Vijay Ganguly doesn’t just choreograph songs — he shapes moments that slip effortlessly into popular culture. In a year when every project he touched — Chhaava, Saiyaara, Sitare Zameen Par and Dhurandhar — emerged as a box-office success, he found himself at the centre of a rare creative high. Even after its blockbuster run in cinemas, Dhurandhar has continued to spark the same frenzy on Netflix with its latest streaming release, with Shararat once again cutting across generations.
“It is a very good feeling,” he begins, reflecting on the year gone by, adding, “For people like us — technicians who work behind the scenes — when a film works, our work is truly seen. If a song goes everywhere but the film doesn’t do well, the song has a shelf life. But when the film works, whatever you’ve done becomes timeless. Touchwood, all the films I’ve been a part of in 2025 have worked, and I consider myself very lucky.”
That sense of gratitude becomes especially evident when he speaks about Dhurandhar’s Shararat — a song whose hookstep has taken over social media feeds across age groups. From kids to seniors, everyone seems to be moving in the same sideways groove.
He expresses, “When we’re in the studio, it’s a very small space. We hear the song, we try things, we discard things. We do one option, then another, then another. And suddenly it’s out there on a big screen. I live near the beach, and when I open my window, I see people making reels of the same hookstep on the beach. I think — we started this in a small studio, and now everyone’s doing it. I can’t even explain that feeling.”
His first interaction with director Aditya Dhar came even before the final version of Shararat existed. Aditya Dhar called him into the studio, where composer Shashwat Sachdev was strumming the tune on a guitar while singer Jasmine sang along. “It was so raw and beautiful. I told them — just keep it like this, don’t overdo it. Of course, they had to arrange it later, but that simplicity stayed with me,” he recalls.
When the final track arrived, just days before the shoot, the aesthetic surprised him. He shares, “The drop was fantastic, but we knew it had to be simple — something anyone could do. Honestly, the choreography didn’t take much time. The first two or three attempts are what you see on screen.”
That instinctive approach defines his process. He shares, “I always go with my first instinct. The body moves in a certain way when the music plays. With Shararat, we knew the zone — the sideways movement — even before we knew the exact step. We made many options, but eventually, I relied on the director and Aditya was very sure this step worked. He said, ‘Trust me blindly’.”
Interestingly, Shararat doesn’t stop at one hookstep. He notes, “I liked another step too that you see. Aditya suggested we use both. Why stick to one? Today people are making reels on both steps — and that’s amazing to see.”
Despite being known for consistently viral choreography, Vijay insists he doesn’t design steps with virality in mind. He expresses, “Everything has to come together — the song, visuals, the way it’s shot, the choreography. I’ve always tried to learn from legends like Saroj Khan ji. The way she caught lyrics, expressions, tiny beats — that’s something I still struggle to do. But if a step resonates with the lyrics or music, people connect.”
That philosophy also shaped the now-iconic walk by Akshaye Khanna in Dhurandhar’s Fa9la sequence — a moment that unexpectedly exploded online. He recalls, “Honestly, I only choreographed the dancers. (laughs) The brief was simple — Rehman Dakait enters, walks in, sits down. Aditya sir sent us reference videos of authentic Balochistani folk dance. We researched, taught the dancers, and rehearsed for days.” What followed was pure spontaneity. He continues, “Akshaye Khanna sir was watching the dancers. When we rolled, he just did that walk. We didn’t know what he would do. We did two takes and that’s it. And suddenly everyone including the kids, uncles, aunties and everyone you know is recreating the step. You never know what will go viral.”
He believes audience love is the true reward — a delayed but powerful applause. “Earlier, I used to do live shows. You dance, and you instantly hear claps. Films are different. You shoot a song, it releases a year later. By then you’ve moved on. But when people make reels, that’s applause for us. That’s what we work for,” he notes.
Looking ahead, Vijay shows no signs of slowing down. Dhurandhar 2 will feature a fun dance piece, while projects like Alpha and Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai are on the horizon. “Hopefully, 2026 will let us entertain audiences even more and create things they love,” he concludes.