Bollywood dances. We have had many great dancers in Bollywood and many are waiting to set the cinema screen on fire. The dance form has been changing from time to time but the craze for dance sequences never faded.
Evolution of dance in the Bollywood movies
In the earliest Bollywood movies, dances were exclusively meant for a side actress or the vamp. The hero or the heroine of the film was not expected to perform dances. The earlier dances were inspired by the Indian classical dance forms ‘Kathak’ and ‘Bharatnatyam’.
Slowly, the folk dances made an entry and changed the dancing style in Bollywood. You can say that Bollywood dances are a fusion of various dances.
The Western influence soon became visible in the Bollywood dances with the merging of cultures. I like to watch the dances of Sandhya, Helen, Vaijanthimala, Mahipal from the era of black and white movies. Their energetic presence used to brighten up the screen. Classical, semi-classical, cabaret, folk, Bollywood experimented with many genres and finally settled with the ‘Freestyle dance’ trademarked as Bollywood dance. We saw Mithun Chakravarti and Govinda making people dance to their steps.
Indian Cinema certainly doesn’t show Indian dances only. We have a collision of several cultures that makes things impressive. The more beautiful thing is that the Bollywood style of dancing is adopted by everyone across the world.
Then came the dances of Madhuri Dixit, Jaya Prada and Sridevi. The audience surely was in awe of the actresses dance because the movie tickets used to sell because of a particular dance sequence.
I can’t afford to miss the names of the dancing sensations Prabbudeva and Hrithik Roshan. They have taken the dancing technique to another level.
The popularity of Bollywood has a lot to owe to the dance sequences. People from other countries are awestruck by the Bollywood dances and dancers. You might have heard that they attend ‘Bollywood dance classes‘ for the significant feel of the magical Indian Cinema in their lives:)
Thank you all for participating in the Bollywood quiz. The correct answers to the questions asked in the last post are given below:
1) Shahrukh Khan
2) Shahrukh Khan, Chennai Express
3) Ishq
4) Dil Dhadakne Do
5) Rang De Basanti
6) Siddharth Nigam
7) Ae Mere Watan Ke Logo,
Singer: Lata Mangeshkar
8) Andhadhun
9) Salman Khan
10) Aamir Khan
The winner of the quiz contest is Ruchi Verma! Congratulations!!:) Please send your details in DM so that your prize may be dispatched.
Trivia question of the day
Answer the following question and get a special mention in the next post of Bollywood Gossip:)
“Which Bollywood singer was a huge boxing fan and met with the ultimate boxing champ Mohammed Ali while on a tour to Chicago in the late ’70s?”
Answer correctly to get featured in the next post on Bollywood Gossip:)
PANORAMIC RIPPLES 
Wow such dancing divas all. I felt so nostalgic watching those videos.
Amazing post
Deepika Sharma
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Thanks Deepika:)
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Great list. Over the years, our dancing stars have rocked the screens & how!
Answer: Mohd Rafi
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Thanks Anita:)
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Dancers make our movies worth watching. The old cabaret numbers were so exotic. I was a huge Mithun fan when he first came on screen 🙂
Answer::Mohammed Rafi
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Many dancers are timeless entertainers. I enjoy watching Bollywood dances from B/W films as well as Hrithik and Tiger’
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Wow, dancing divas of Bollywood, you reminded me of some great dance videos. My mom tells me that my nana Ji use to go to watch vaijayanthi mala’s movies just for her dance performance. Thanks for sharing these videos, loved seeing them today.
The answer to the quiz is Mohammad Rafi and I remember this you had shared in one of your posts lately of interesting facts.
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Wow you remember!
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I am a fan of Bollywood dancing and love all the songs you have enlisted. Personally, I have a lot of memories associated with Ek do teen 🙂 The answer is my all-time favorite singer Mohammed Rafi.
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Exactly 😊
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I am a huge fan of Late Sridevi and Madhuriji’s dance. Winning your quiz is like a cherry on the cake….going to send my address via DM
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That’s great. Congratulations once again:)
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yes, bollywood is incomplete with dancing and dancing stars. I love all the songs and dancing divas, you had mentioned here. Madhuri is one of my all time favorite.
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That’s great 🤩
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In this one aspect I do nowadays have an issue with Bollywood. I really wish they would tighten the screenplays and forego the song and dance numbers for a tighter script.
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Dance-song sequences are a characteristic of Indian cinema, can’t imagine Bollywood movies without songs (or even dances)
But a few filmmakers have started experimenting with the idea you suggested.
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Bollywood without dance numbers is difficult to imagine. There are some movies which I watch just because of some great dance performances.
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Exactly my point;)
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It’s interesting to see how the dance forms in Bollywood movies have evolved over the years. You have included some wonderful videos to feed our nostalgia and make us get lost in their iconic performances. I have always loved the expressions of Ms. Vajyantimala in the sound “hothon pe aisi..’
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Thanks Navita:)
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Yes, Bollywood and Bollywood dance becomes complimentary of each other. I grew up watching Madhuri and Sridevi’s dancing numbers. The songs ‘Ek do teen’ and ‘ mere hathon m nau nau chooriyan’ are the main contributors in making me dance lovers.
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True, we learned to dance by watching Bollywood movies;)
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AH! i could listen to these songs like forever.
lovely throwback
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Thanks Sadvika;)
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I love Madhuri too. Your post brought nostalgic memories of me playing songs back to back.jsut to learn movements
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I can understand 🤩
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Bollywood has amazing dancing divas right from Helen to Madhuri Dixit. They had a style and grace that most recent actresses lack. Hrithik is just WOW!
Congrats Ruchi for winning the quiz!
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Can’t agree more!
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Yes bollywood is incomplete with dancing stars Great list. Over the years, our dancing stars have rocked the screens.
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This made me nostalgic and I could remember imitating few of them as a child!
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