Vivek Dahiya recalls Hrithik’s iconic debut; reveals childhood struggle with exercise myth

Mumbai, Nov 26 (IANS) Known for his works in projects like ‘Yeh Hai Aashiqui’, ‘Kundali Bhagya’, ‘Kavach’, among others actor Vivek Dahiya, who is a self-proclaimed Hrithik Roshan aficionado, has spilled the beans on his fitness journey.

Vivek, who is a contestant in the celebrity dance reality show ‘Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa’, redefined expectations with his blockbuster dance act on ‘Kaho Na Pyaar Hai’, alongside his choreographer, Lipsa Acharya. Despite a start that didn’t go as expected, Vivek has taken it upon himself to turn the tables and leave everyone in awe.

The song is from the 2000 musical romantic thriller ‘Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai’, directed and produced by Rakesh Roshan. It marks the debut of Hrithik and Ameesha Patel.

Speaking about Hrithik, Vivek said: “I was in school when Hrithik Roshan made his debut. I don’t think anyone has had such a stellar debut until now. We were in school when we saw ‘Ek Pal Ka Jeena’ for the first time, and everyone was just buzzing with excitement, saying an international star had arrived.”

“He was a perfect 10, whether it was dance, physique, acting, everything. Hrithik became everyone’s man crush. Seeing him, I started exercising for the first time. However, there’s a myth here in India, a misconception that if you start exercising before a certain age, your height stops growing. So, when I did push-ups, my mom used to say, ‘Don’t do it; you won’t grow taller’. I was like, ‘Mom, I’m already 5’11”!’ So, I used to lock the door and exercise, and I had a loose and baggy school shirt,” said the 39 year old actor.

“I asked for a fitted one at home and they said no. So, I went to the tailor without letting my parents know and got myself a stitched fitted shirt. I used to keep it in my bag and change after going to school. The glasses, side locks, I tried everything because I was such a huge fan of his.”

Astounded by Vivek’s hard work, judge Farah Khan said: “Vivek and Lipsa, it was a very energetic performance. This is exactly what we wanted to see from Vivek. Last time, you did pole dancing, which was wonderful. Today, we got to see something different. Vivek showed us something unique and we are so glad that you did.”

“The energy was mind-blowing. Vivek performed like a hero, and I could see some glimpses of Hrithik there. I would say a little, because Hrithik is another level of perfection. But, I loved the energy; and I felt like getting up and dancing with you guys,” she added.

Adding to the compliments, judge Malaika Arora said: “Vivek, initially we had mentioned that you should work on transitions, and you did it. You were so smooth today. You were enjoying the act and that is the reason we enjoyed it too. It had a lot of fluidity. I can see that you are putting in so much effort. The song lyrics are ‘Kaho Na Pyaar Hai,’ and I will say ‘Kaha Na Pyaar Hai’ (laughs).”

In the ‘Chartbuster Ka Blockbuster’ theme episode the stars will set the stage on fire with their blockbuster performances to iconic Bollywood songs, ranging from classic tunes to the latest chart-toppers, promising a rollercoaster of emotions and jaw-dropping routines.

‘Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa’ airs on Sony.

–IANS

sp/dan