You’ve probably had someone send you the video on WhatsApp or you’ve seen it on some other social media platform: the dancing uncle (there is no other word for the rotund, balding man of a certain age)? You’ve been astonished by his uninhibited performance or delighted by his moves – ergo he is a viral phenomenon on social media. Here’s what it’s all about:
Well over two lakh views, 12 thousand likes and thousands of retweets! The dancing uncle caught everyone's fancy and became a viral sensation in no time!
The first video is to the tune of Govinda’s main se meena se from Khudgarz; movie from a time when the hero and heroine routinely performed vigorous synchronised dance steps seemingly for no-one (because love). There is more of the ‘seeti-maar’ performance of the uncle with the latent Govinda streak – chadhti jawani from Caravan.
People love his moves, his complete confidence, his lack of inhibition and the fact that he is thoroughly enjoying himself! Plus there is an auntie in the background – a necessary prop in all of uncle’s videos – who appears torn between pride and embarrassment. She is lovingly indulgent enough to join in now and then.
He is Sanjeev Srivastav from Madhya Pradesh. He is an assistant professor of electronics in an engineering institute in Bhopal. His students must be so proud!
There he is again; this time at home instead of a wedding stage; but his smiling indulgent wife still in the frame with him. The uncle doing his moves to soni de nakhre has been into dancing since the early 80s. His mother has been a classical dancer and ‘dance is a god gifted talent in me’ he says modestly. He also won MP's best dancer award three times in Bhopal; in the pre-reality-show era.
Some days back, he was at a relative's wedding when this video was shot. Somehow it caught the fancy of people on social media and the rest is history. Uncle is mindful of the sudden, accidental stardom thrust upon him; something that eluded him all the time that he tried to make it as a dancer.
He’s a performer alright! He is very expressive, he engages with his audience and he’s clearly having a blast on that stage!
Where there is an action, there is also reaction! This is how inspired Deep Brar a dancer from USA was! Watch the glamorous Deep copy him move for move!
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