Kriti Mahesh, national award winner, on quitting investment career for dance after father's last wish

Life's plans do not always work out. Sometimes destiny leads a person down another road, and that road becomes the mark of success. The journey of National Award-winning choreographer Kriti Mahesh is much like that. After higher studies abroad, she wanted a career in investment, but she honoured her father's wish, stepped into the world of dance and went on to make a distinct name for herself in it.

On a special podcast called "Navdurga", recorded for Sharadiya Navratri, Kriti Mahesh spoke about her struggles, her success, memories of her father and her experiences in Bollywood. She also gave women an inspiring message.

Kriti said she completed her postgraduate studies in London. She held a higher degree and meant to work in the investment sector. But her father's health worsened and she had to return to India. Back home, she began spending time with him. The first season of "Dance India Dance" was then on air, and Kriti and her father used to watch it together. While watching the show, her father advised her to try her luck in dance.

Kriti felt it would not be right to decide suddenly on a career in dance after so much study. She had loved dancing since childhood but had never seen it as a professional career. No one in her family was in the field, so she had no idea what to do next.

The most emotional memory of Kriti's life is her father's last wish. After his death, she decided to audition for the second season of "Dance India Dance" in order to fulfil it. She thought that even if she was not selected, she had her studies and could take another job. But she cleared many rounds, including the first, second and third, and was selected for the second season. An unexpected turn then came in her life.

After selection, Kriti joined "Terence ki Toli", the team of noted choreographer Terence Lewis. She got to work with many talented dancers there, and her confidence in dance grew. She said she had learnt classical dance since childhood and had also practised western styles and, to some extent, gymnastics. After the reality show, she decided to give dance her full time for the next one or two years, not as a hobby but with complete effort, focus and dedication.

Around then, a call came from the team of noted choreographer Remo D'Souza offering her a chance to work on a project. Although she had not done that kind of work before, she accepted. Her view was that she had new things to learn and had to use every opportunity that came.

The song "Balam Pichkari" from the Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone film "Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani" was an important milestone in her career. According to Kriti, as viewers we watch a song and call it good or bad, but how much effort goes into making one became clear only on the set. A large number of dancers, assistant directors, assistant choreographers, costume designers and technical staff were working there. She was impressed to see the effort, time and skill of so many people go into a song of just three or four minutes, and the experience deepened her interest in choreographing for films.

She then got a chance to work as a team captain on "Dance India Dance Little Masters". She was stunned by the dance talent in children of five or six. The show demanded hard work, and at times she had to work 16 hours at a stretch. Even so, working with the children was a lovely and satisfying experience, Kriti said.

A very important turning point in her life was a call from Sanjay Leela Bhansali's office. While she was working on an event, she was asked to meet at Bhansali's office. Kriti said that on getting the call she felt she had achieved a big success in life. Bhansali had seen her work and liked it. He spoke to her about giving her the responsibility of choreography on a new project. But because of the schedules of the television programmes she was working on at the time, she could not take it up.

Kriti was greatly disappointed at losing the chance to work with Bhansali. She worried whether such a big opportunity would come again. She said she cried for three or four months afterwards. Even so, she did not stop working and carried on, working as an assistant on films.

Some time later she got a chance to join the work on "Bajirao Mastani". During rehearsals for the film, she learnt that Sanjay Leela Bhansali was about to arrive. About two years had passed since their first meeting, so she wondered whether Bhansali would recognise her. But he recognised her the moment he saw her. Kriti was amazed that he remembered her name even after two years. She said Bhansali's memory and attention to the finer points of work are remarkable.

Working on the songs "Pinga" and "Deewani Mastani" from "Bajirao Mastani" was a memorable experience for Kriti. She won the National Award for the choreography of "Deewani Mastani" and expressed her joy at it. She recalled that Sanjay Leela Bhansali had praised her contribution while giving credit for the work. According to Kriti, it was a mark of the greatness of a director of Bhansali's stature that he noticed her work and appreciated it in front of everyone.

Soon after "Bajirao Mastani", Kriti again got a call from Sanjay Leela Bhansali's office. She was spoken to about a new film and its choreography. She described her experience of working on traditional folk dances and dance compositions with a historical background, and also mentioned the effort that went into presenting the Rajasthani Ghoomar dance. From this experience, she said, choreography is not just arranging steps; understanding the culture, tradition and history behind a dance form is just as important.

On the podcast, Kriti also explained the thinking behind the name of her company, "Kali". The goddess Kali is often seen in a fierce form, but on reading more about her, Kriti came to understand the creative power and wider meaning behind that form. It was with this thinking that she chose the name "Kali" for her company.

In her message to women on the occasion of Navratri, Kriti Mahesh spoke of valuing one's own happiness. She said that one should not keep compromising in life, but should recognise what gives one happiness and strive for it. Her message was: "Only when you are happy yourself can you keep others happy too. So do whatever gives you happiness."

Kriti took her first step into dance at her father's wish, and with hard work, determination and faith in her art, she made the journey to a National Award. Her journey is an inspiration for young women of the new generation.