JOIN USDancer Salman Khan, all set to make his acting debut with choreographer-director Remo D'Souza's "Anybody Can Dance", says the 3D dance film has kept pop legend Michael Jackson alive in every way possible.
"It is already known that Remo sir is a great fan of MJ. Since 'ABCD' is a dance film, we have kept the legend alive in every act of the film. While watching it people will get a glimpse of his moves all the way till the end," Salman told PTI.
The 27-year-old rose to fame after winning the first season popular dance reality show 'Dance India Dance' under the mentorship of Remo. He has also featured in a song in Salman Khan-starrer "Wanted" and the title track of "Rakta Charitra".
Actor-director Prabhu Deva, who stars in the film, will also pay a special song tribute to Jackson alongwith Remo. The high-octane dance film is being produced by UTV and stars choreographer Ganesh Acharya, former DID participants Dharmesh, Prince, Mayuresh and Vrushali.
Lauren Gottlieb, winner of international dance reality show 'So You Think You Can Dance', has been roped in as the female lead. When asked how he bagged the role in the film, Salman said, "The moment I won DID, Remo sir hugged me on stage and said that he was going to make a movie with me someday. I was too emotional at that time and I did not react then. Three years later, I was in his house and he said that there was a film and that UTV has decided to back it.
"I was so excited, I just hugged him and thanked him. Since then it feels like I am living in a dream world and I don't want to wake up ever," he added. "Anybody Can Dance" will hit theatres on February 8, 2013.
Salman also said that he took time out and trained himself in acting for two years before doing any films as he did not want to look amateur on-screen. "Right from my childhood I always wanted to be an actor. I just could not find the pathway to filmdom and when I got the opportunity to be part of DID, I thought it was my best bet to fulfil my dream of becoming an actor.
"After winning the competition I did not waste any time and I trained for two years. I could not enrol myself into any acting school because of time constraints. So, I attended acting workshops in Prithvi theatres. I wanted to be prepared and not appear amateur," Salman said.
In the film Salman plays the role of a catholic boy Rocky, who wants to make it big as a dancer. "I could totally relate to my character not just because I play a dancer. My character has a fire in him to be something, just the way I do. I come from a conservative Muslim family and dance was like a taboo. I could totally relate to the struggle, the ambition," he said.
Salman also participated in the fourth and fifth season of 'Jhalak Dikhlaja' in which he partnered with model-actress Yana Gupta and Isha Sharvani respectively.
"When I was on 'DID' I often used to wonder while watching Remo sir if I could also do something like this. So, I decided to turn a choreographer for 'Jhalak Dikhlaja' to challenge myself, to push my limits as a dancer and to see whether I was able to do it. Thankfully I was successful in my endeavours," he said.
The dancer-turned-actor is currently shooting for director Vivek Agnihotri's "Freedom". "It is a youth centric film based in the 80's I have completed shooting two schedules already. The film also stars a newcomer opposite me, who is a model. I have also choreographed four songs in the film," he said.