It was the 90s and ‘item numbers’ had a different spin to them. The lead dancer was a man who moved like his limbs didn’t exist and his group of dancers also moved across the frame in random synergy, as opposed to the regular format of a film-song that usually had them stand in two rows and perform the same steps behind the hero or heroine. Prabhudeva and his dance numbers Laalaakku Dol Dappi Maa from Suriyan (1992) and Chikkubukku Rayiley from Gentleman (1993) took the MTV gen-next by storm!
“Film-songs looking like music videos? Are you kidding me?” would’ve been the refrain back then. Prabhudeva brought in a mood, a setting, and symmetry to each song he danced to or choreographed. Here was a dancer who moved like he was born to do just that, resonating lyricist Vaali’s famous lines from Mr Romeo (1996) — Annaiyin karuvinil irukkayil nadanam thodangivittean (I started dancing from the time I was in my mother’s womb).
Just Google the number of songs in the AR Rahman-Prabhudeva combo. It wasn’t just the soundscape that set a new trend after Roja (1992); it was also the stylish way a song was filmed and edited that set new benchmarks. Prabhudeva’s choreography completes a song, where his composition lends value to every person in the shot — be it with groups of dancers in Kaasumela Kaasu Vandhu from Kadhala Kadhala (1998) or Urvasi Urvasi from Kadhalan (1994) or just duets like in Vennilavey Vennilavey from Minsaara Kanavu (1997), where he was the lead actor opposite Kajol. The percussion interlude from another song in the same film — Maana madhurai maamarakiliayiley — was specially added for Prabhudeva to perform within a single take.
While his hit songs were mostly tuned by Rahman or ‘Gaana King’ Deva, it was Ilayaraja’s languidly composed April Mayiley from Idhayam (1995) and the peppy Chinnaraasavey Chittaerumbu from Walter Vetrivel (1993) that propelled his fame as a dancer. By the mid-90s, this dance star was moonwalking to his mojo! Heroes and heroines were suddenly appearing more graceful and better in form to dance any step which, well, didn’t seem like ‘1-2-3 and 3-2-1’ staccato movements.
Kamal Haasan was the only trained dancer who moved to perfection in his movies, and Prabhudeva followed suit. He made western dance his forte, and mixed dabbankuthu and hip-hop with expressions to match. Watch the last musical bit of Minnal Oru Kodi from VIP (1997) where he dances alone on the streets, unmindful of traffic, and catch his famous hand-flourish moves.
Vijay in Tamil and Chiranjeevi in Telugu took to Prabhudeva’s intricate Indo-Western choreography which required separate rehearsal timings, making their efforts worthy of the songs. Only he could have made Captain Vijayakanth look so appealing when he’s dancing with a trained dancer like Bhanupriya in Bharathan (1992) for Ilayaraja number Punnagaiyil Minnsaaram! Farhan Akhtar specially had Prabhudeva choreograph Hrithik Roshan’s Main Aisa Kyun Hoon in Lakshya (2004) to much applause. You know it’s a ‘Prabhudeva song’ when every second line is a different step or visual and difficult to replicate. Just watch Mangai Nilavin Thangai from Engeyum Kadhal (2011).
Prabhudeva’s graceful style is thanks to his choreographer-dad Sundaram Master, who let his second son tag along as an assistant to his shoots. Sundaram had already changed the manner in which songs were picturised in the late 80s. Prabhudeva picked up from where his dad left.
Story goes that it was Mani Ratnam who made Prabhudeva dance in front of the camera for the first time. Look out for a clean-shaven teenager in the front row in Panivizhum Iravu from Mouna Raagam (1986) and Raja Rajadhirajan Indha Raja from Agni Nakshatram (1988). Prabhudeva is said to have choreographed the famous Vaanamenna Keezhirukku song between Kamal Haasan and Prabhu in Vetri Vizha (1989), though the film credits his father as choreographer.
From a group dancer to dance assistant, and then actor, choreographer, and then to a filmmaker (his first film in Telugu was a runaway hit and remade in Tamil by Jayam Raja) — the journey kept touching new peaks.
To last 25 years in the industry and still dance the way he does, to earn box-office praise as a director (in Hindi, a language he doesn’t speak or understand much), and then to return as an actor (check out the video that has Prabhudeva rehearsing with his assistant for the October 7 release Devi) — his career is a full-circle now.
Sridevi danced to his choreography in many films (Appaney Theeyeney Dheppa from the Telugu film Jagadekaveerudu Athiloka Sundari (1990) being most famous), so did Madhuri Dixit in Que Sera Sera Sera from Pukar (2000). Both talented and trained dancers who chose Prabhudeva as choreographer, even when their favourite Saroj Khan was ruling Bollywood.
A Michael Jackson tribute concert in 1999 at Munich, Germany, with AR Rahman and Shobhana, made Prabhudeva an unparalleled national dancing icon. His assistants are also main choreographers now and the style is evident. With such high standards, it’s no surprise that Tammanah shines in Devi’s promos, where the ‘Master of Dance’ himself grooves with such elan! Someone please ask him and let me know how he moves, perched just above the floor with his left leg out like that!
(The writer is a columnist with ‘The New Indian Express’)