Choreographer Vijay Ganguly has shared contrasting memories of working with Sunny Deol and his father, the late Dharmendra, recalling how the two actors approached dance sequences differently. While Sunny wanted to dance spontaneously rather than follow set choreography for his upcoming film ‘Anthony’, Dharmendra insisted on learning every step during a song shoot for ‘Ikkis’. Ganguly praised both actors for their commitment to understanding what their respective scenes demanded.
Sunny Deol wanted to dance his own way in ‘Anthony’, recalls Vijay Ganguly
Sunny Deol is known for his powerful screen presence and action performances, but choreographed dancing has not traditionally been associated with his onscreen persona. Choreographer Vijay Ganguly, who recently worked with the actor on a song sequence for his upcoming film ‘Anthony’, recalled being nervous when the director told him Sunny would have to dance.Ganguly said an earlier experience at an awards show had left him apprehensive about approaching the actor for a dance performance.“The song is set during a celebration in Goa, where everyone is enjoying a festival. During the celebration, they call Sunny sir to join them, and he comes in,” Ganguly explained to Variety India.He admitted that he was unsure how Sunny would react when the director told him that the sequence required him to dance.“I was scared that Sunny sir wouldn’t agree to dance because during an awards show, he had clearly told me that he wouldn’t dance. So, when the director told me that Sunny sir had to dance for this song, I was quite nervous,” he recalled.
‘I won’t do choreographed dancing’: Sunny Deol wanted to keep it spontaneous
Ganguly said his concerns eased once the team explained the scene and its context to Sunny. The actor understood why the sequence was necessary and agreed to join the celebration, but he wanted to approach the performance in his own style.“We explained the scene and situation to him. I wondered how to tell him he had to come into the middle and dance. But Sunny sir himself said, ‘Okay, I’ll come there, celebrate and dance.’ I immediately told him, ‘Sir, that would be fantastic!’ But he made one thing clear. He said, ‘I won’t do choreographed dancing. I’ll do something of my own, something fun.’ I was happy with that. And that’s exactly what he did. That’s what audiences will see in the film,” Ganguly said.The choreographer added that Sunny’s willingness to participate came from his understanding of what the script required. Recalling the actor’s earlier decision to stay away from a dance performance at an awards show, Ganguly said the circumstances were different this time.“This time, he understood it was a requirement of the script. He is a very intelligent actor and understands exactly what a script demands. He gave it his all, and performed completely from his heart,” he added.
Dharmendra insisted on learning every step during an ‘Ikkis’ song shoot
Ganguly also recalled working with veteran actor Dharmendra on the war drama ‘Ikkis’, released in 2026. One incident from a song shoot in Pune left a lasting impression on the choreographer and the rest of the team.Ganguly remembered that the shoot was taking place at around 2 am. Towards the end of the song, Dharmendra had to get up and dance with his friends. Given the late hour, the team initially expected the actor to perform the sequence naturally, without requiring extensive preparation.“I have worked quite a lot with Dharamji, including his last film, ‘Ikkis.’ I remember we were shooting in Pune at around 2 am. Towards the end of the song, he had to get up and dance with his friends. By the time we reached that part, it was already very late at night. He asked us, ‘What exactly do I have to do?’ We told him, ‘Sir, you just have to get up, enjoy yourself with your friends and dance,’” Ganguly recalled.However, Dharmendra wanted to understand the sequence in detail rather than simply improvise in front of the camera.
‘Why haven’t you given me the lyrics?’: Dharmendra’s dedication left the team stunned
According to Ganguly, Dharmendra immediately asked for the lyrics and wanted the team to teach him the choreography so that he could perform the sequence properly.“He immediately said, ‘Why haven’t you given me the lyrics? Why haven’t you told me what I have to do? Teach me the dance. I want to learn it, and I want to do it well.’ We were absolutely stunned. At his age, and after having accomplished so much in his career, he still wanted to learn everything properly and give his best,” the choreographer said.Ganguly was particularly struck by Dharmendra’s enthusiasm and willingness to work through the steps despite the late-night shoot. He said the actor remained committed to delivering his best even though he was not keeping well at the time.“He immediately started working on the steps. It was remarkable to see someone with so much life and enthusiasm. He wasn’t even keeping well at the time, but he gave it his all,” Ganguly concluded.
Sunny Deol and Dharmendra’s work front
On the work front, Sunny Deol was last seen in Netflix’s ‘Ikka’ alongside Akshaye Khanna and Dia Mirza. He will be seen in Nitesh Tiwari’s ‘Ramayana’ and in the crime thriller, ‘Suryaa: Ant Se Aarambh Tak’, directed by Malayalam filmmaker M. Padmakumar in his Bollywood debut.
