EXCLUSIVE: Bosco Martis opens up on choreographing for Ranbir Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor’s next

Bosco Martis

Bosco Martis, one of Bollywood's top choreographers with numerous hits to his credit, is all set to make his directorial debut with ‘Rocket Gang' starring Aditya Seal and Nikita Dutta. But that doesn't mean he's bid goodbye to choreography. He's currently working on Luv Ranjan's next starring Ranbir Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor. In an exclusive chat with mid-day.com, Bosco tells us all about his film, his memorable dance numbers and how he did justice to Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff dancing in one frame!

How did you pull off the shoot of your directorial debut ‘Rocket Gang' during the pandemic?
It's been a blessing in disguise. Whenever there was a roadblock, the almighty gave us time to revisit the film. We have five grown-ups and five kids, and the cast fit in perfectly. I was a bit nervous because the kids were growing up and the pandemic hit us twice while trying to complete the shoot. It was not easy, but now we are part of history that our film was made during the pandemic. I hope we never have such a situation again but it was a learning experience for all. The film is a horror fantasy and a dance film. I had great support from Zee Studios.

How have you been balancing choreography and direction?
Now that I have completed my film, I'm loaded with many songs. I don't want to miss out on that world and disappoint my actor friends. The next three months are packed with songs, so it's going to be fun. I'm the kind of person who can just wake up and start shooting a song. it's not a pressure for me.

Which film will we see you choreographing for next?
I'm choreographing for Luv Ranjan's film with Ranbir Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor at the moment. We have been shooting for some time now and they are great to work with, I'm excited to see the reaction to their songs. There are some other films but I can't talk about them yet. Ranbir is someone I love working with because of the energy we share, be it 'Rockstar' or 'Wake up Sid!' Shahid Kapoor, Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff are also actors who are fun yet challenging to work with because they are perfectionists and really make you think out of the box and create something unusual.

Having worked on so many songs over the years, how do you ensure each one looks different?
The actors push you and push the bar. The end result is worth all the effort we put into each song.

Though Caesar (Gonsalves) and you have split professionally you keep coming back to work together on films like Chhichhore and War…
It's like a husband and wife relationship, whenever required we are always there. It's more friendship rather than work. Don't take it like it's a split, he's done a couple of songs for my film too. It's never been that he's not a part of my life or my work.

Which song has been most challenging to pull off?
‘Pashmina' from ‘Fitoor' was challenging for Katrina (Kaif) and I. I challenged myself visually and Katrina worked hard on changing the ‘Chikni Chameli' vibe and looking elegant while pulling off contemporary moves. It's one of my finest songs. Of course you can't beat ‘Jai Jai Shiv Shankar' from War. It had two Greek Gods dancing and just felt fulfilling.

Speaking of ‘Jai Jai Shiv Shankar', how did you ensure both Hrithik and Tiger get equal attention and the right moves?
As a choreographer and song director, a lot of character needs to be shown while working with such talented actors. You can't look like you are not in sync with them. Every step could be discussed for hours but when the actors have faith in you, it sails through well! Sometimes shoots can come to a standstill if there are disagreements but here everything went off well. Hrithik, even though he was injured, gave the song more than his hundred percent. Tiger has also matched that capacity.

Has your experience as a choreographer helped with your new journey as a director too?
Definitely! My 20 years in choreography came into play here. I'm also glad it took me that much time to become a director. I've seen my contemporaries become directors; some of their films were hits, some flops… but having said that, it's not easy to take the plunge into direction. I'm glad I took time and the opportunity didn't come easily. The experience of f choreographing such great stars helped me tell a story, the transition has been smooth.

Also read: Choreographer Bosco: Idea is to lend a fantastical feel to story