Steps of success

Those sitting in the room waiting for a ‘celebrity’ to come in were pleasantly surprised by the sprightly entry of the diminutive dynamo. Dressed in a bright red ganji and denims,the 10-year-old cherubic kid looked pensive and kept throwing furtive glances at the audience. At the sight of any friendly smile,his face would burst into a dimpled toothy grin. But he settled in soon and got down to facing questions.

So how does he manage school between the shoots? “I ask my teacher if I can skip school and go for the shoots. If she permits,then I take a break and finish shooting. Later,I cover up by borrowing notes from my friends.” What transpires in the background of these shows is intense practice and hectic schedules. “When shooting is on,my day typically starts at 5 am. I get to the set by 7 am and the practice and other activities sometimes go on till midnight.”

Ruturaj has made quite a mark in his television outings. Apart from his impressive streak in DID ,he has previously won the Boogie Woogie and Dum Duma Dum dance shows. Successful stints in such shows open up opportunities to perform at award functions and other television shows of the concerned channels. Ruturaj is also well-known and loved for his expressive face while performing,landing the moniker of ‘Chota Govinda’ for himself. “My favourite actor and dancer is also Govinda,” he smiles,adding,“I am not scared of any of the finalists. They are all good and strong competitors.” New-found fame must be quite a change from the usual quiet,normal lifestyle for someone so young. “I feel very happy when people approach me to take photographs or ask for autographs. I started dancing when I was in Std I. But,I live a very normal life as far as school is concerned. I love tiffin-time with my friends. I also play a lot of cricket,which is my favourite sport,” he chirps.

The future for this little dance master looks bright,with arc lights shining on. Naturally,an entertainment career beckons him. He nods vigorously when asked if he wants to be a choreographer like his ‘skipper’ Dharmesh Yelande. “I want to work with Remo (D’souza). And,” he quickly flits his eyes around and adds,“I want to be an actor too!” The hall erupts in affectionate laughter.