Ritesh Pal And Pratik Utekar On Their Winning Journey

After months of spectacular performances and unforgettable dance moments to the theme of ‘India Wala Dance’ on Sony Entertainment Television’s India’s Best Dancer Season 5, Raipur’s Ritesh Pal, together with choreographer Pratik Utekar, were crowned the winners of the season.

Ritesh Pal, winner of “India’s Best Dancer Season 5,” and his choreographer Pratik Utekar open up about their winning journey, on winning India's Best Dancer Season 5, Indian fitness and their journey, the importance of Indian dance, learning from the judges, staying grounded after success and Ritesh’s plans for the future.

Excerpts:

Ritesh, congratulations on winning India’s Best Dancer Season 5. How does it feel to be called India’s Best Dancer?

Ritesh Pal - It feels really special. For me, name and fame mean appreciation. When we work hard and people appreciate our work, that is the biggest achievement. But I don't want to put those appreciations on my head. I look at them as steps or stairs that help me move forward.

I respect every achievement, just like we respect the steps while going to a temple. These achievements are steps towards reaching my goal, so I want to keep them at my feet and continue moving forward.

Pratik, you have been in the industry for a long time and are known for mentoring dancers who often reach the finals. What is your approach as a choreographer?

Pratik Utekar - I think the biggest responsibility comes when you are mentoring a young contestant. As choreographers, we may move from one show to another, but for a contestant, one show can completely change their life. So, there is a lot of pressure and responsibility. You cannot afford to guide them in the wrong direction. Especially when you have someone like Ritesh, who is already such a fine dancer, I feel I have to work twice as hard as him to make sure I give him the right direction.

But at the same time, it is incredibly fulfilling. A choreographer's biggest happiness is seeing their work come alive on stage through the dancer.

Pratik, you are extremely energetic and also very fit. What is your fitness mantra?

Pratik Utekar - I think the biggest mantra is to eat healthy. If you are dancing regularly and eating healthy, you are naturally going to stay fit. Dancing itself is a great form of exercise, so you don't necessarily need to spend all your time in a gym.

And what fitness mantra did you give Ritesh?

Pratik Utekar - Honestly, he is fitter than me! He may not look like it, but he is very much into the kind of fitness that today's generation follows, especially core fitness. For him, fitness and dancing have come together beautifully. That combination has really helped him become India's Best Dancer.

This season was particularly focused on Indian dance and rooted performances. What did you both learn from that?

Pratik Utekar - That was one of the biggest challenges for both of us. My training and schooling have primarily been in contemporary dance, so we were more familiar with modern styles. But this season demanded an Indian dance base. We often talk about the tree, its fruits, flowers and branches, but where are the roots? We wanted to go back to those roots. Every week, we had to bring that Indian nerve and Indian soul back to the screen. We wanted audiences to experience the kind of vibe we saw in the 80s and 90s.

Ritesh, you hail from Chhattisgarh, a place with a strong cultural identity. How important have your roots been in your journey?

Ritesh Pal - My roots are very important to me. I come from Chhattisgarh, and culturally we are very connected to our roots. I feel very happy that through dance I am able to represent where I come from. There is so much talent in India, and no city or place is small. If you have talent and you work hard, you can reach anywhere.

Which judge are you most attached to?

Ritesh Pal - I love all the judges — Geeta Ma, Karishma Ma'am, Javed Sir and Terence Sir. But I am especially attached to Geeta Ma and Terence Sir. Geeta Ma is like a mother to me. I have spoken to her many times, and she has always been very sweet and supportive.

Geeta Ma gifted you with a Hanuman locket and later a Hanuman Chalisa. What did that moment mean to you?

Ritesh Pal - In the middle of the show, Geeta Ma gave me a locket of Lord Hanuman and asked me if I liked Hanuman ji. I said yes. The following week, she brought me a Hanuman Chalisa with the meaning of every verse written in it. She called my guru and gave it. I have read it, but I feel I need to read it again and again because it is not something you can understand completely in one go.

What did Geeta Ma tell you when you touched her feet after being declared India’s Best Dancer Season 5?

After I won, I went to touch Geeta Ma's feet. She immediately lifted me up and told me not to bend down and that I had to go very far in life. She told me that she sees me going very high and that there is a long journey ahead. Then we hugged. That was a very emotional moment for me.

When you first met Pratik's team, what did you learn from them?

Ritesh Pal - They were extremely energetic and always laughing and enjoying themselves. During our first rehearsal, Sir told me something very important. He said, "Live these three or four months properly. Don't keep worrying about the performance. Also, don’t worry about winning or losing." He told me that these moments would not come back. So, I should live them and love them. That advice stayed with me throughout the show.

Pratik, when you are competing against other contestants and gurus, how do you deal with the competitive environment?

Pratik Utekar - I have said this before and I will say it again — when you are true to your art and genuinely love dancing, you cannot be jealous of another dancer. Even if Ritesh was not with me and was performing with another choreographer, if he was doing the best, I would still say that he deserves to win. The connection we have is because of dance, and that connection cannot be compromised.

Pratik Utekar is not jealous?

Pratik Utekar - No, not at all! What is good is good. And honestly, Ritesh dances better than me! Where I feel I have my strength is while I conceptualise and when I create a concept, I make sure I do justice to it. If I take something on, I want to make sure it is executed in the right way.

You both come from a contemporary and modern dance background. How did you prepare yourselves for the older Bollywood songs and styles this season?

Pratik Utekar - Every week, we had to go back and study the roots. When Helen Ma'am's songs came, we studied Helen Ma'am. When Meenakshi Ma'am's songs came, we studied her. It wasn't just about watching a song and copying the choreography. We had to understand the nerve of the song — what makes that song special, what its essence is and what the "salt" of that song is. That kind of homework wasn't necessarily part of our contemporary dance schooling. We had to understand the roots so that when we came to rehearsal, I could guide Ritesh correctly.

When Karishma Ma'am was sitting there and we were performing songs associated with Rishi Sir and his legacy, we had to be extra careful because those songs belong to her family and she understands that legacy deeply.

What did you want to refresh or change about the way Bollywood dance is performed today?

Pratik Utekar - Today's generation has become very focused on hitting every beat and making every movement sharp. But somewhere, the heart and soul of the performance can get lost. India’s Best Dancer Season 5 brought that life and soul back. I believe that happens when you perform something from the heart and understand the essence of the song. Whether it is Parda Hai Parda, Dil Ke Jharokhe or any other song, if you understand its essence, you can connect with the audience.

Do you think Bollywood dancing style is easy as most people may think so?

People think Bollywood dance is easy, but it is not easy at all. To perform it correctly, you have to understand the music, emotion, era and character behind it.

Ritesh, what was the biggest change you personally experienced as a dancer during the show?

Ritesh Pal - Earlier, whenever I danced, I would try to catch every single beat. I wanted to hit everything. But when I came to India's Best Dancer, the judges taught me that you don't have to catch every beat. Sometimes you need to stop, relax and breathe. You have to live the moment. That was a very important learning for me. Sometimes simply stopping and giving an expression can have a bigger impact than doing ten movements. Now, whenever I perform, I try to understand where I can pause, give an expression and connect with the audience before going back to the beats or lyrics.

Do you want to explore Indian classical dance forms in the future?

Ritesh Pal - Yes. Indian classical dance is one of the most difficult forms. Kathak and other classical forms require a lot of discipline and training.

Pratik Utekar - I definitely want Ritesh to train in classical dance forms as well. It will make him a more complete dancer and performer.

Ritesh, you recently won the Pro Chhattisgarh Dancer title and now India's Best Dancer Season 5. How do you look at your journey?

Ritesh Pal - I don't really think too much about the future. I like living in the present. Right now, I want to enjoy this moment and feel that I am India's Best Dancer. Of course, I will think about the future eventually, but at this moment I want to live in the present.

What was your family's reaction when you won?

Ritesh Pal - My parents were there for the finale. My mother hugged me and cried. I was actually blank. I couldn't understand what was happening. I even asked Sir, "Did we really win? Are we really taking this cap home? Did we really get the car key?" It took me some time to realise that we had actually won.

You also won a car. Have you driven it yet?

Ritesh Pal - I don't even know how to drive a car yet!

What is your dream car?

Ritesh Pal - I like Mercedes. I also like the Defender. But if we are talking about a dream car, then Rolls-Royce.

Pratik Utekar - Now that he has started winning, there might be a whole line of cars coming!

Pratik, do you see Ritesh representing India internationally?

Pratik Utekar - Absolutely. I think he has a lot of potential to represent India internationally. The next step can definitely be international. With the right guidance and opportunities, I believe he can take Indian dance to a global platform.

Ritesh, what message would you like to give the people of Chhattisgarh?

Ritesh Pal - I would say that no place is small. We are all Indians and we should believe in our talent. Chhattisgarh is a beautiful place. I haven't explored the entire state yet. There are so many hidden places, waterfalls and natural spots that I still want to visit.

I have been to Dhamtari, but I still want to explore places like Jagdalpur and other natural locations. I love waterfalls, so I definitely want to explore more of Chhattisgarh. I also want to learn more about my own state and its culture.

Finally, what would you like to say to aspiring dancers?

Pratik Utekar - If you are hungry for dance, keep that hunger alive. It doesn't matter which city you come from. We have so much talent in India. If that hunger dies, you will not reach the peak you want to reach. And even when you reach the peak, don't let that hunger disappear. Success is never-ending. Keep learning, keep working and keep dancing.

Ritesh, any final message for your fans?

Keep loving and supporting us. Keep dancing and keep spreading the joy of dance. Thank you for all the love you have given me throughout this journey.