UNESCO created International Dance Day has been celebrated every year on April 29 since 1982. The significance of the day is to promote dance in all forms and in lieu of the same, we decided to revisit some Kollywood movies which are either centered around the art form or have given significant importance to dance in their plot. Here are our findings: 

 

1. Kaadhalan (1994)

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This Shankar directed film launched a well known dancer named Prabhu Deva as an actor and hence it is no wonder that the film is even today remembered for its exemplary choreography. Besides the killer moves Prabhu Deva displayed in Mukkala Mukkabla and dancing atop a moving bus in Urvasi Urvasi, the then budding choreographer also showed his skills in traditional dance form in scenes such as below.

 

 

Kaadhalan may not be a dance movie as such but it is an undeniable fact that dance is an integral part of this classic movie. 

 

2. Salangai Oli (1983)

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Before the dominance of Prabhu Deva in the dance department, the actor who was synonymous with the art form in Tamil cinema was Kamal Haasan and Salangai Oli can be considered his one ode to it. Originally a Telugu movie which was dubbed into Tamil, Malayalam and Russian, the plot follows a classically trained dancer and the ups and downs he faces in professional and personal life.

 

 

3. Thillana Mohanambal (1968)

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One of Tamil cinema's earliest films which threw light on dance and music as an art form, Thillana Mohanambal starring Sivaji Ganesan and Padmini is a cult classic that remains relevant even after half a century since release. The movie was adapted from Kothamangalam Subbu's novel of the same name and follows a love story between a nadaswaram player and a Bharathanatiyam dancer. 

 

 

Thillana Mohanbal's director Gnana Rajasekaran once said about the film saying that "minute attention was paid to creating the characters of dancers, their mothers and even their teachers". 

 

4. Karakattakkaran (1989)

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Another oldie but goldie, the movie was based on the the dance form Karagattam and the story was set among people who performed the art.

 

 

5. Paadum Vaanampadi (1985)

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One more movie from the 80s which focused on dance as an art form, Paadum Vaampadi was the official Tamil remake of Hindi blockbuster Disco Dancer and follows the story of a performer who rises from rags to a popular disco dancer.

 

 

6. Sangamam (1999)

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What could be called a modern day Thillana Mohanmbal, Sangamam starring Rahman and then newcomer Vindhya was themed with the dispute between two forms of dance styles - the classical Bharathanatiyam and the rural folk dance.

  

 

7. Style / Lakshyam (2006)

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Raghava Lawrence who had gained prominence through his dance movies in Unnai Kodu Ennai Tharuven and Paarthen Rasithen in 2000, delivered a Telugu blockbuster dance movie which was written and directed by him. The movie was dubbed in Tamil as Lakshyam but even the Tamil audience preferred to refer the film by its original name Style.   

 

 

Style also starred Prabhu Deva in a key role and follows the journey of a dancer who looses his legs and goes on to take his rival through his dance students. 

 

8. Laksmi (2018)

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For someone who is a famed choreographer, Prabhu Deva has done few movies in Tamil which focus solely on dance as an art form and Lakshmi is one of them. Written and directed by A.L. Vijay, the movie follows the story of a 10 year old who aspires to get into a top league dance competition, only to discover that dancing is in her genes.