How Avinash Tiwary Danced The Flamenco In O'Romeo

'I don't see myself as a choreographer in Bollywood.'
'I approached this project only because of Vishal Bhardwaj because his vision was so clear.'

When Avinash Tiwary steps into a flamenco dance for Vishal Bhardwaj's O'Romeo, the movement is guided not by a conventional Bollywood choreographer, but by a performer who has actually lived the form.

Kunal Omprakash Tavri has been trained in jazz and contemporary dance in Mumbai and steeped in the traditions of southern Spain, and he brings over a decade of immersive flamenco study to the screen.

His collaboration with Avinash Tiwary is not about spectacle or steps, but about understanding the emotional grammar of flamenco itself.

As O'Romeo readies for release on February 13, Tavri tells Patcy N/ Rediff, "Avinash Tiwary was involved right from the beginning, from the research to the creation, to rehearsals. There were a lot of times, when during the rehearsal, if he was not getting it, he would keep doing it."

'As a child, I won Boogie Woogie!'

My roots are from Rajasthan but my family moved early to Bhilai in Chhattisgarh. I was born in Bhilai, but just before I turned one, my parents came to Mumbai.

I come from a family of medical professionals. My father is a radiologist, my mother is an anesthetist and my brother is also a practicing radiologist.

I started dancing at a very young age, and would perform a lot in school.

When my family realised my interest, I was sent to dance classes. My guru Dharan Das chose me for a school musical play.

He trained me -- I was with him for almost 10 years -- and that's where my journey with jazz, rock and roll and contemporary dancing started.

At the age of 14 or 15, I started performing professionally with his team. I started traveling with him, doing shows, etc.

My father was very supportive but my mother made sure I was studying. But they realised pretty soon that I was not cut out for medicine.

As a child, I took part in and won Boogie Woogie! I was a big fan of Javed Jaffrey.

I started dancing professionally by the time I was in the 11th standard.

I worked with many choreographers, including Terence Lewis and Bosco Martis, collaborating with different forms. After performing for almost 15-20 years, I had to make a choice to either be on stage live or in reality shows.

I chose to be live on stage.

'When I saw flamenco, it was an eye-opener for me'

There was this hunger to do something different, and I came across flamenco in 2012 at a show in NCPA with Chitrash Das.

While growing up, I was a big fan of tap dancing. When I saw flamenco, it was an eye-opener for me because it looked like tap, but it is not that.

Till date, people confuse flamenco and tap.

After the NCPA show, Chitrash Das was generous enough to share everything about flamenco, and that conversation went on for six-seven hours.

Then I started my research. It took me a year-and-a-half to pursue this because all the web sites and training was in Spanish.

I also started studying the Spanish language. Then I went to Spain.

Watch Kunal Omprakash Tavri Perform The Flamenco

In 2013, I started in Granada, in the south of Spain, and connected with a lot of gypsies.

It was a completely different culture, language, and music. I was starting from scratch.

I was very emotionally driven by flamenco. In the first three-four years, I was there for almost eight to nine months a year.

I had completely surrendered to this art form.

Till date, I go back in the summers to train, to explore, and grow my craft.

Choreographing Avinash Tiwary in O' Romeo

Last year, when I was in Spain, I got a call from Vishal Bhardwajji's team. They were looking out for someone with flamenco knowledge for their film O'Romeo.

I came back to India, and met Vishalji. He told me what he was trying to envision, but didn't tell me much about the film. He told me where he wanted my creativity involved.

I've done one sequence with Avinash Tiwari.

He's a very emotionally intelligent artist, very dedicated. He's been such a successful actor, but so humble, hardworking and dedicated. He was ready to just surrender himself.

I didn't even know much about him. I met him for the first time and realised how big Avinash Tiwary is. Laila Majnu was such a big hit.

'I don't see myself as a choreographer in Bollywood'

I went with an open mind. Avinash Tiwary was involved right from the beginning, from the research to the creation, to rehearsals. He was extremely hardworking.

There were a lot of times, when during the rehearsal, if he was not getting it, he would keep doing it.

He was very involved with the process of understanding flamenco.

We trained for about 8 to 10 days. The shoot lasted only one day.

I don't see myself as a choreographer in Bollywood because honestly, that's a very different department. I approached this project only because of Vishal Bhardwaj because his vision was so clear.

It was brilliant working with Vishalji.

He's such a legend but so humble. He respects artists.

If Vishalji asks me again, I'll happily jump into it again.

Photographs curated by Satish Bodas/Rediff