Explainer: Strange rules of Bollywood songs, background dancers cannot dance better than the hero, what is the real reason behind this?

Why are there rules for background dancer: Even today in India, most of the songs from Bollywood films are heard and watched. However, whenever we watch any big or mega budget song of a Bollywood film, our eyes first go to the stars. His steps, expressions and screen presence are considered the strength of the entire song. But if you look carefully, a large number of background dancers are also seen dancing with him in the same pace and rhythm. Many times it is seen that these dancers dance so well that even the actors and actresses look more clean and energetic. Still, you would rarely have seen a background dancer stealing more limelight than the hero. The reason for this is not only the camera, but the strange rules of the film industry. If a background dancer tries to dance better than necessary, he is interrupted. Many times there is scolding and even the frame is changed if necessary. Why does this happen? Not just stardom, but the thinking and techniques of the industry work behind this.

People’s attention should not be diverted from the stars

The biggest face in any film is the hero or heroine. Film producers and directors spend crores of rupees and sign big stars so that people come to the theater to see them. In such a situation, if a background dancer standing behind starts shining too much during the song, then people’s attention will unknowingly go towards him. In the language of film making, this is called ‘stealing the frame’. That is, despite being present in the camera, some other artist should draw the focus of the main character. This is the reason why choreographers always take care that the energy and performance of the background dancers does not go beyond the main character. Their job is to make the frame look good, not to be the hero of the frame.

Choreographer says, use a little less energy

The shooting of big Bollywood songs starts many days before, rehearsals are also done for it. During this time the choreographer gives different orders to each dancer. Background dancers are clearly told that the steps have to be done exactly right, not to show too many good expressions beyond the start. A big reason for this is that not every superstar knows dance professionally. Many artists try to win the hearts of fans with their style and screen presence. If the dancers standing behind him become visible due to their talent, then the hero’s dance on the screen will become weak. That is why many times choreographers tell background dancers during rehearsals to control their energy. If a dancer continues to perform well, he is made to step back or even the position of the camera is changed. The purpose of these rules is not to suppress anyone’s talent, but to make the entire song look good visually.

Where do these strange rules apply?

Shooting of big Bollywood songs is not only done in front of the camera but its preparation starts many days in advance. Dozens of background dancers and stars rehearse for hours for each song. During this, not only the dance steps are rehearsed but it is also decided who will give how much and what kind of expression, who will use what body language and whose gaze will go towards the camera at what time. The biggest job of a choreographer is to make all the dancers look perfect. If one of the 30 dancers appears more energetic or different from the rest, then the balance of the entire frame begins to appear off. Therefore, during the rehearsal itself, they are told that their aim is not to show their talent, but to make the start look good. This is the reason why even very talented dancers sometimes deliberately use their full skills.

DOP and choreographer decide everything

The use of camera in Bollywood songs is done very thoughtfully. The DOP and choreographer decide in advance who the camera will focus on in which shot and where the people should focus. Even though background dancers are visible in a wide shot, the visual center of the camera is always on the main character. During this time, if any background dancer moves excessively or starts giving different expressions from the other dancers, then the eyes of the audience focus on him. This changes the entire visual focus of the song. This is the reason why in films, the steps of background dancers are often kept repetitive and limited, while the most attractive ‘hook step’ is prepared for the hero or heroine. This strategy is made so that people can focus only on the stars.

Background dancers work hardest

The background dancers put in a lot of hard work behind these big songs of Bollywood. For this they rehearse continuously for many hours. During shooting, the same step is rehearsed again and again. Many times they practice for hours under the scorching sun, heavy costumes and hot studio lights. Despite doing so much, their identity gets lost somewhere. The special thing is that many of these dancers are of national and international level. Their looks and fitness are better than the hero-heroine in many ways. But in this profession one has to control one’s talent. Many choreographers who have worked in the industry for a long time have also revealed in interviews that the biggest talent of a background dancer is that they not only have to dance well but maintain composure in front of the camera. It is this professionalism that keeps them stable in the industry.

The star has to appear bigger than himself

The rule of not allowing background dancers to dance better than the hero may seem strange at first glance, but as commercial films go, it is a well-thought-out strategy. Singing in films is not just dance but it is also a means of increasing the popularity of the star. Therefore, the entire team together creates such an atmospheric frame in which people’s attention goes only to the main character again and again. This is the reason why these dancers control their talent instead of showing it. They know that their real job is not to shine themselves but to make the star appear bigger.

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