Shantanu Maheshwari on International Dance Day: When I tried to get away from dance is when I realised how deeper the love is

On International Dance Day, actor-dancer Shantanu Maheshwari talks about living and breathing dance and how he never imagined his life without it.

Shantanu Maheshwari is leaving an indelible imprint on the entertainment industry by showcasing his exceptional acting chops, but he remains firmly rooted to dance, which helped him catapult to fame in the first place. And he wishes to change nothing about it.

Shantanu Maheshwari talks about his love for dance on International Dance Day

For Maheshwari, dance has been the source of his confidence. “Dance has empowered me, given me confidence. In fact, music and dance have become a way of life for me. There has not been a single day when I am not dancing - either in my head or otherwise. Dance is innate to me and it’s very hard to put words to describe the feeling. I never thought about what life would have been, had I not been a dancer,” says Maheshwari whose all-time favourite dance songs are Bollywood numbers like Gandi Baat, which are fun, and peppy.

But there was a time, in school, when Dil Dosti Dance actor did not want to be identified as a dancer. “Everyone in school knew me because of dance, so I wanted to disassociate myself from it. But when I tried to get away from it is when I realized how deeper the love is.”

Now when he is trying to carve a niche as an actor, does the tag of a dancer bother him? He says, “I don’t mind people knowing me as a dancer but when labelling happens, it becomes a problem. I don’t mind people remembering me for dance, but I do not want the label of dancer ki ye bas yahi kar sakta hai. When people start putting you in a box and completely ignore other potential that you have, it does not feel right. I am equally passionate about acting and dancing.”