Shiamak Davar, that talented dancer, singer, choreographer, spiritual guru, etc. is 59 today. A Happy Birthday to him. I know him for 34 years. And I won’t forget the first time we met. He came to my newspaper office for an interview. He had just got his first role in theatre. As the Argentine revolutionary Che Guevara in Alyque Padamsee’s musical ‘Evita’. He came to unburden his excitement onto me.
A tall, gangly Parsi with a sharp and angular face, sad eyes, unruly black hair. I thought he looked like an undernourished Sylvester Stallone. “Not Al Pacino?” he asked, hurt. My office was besieged by a rowdy group of right-wing political types. We had been uncomplimentary about their party in print. They were here to make us eat our words. “May I help?” Shiamak said in concern. “How?” I asked. “By dancing and distracting them!” he replied
Experience with Shiamak
Many years later I recall Shiamak calling me from Davos in Switzerland. He was performing at the World Economic Forum. The Hollywood actor Michael Douglas was there. Shiamak got him to call his wife, that gorgeous Welsh actress Catherine Zeta-Jones, so that he might talk to her. Breathlessly he then called me to Mumbai. And put Douglas on the line! He’s always been a scream, absentmindedly vague and delightfully crazy, but emotionally soft and endearingly sensitive.
The early years of our friendship were spent dancing at discos and catching a bite at some small eatery near where we both worked. He was then and still is, an absolutely amazing dancer. Like magic on the floor. Wild, exciting, entertaining. Avante garde but aesthetic. A contemporary dancer with old-world moves. But Shiamak cannot do that sort of social dancing now. Unless he’s at somebody’s Lagan or Navjote and feels the urge to impulsively shake a leg.
Age and maturity have set it. And now he doesn’t dance but performs – on stage. For governments, corporate houses, social causes, Bollywood award nights, world platforms meant for kings, presidents, and religious leaders.
Shiamak Davar’s work
His Shiamak Davar Dance Company has trained young dancers with happy expressions and sinful bodies to put up dazzling shows with scintillating costumes and spectacular props and take his message across the world.
And what is Shiamak’s message? Everybody who’s got feet will dance. But when the dancing comes from the Soul and not the Sole, that person’s spirit gets free, they connect with their inner self and become spiritually enlightened. I’ve seen it happen. Through his Victory Arts Foundation Shiamak influences the old and infirm, the physically handicapped and visually impaired, the underprivileged, and those with special needs, to get off their sickbeds and wheelchairs and dance like there’s no tomorrow. Making winners out of those with no hope in life.
His vision
Shiamak also has a mission. To teach dance free in schools. Make it compulsory, like PT. He calls it his Happiness Project. If a person is happy, they feel uplifted. And dance makes one happy. He came close to delivering free lessons during the Covid lockdown on Zoom. Millions took his online classes. Especially people in the metros of India, and international cities like Vancouver, Toronto, New York, New Jersey, London, the Midlands, Dubai, and Melbourne where he had classes that were closed for the pandemic.
Somewhere he owes his fame to Bollywood. His Shiamak Style of Dancing has been brought to life by Bollywood’s best. They give meaning to his choreography in films, at award functions, opening ceremonies for sporting events, ad films, on international socio-political stages, at glamorous wedding sangeets, charity shows.
Getting in Bollywood
He was reluctant to get into Bollywood. Shah Rukh Khan, whose wife Gauri was Shiamak’s student, told him, “If you want to be known, get into films, show the world what you are all about. Otherwise only South Bombay will know you.”
Shiamak’s Mother
I also like Shiamak because he’s crazy about his mother Puran Davar. She’s 98 and is the No. 1 person in his universe. She’s at his every show. From Australia to Canada, the UK to the UAE, and Germany to Singapore. The mother’s undying goal and pride are to see her son perform. She is the first person Shiamak looks for in a darkened auditorium when he comes on stage. Does that make him a Mama’s Boy? Not in my book. Anybody who is proud and happy to openly show their affection for their old mothers is my friend for life. And Shiamak is that.
About Mark Manuel
The above thoughts/content has been proudly copied from the wall of Sir Mark Manuel. Being interviewing almost every role model of this country and going stronger each day. Mark Manuel is a respected Mumbai editor, writer, and columnist.
With over three decades of journalism in leading publications. This includes the Free Press Journal, Times, Dainik Bhaskar, Mid-Day, and Afternoon. He is famous for his brilliant pen interviews. He himself is a TEDx speaker.
Further
His interviews have featured in several leading media houses. They include the Hindustan Times, Huffington Post, BBC, and Network 18. Almost every famous person has been interviewed by him. In the country from Mother Teresa to Muhammad Ali. His first book is just out. It’s titled Moryaa Re! It is a crime thriller that is perhaps the country’s first police procedural. He began his career covering crime. And in a tribute to his experience and knowledge of this beat.
Several distinguished officers of the Mumbai Police and its Crime Branch collaborated with him to make this book possible. In a statement of friendship for Mark Manuel and admiration for his work, Amitabh Bachchan wrote the forward.
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