Jaideep Ahlawat steals the spotlight with bhangra at IFFM 2025

Jaideep Ahlawat knows how to surprise a crowd. At the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne this weekend, he stepped onto the stage for the Remitly IFFM Dance Competition and ended up becoming the highlight of the evening. The moment was not planned! Judges Malaika Arora and Mukesh Chhabra were trying to follow along with the bhangra dancers on stage when Jaideep Ahlawat decided to join in and within seconds, the focus shifted to him.

Fans cheer Jaideep Ahlawat’s surprise dance in Melbourne

The video shared by the festival shows exactly why. While Mukesh and Malaika moved carefully through the steps, Jaideep burst in with sharp, confident moves that looked natural to him. The audience picked up on the shift right away. Malaika clapped and laughed on stage, while the crowd began chanting for an encore. It was light, playful and real, the kind of moment that spreads quickly online.

This is not the first time Jaideep has pulled off a dance that made people sit up. Back in April, he went viral for his performance to the Jewel Thief track Jaadu. That clip showed him in full swing, enjoying the music without worrying about polish. The Melbourne video feels like a continuation of that same energy, except this time the setting was more formal and the response even louder.

Fans have had a field day in the comments. Some admitted they barely noticed Malaika once Jaideep started moving. Others joked about his sudden entry and praised his spirit. A few went further, calling for more dance numbers in his films. The responses reflect something simple: people enjoy seeing a star let loose without pretence.

What made the moment work was not just skill but spontaneity. Jaideep did not overthink it. He was standing by, waiting, then suddenly jumped in. The steps came out clean and lively, not rehearsed. That kind of ease is hard to fake, and it is what made the crowd cheer for him. Beyond the dance floor, the festival also recognised Jaideep for his acting. He won the Best Actor award for his role as Inspector Hathiram Chaudhary in Paatal Lok Season 2. 

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