Dancing his way to glory

Young and popular

He has won two dance reality shows on television and has played the lead in a historical series on Maharana Pratap. This speaks volumes for his talent. And make no mistake, he is only 18 years old. Meet the young and dynamic Faisal Khan. Faisal started his television journey when he was only 14. He participated in Dance India Dance (DID) L’il Masters Season 2, which he eventually went on to win.

So, I start by asking him about his first break. “When I was in school, I used to always participate in dancing competitions as a lead dancer. I went to other schools as a participant too. I loved and enjoyed dancing. I also took to training to become a dancer. With the help of my dance guru, I participated in a lot of popular dance shows. I was 14 when I auditioned for Dance India Dance, and 2012 is the year when I won the trophy,” he says.

So, was being a performer something he always had on mind? “I was too young to think about what I wanted to do or pursue something as a career. I never even thought about the fact that I will be an actor one day. The opportunity just came my way and I got lucky. But as a kid, while watching television, I would be fascinated by the recognition and was very inspired by our heroes, heroines and anybody well known. And it was then that I knew that whatever I do in life, I want to be a celebrity.”

While Faisal has been part of several shows, arguably his role as the young Pratap in the serial Bharat Ka Veer Putra-Maharana Pratap garnered him a lot of attention and praise. “I have done more of dance reality shows than fiction ones. People knew me as a dancer from DID after which I was offered Maharana Pratap. Though I don’t have many shows to my credit, as an actor, Maharana Pratap will always be my first and most memorable role. Maharana Pratap, as we know, is not some filmy character. He was a great ruler and a very well-known historical name. I was never trained as an actor. But acting in that role taught me a lot; it also taught me to be a good and humble human being. It also gave me the chance to work with some big channels and production houses. It was truly an important break for my career,” Faisal reveals.

Faisal has also won the popular dance show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa – Season 8. So, what’s the importance of dance in his life? He answers, “I love dance. It is my obsession. Dance comes naturally to me, sometimes even more than acting. Whatever I am today, it is all because of dance. It has given me name, fame and just about everything. Acting came later to me, but I was first appreciated as a dancer.”

Being a student, Faisal juggles acting and studies and says it is not something he is bothered too much about. “I, sometimes, still wonder why people even ask me this. If you are interested in something, then it will not be difficult to take time out for it. Everything is manageable if you like what you are doing. I have so much to do! Studies, dancing and acting, but I believe that four hours of studying everyday is enough. And for the rest of my time, I can work on improving other skills.”

Faisal also participated in reality shows like Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi Season 7, DID Dance Ke Superkids, India’s Best Dramebaaz and DID Dance Ka Tashan. He has also made special appearances on shows like Kaun Banega Crorepati and CID. Recently, he was also part of an Indonesian soap opera Tuyul & Mbak Yul Reborn. He has won several awards too. “An award is an important appreciation for the good work one does. They are very important to me as they motivate me to work even harder and do my best.”

Faisal loves spending time with his close friends and family. “Whenever I am not working, I love spending quality time with my family and friends, and I also like travelling,” he says. Looking ahead, he says he has not made any plans and is just going with the flow. “Though I always keep a check on things, I also make sure that I am not going overboard or against my morals. So, whatever I do, I will make sure it never affects my values,” he says.