The New Indian Express ·
Vikas Paudel: Hyderabad has a lot of crazy talent
Music changes, moods shift, and Vikas Paudel lets his choreography do the same. From the tender notes of Channa Ve to the swagger of Laila Teri, his routines have moved through different moods while carving out a style of their own. Alongside Team Parindey, a group of close friends and collaborators, he continues to explore new creative spaces. Ahead of his workshop in Hyderabad on September 13 at Prerrna Jain’s Dance and Fitness Studio, Banjara Hills, the choreographer chats with CE about his journey, finding his flow, the city’s dance community, and what keeps him moving.
Behind that momentum is a journey that began much before the spotlight found him. Reflecting on what has stayed with him through the years, Vikas says, “For any artist, the biggest lesson that they learn throughout their journey is patience. I’ve been dancing since 2014, but I started earning properly in 2023. From 2014 to 2023, there was just hope and consistency without any outcome. We were the first pioneers of the workshop scene when it blew up. The market is very volatile, but you have to remind yourself of one thing: patience. Keep that and things will follow.”
Having travelled to Hyderabad regularly over the last few years, Vikas has also formed a clear impression of the city’s dancers and its potential. He explains, “Hyderabad has a lot of crazy talent. Because I have been coming here for the last three years. And the amount of talent I have seen is crazy and amazing.”
Describing how he brings different influences together through his choreography, he shares, “My choreography is 50 percent steps and the rest 50 percent is how I play with the music and bring authenticity and creativity to the choreography. I am doing the same steps as everyone else, but not like everyone else. So that gives me an advantage with my style.”
His creative process, however, is not always as calculated as one might imagine. Sometimes, the routines that take the longest to perfect are not the ones that connect with audiences. Recalling how one of his popular choreographies came together, he recalls, “The Channa Ve choreo that went viral was the fourth draft. I made the first draft with the team and changed it because I didn’t like it. I kept changing the choreography, and during the fourth draft, I realised that when I create a choreography quickly, I create something authentic. That is when I just posted it on social media, and later it blew up. The rest is history.” (smiles)
The pressure that comes with going viral has brought its own share of self-doubt. Talking about what helped him stay grounded after experiencing success, he notes, “It is easy to reach the top, but it is very difficult to stay there.” Instead of dwelling on uncertainty, he chose to focus on consistency and give himself time to grow into the space he had entered.
Talking about what inspired him to bring Team Parindey together, Vikas concludes, “It was my gift to the team. Whenever you get something, for example, if you have food on your table, if you learn how to share, because the more you share, the more you get. My vision was: if I am getting virality and people are loving me, I want people to love my team as well.”
For Vikas, dance continues to be as much about discovery as it is about performance. From packed workshops and evolving routines to friendships that keep him grounded, his journey reflects a constant desire to create, learn, and share. As the music changes and new songs arrive, he keeps finding fresh ways to make every movement feel distinctly his own.