At 10 years old, Mannu Mehta started teaching himself to dance by watching his friends and YouTube videos. His dedication paid off, and he soon began teaching dance. Over time, his hard work led to opportunities like choreographing for Bollywood celebrities such as Alia Bhatt, Sushant Singh Rajput and Sunny Deol, as well as working on TV shows like Boogie Woogie and Dance India Dance. One of his proudest moments came when he and his team reached the semifinals of India’s Got Talent.
He is a talented choreographer from Delhi who, recently hosted his first-ever dance workshop in Hyderabad, bringing years of self-taught expertise to the city. The workshop focused on freestyle choreography, a style accessible to beginners. “I’m excited to hold my first workshop here. I’ll be teaching freestyle because not everyone can do lyrical hip-hop right away,” he explained, noting that lyrical hip hop, his signature style, is more emotional and focuses on moving to the lyrics of a song. The workshop wasn’t just about technique; it was about creating an experience. “I want the students to learn more than just dance. I don’t prepare anything in advance—I just want them to enjoy the moment,” he said.
The students who attended were thrilled with the experience. “We are so glad that we attended this workshop. We got to learn a lot, not only about dance but about life in general, and this was the best two days ever,” they shared. He strongly believes that dance can have a profound effect on mental well-being.
“It’s like a stress buster for me. Whenever I feel low, I come to the studio, choreograph a song, and it helps me cope,” he shared. His journey is an inspiring one, built on pure passion. “I didn’t learn to dance from anywhere. I’ve learned everything by myself,” he said, reflecting on his early days when financial constraints prevented him from enrolling in dance classes.
Despite his success in dance, he always dreamed of acting. The lockdown finally gave him the opportunity to pursue this dream. “Ever since the start, I wanted to be an actor, but once you start earning, you get stuck in a loop. The lockdown made me realise I needed to pursue acting,” he explained. He moved to Mumbai and began exploring his acting career while showing his love for dance by conducting workshops.
Reflecting on his first Hyderabad workshop, Mannu expressed that he is grateful for the warm response. He said, “I had no plans to come here, but after getting so many requests, I’m really happy I did.” With dreams of one day choreographing for stars like Hrithik Roshan and Shah Rukh Khan, Mannu’s journey is only just beginning.
(Written by Darshita Jain)