Hyderabad: Mumbai may have seen many talents rise from Bengal, and one such rising star is Mekhola Bose. Granddaughter of legendary Bengali actor Soumitra Chatterjee, Mekhola is making waves in both the dance and acting world. After creating a stir with her performances in the Hindi film Yeh Ballet and the web series Waack Girls, she's now set to represent India at the prestigious Waacking World Festival in Peru. In a conversation with ETV Bharat, Mekhola shares her journey, dreams, and reflections.
Q: You're representing India at the Waacking World Festival - how are preparations coming along?
Mekhola: Team India has received an invitation to participate in the competition in Peru. Right now, we're looking for sponsors and will begin full preparations in a few days. We're currently working on creating a pitch for potential sponsors while our dance practice continues as usual.
Q: You've established yourself in Mumbai - why don't audiences in Kolkata see you as much?
Mekhola: It's not exactly like that. I started working in Kolkata from the age of 16. But now I'm exploring opportunities in other places too. Alongside, I'm learning and working on different kinds of projects.
Q: As a dancer, what is the scope like in Mumbai?
Mekhola: There's a lot of respect for dancers in Mumbai, as it happens in big industries. There are excellent opportunities here too. But of course, it all depends on hard work - if you work hard, there's both recognition and scope.
Q: Between dance and acting, which one are you more passionate about?
Mekhola: Right now, I love both equally. A dancer needs an athlete's athleticism, an actor's emotion and believability, and a model's sense of aesthetics - dance brings everything together. That's why I value both art forms.
Q: When did you start learning dance?
Mekhola: Since 2011. I learned from my crew members, then attended workshops with international dancers. I also learned a lot from my friends in the national dance scene.
Q: Did your grandfather get to watch any of your films or series?
Mekhola: Yes, he watched Yeh Ballet on Netflix. But unfortunately, he wasn't around by the time Whack Girls was released, so he couldn't watch that.
Q: Would you like to work in Bengal again?
Mekhola: Of course, why not! I'm very interested and would love to.
Q: Nowadays, dance reality shows seem to focus more on gymnastics than actual dance. What's your opinion?
Mekhola: Honestly, I don't have any specific opinion about this, so I'd prefer not to comment.
Q: Being the granddaughter of a legendary actor, has that been more of an advantage or a challenge for you?
Mekhola: For me, it's always been neutral. I never really faced any particular advantage or disadvantage because of that. People have always seen me as a regular person, and I'm grateful for that.
Q: Did you ever get acting tips from your grandfather?
Mekhola: No, actually. I started acting quite recently. Whenever I needed advice, I usually asked my mother. Though I had many conversations with my grandfather, we never really discussed acting.
Q: After choreographing for One directed by Birsa Dasgupta, have you worked with other directors?
Mekhola: Yes, I'm in talks for a new project. But it's too early to reveal details.
Q: Your favourite Bollywood actor and actress?
Mekhola: Karisma Kapoor and Paresh Rawal.
- About Waacking
Waacking is a style of street dance that originated in the disco era of the 1970s within the LGBTQ+ clubs of Los Angeles. The Waacking World Festival is a global celebration of this unique form, and this year, India will be led by none other than Mekhola Bose - a proud daughter of Kolkata and a fast-rising icon of Indian dance.
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