In this episode, Abhay sits down with dance artist Nikita Banawalikar — a Kathak exponent, choreographer, and scholar who seamlessly bridges the gap between ancient tradition and modern storytelling.

Nikita shares why she views Kathak not just as a dance, but as her true "home". She discusses the rigorous journey of becoming a scholar of the arts and offers a fascinating look behind the scenes of choreographing for major films like Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani. From finding inspiration in the mundance to the challenge of "unlearning" technical precision for the camera, this conversation explores how to maintain artistic purity while embracing evolution.

In this episode, Nikita shares insights on:

• How to find inspiration for art in everyday life, architecture, and nature.
• The reality of film choreography and making actors shine on screen.
• The impact of digitalization on classical arts and the debate between social media reach vs. live experience.
• Why "embracing innocence" is the key to staying authentic as an artist.

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Connect with Nikita :
https://www.instagram.com/nikkitakathak/

#Kathak #NikitaBanawalikar #BollywoodChoreography #IndianClassicalDance #TrustMeIKnowWhatImDoing #DanceEducation #RockyAurRani #ArtisticJourney

CHAPTERS:

00:00 – Introduction and Welcome
03:13 – Living the Dream: When a Hobby Becomes a Profession
05:07 – Finding Inspiration in Nature, People, and even Mumbai Traffic
08:17 – The Integrated Life: Does an Artist Ever "Shut Off"?
10:08 – The Process of Falling in Love with Kathak
13:16 – Building Confidence
16:11 – Learning and Growth with Kathak
19:21 – Sponsor Break: Travelopod
20:26 – Digitalization: Teaching and Performing Post-COVID
22:57 – Live Performance vs. Social Media: The Purist Debate
26:46 – Film Choreography: Working on Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani
29:53 – Unlearning for the Commercial Screen
34:26 – The Future of Kathak: Evolution, Purity, and New Narratives
40:09 – Discipline and Observation: How Dance Shapes the Person
43:27 – Embracing Innocence and Sensitivity

Shout out to my cousins Vaishali Potdar from Nupur Kathak Academy and Vedashri Mahajan in Australia and anyone else out there who is learning, teaching, and promoting this dance art!

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Trust Me I Know What I'm Doing | Dr. Abhay Dandekar
A mirror and window for global Indians and South Asians through conversation.
Every week, we share chats with artists, leaders, musicians, chefs, experts, change makers, and innovators from the home and diaspora - sharing their journeys and motivations.

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For enquiries 📧 Email : info@abhaydandekar.com
About TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'm DOING:
My name is Abhay Dandekar and I share conversations with talented and interesting individuals linked to the global Indian and South Asian community. It’s informal and informative, adding insights and perspective to our evolving cultural expressions, where each person can proudly say “TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I’m DOING.” New episodes weekly!

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https://abhaydandekar.transistor.fm/

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