Dancer-actor Achintya Bose is full of hope and hunger to learn as he straps in for a new beginning. One would be compelled to draw parallels of the 22-year-old with the characters of dance hits like the Step Up series, or even his own critically acclaimed debut film Yeh Ballet by Sooni Taraporevala, as he maps out his journey from a boy pursuing dance in India, to bagging a partial scholarship in the prestigious Sharon Disney Lund School of Dance at Cal Arts, USA.
Achintya’s journey to the illustrious college is not only a testament to his commitment. He has also garnered support from several Bollywood figures, who have stepped in to help him achieve his dreams. Recently, writer-director of Yeh Ballet Sooni Taraporevala, Siddharth Roy Kapur supported a fundraiser for Achintya, which was attended by directors Anusha Rizvi, Bhaskar Hazarika, Mira Nair and many others. With the artist’s eye on the contemporary-jazz-ballet programme in a varsity that boasts notable alumni such as Tim Burton, Sophia Coppola and John Lasseter, he believes that dance as an art is best learned from the place it originated.
“The reason I picked Cal Arts or was more inclined towards schools in the West, is because dance as an art is more authentic from the place it originates. For instance, if a person in America wishes to learn an Indian classical art form, I would suggest they come to India for the training for an authentic experience,” Achintya explains. “Similarly, to learn jazz and ballet, I wanted to go to an institution that specialised in the style,” he adds.
Growing up in culturally-rich Kolkata, Achintya completed his schooling from Delhi Public School in New Town. The artist fondly walks down a winding memory lane of his early days, recalling the time he began dancing. “Back in school, my friends and I were always hyped about the dance film Step Up. We created a group in school. We would just practise on our own and follow their moves and dance pieces. Also, I was a huge fan of Michael Jackson, so my dance routine would be heavily inspired by him,” he says.
Despite donning many hats in school, Achintya chose to follow the footsteps of his first inspiration. “I was actively involved in playing football, music and dance. However, I chose dance at the end. It was something that I had grown up watching at home. My mother is an Indian classical dancer herself. This made me look up to dance from early on, in fact, she is my first inspiration,” he adds.
Though Achintya wanted to pursue the art form as a career, the revelation that he could actually be serious about his dream dawned much later. “Deep down, I had always known what I had wanted. But that one moment I was convinced was back in 2017. I was alone onstage for two minutes during tech check. I wasn’t performing, I just stood there. It was nothing too big, I was simply standing there, with music in the background while I was thinking of ways to improvise my piece. At that moment, I felt at home,”he recounts.
The young artist, who specialises in hip-hop, jazz and ballet, got his first official training in the latter in the 2020 film Yeh Ballet. He did not just master the dance form but also displayed his acting prowess, earning huge praise. “Strangely, many in India were surprised at two men pursuing ballet. However, many lauded us for essaying the pursuit of our dreams despite all odds.”
When asked if he looks forward to working in the industry, he answers with a laugh, “Right now, I wish to learn art forms I don’t know. Perhaps, have a show of my own. If the opportunity presents itself, then why not?” he states.