“It’s nice to be away from the hustle-bustle of Mumbai. Bangalore is so peaceful,” he exclaims. “I enjoy the cool weather of the City. Plus I have lots of friends here.” Shiamak loves interacting with his students. “I want them to know that I will always be there for them.” How difficult was it for him to come up in Bollywood? “It was difficult to break through in the field of dance in the first place,” he answers. “I had to face a lot of dejection as people used to taunt me saying ‘you look so girly in these skinny pants’ and ‘why do you want to dance’,” he says. Shiamak admits that more than Bollywood, he enjoys choreographing for live shows and theatre. “Choreographing for movies is very boring. I take it up only to reach out to the masses. Theatre and live shows are the best way of showcasing your talent,” he says.
His favourite directors are Subhash Ghai, Aditya and Yash Chopra. “I would love to work with Vishal Bhardwaj, Ashutosh Gowarikar and UTV Productions. Though I have worked with him in Taare Zameen Par, I would love to work with Aamir Khan again.” How does he feel when his students like Shahid Kapur and Darsheel Safari climb the ladders of success. He laughs, “I get a kick when I see my students making it big.”
He has even had a successful music album. “I have a passion for music. My favourite artistes are Elton John, Ray Charles and Billy Joel.” Will the fans see him direct a movie? “Absolutely. But only if its a really good project.” Shiamak would also love to act if given a chance. “I acted in many musicals when I was in America. I played the roles of Joel Grey’s in Cabaret and John Travolta’s in Grease.”
Shiamak also takes time out for the underprivileged, specially challenged and others through his non-profit organisation — Victory Art Foundation. “The motto of VAF is to use dance as a therapy for the physically and mentally challenged,” he says.
So what next? “I will be going to Macau next month to choreograph the performances for the IIFA.” On his IPL experience, he says, “It was wonderful to work with Eddie Grant.” Finally, any advice for budding artistes? He smiles, “Always have a hobby and don’t limit yourself. Make use of the number of platforms that are available these days.”