Key Highlights:
- Choreographer Ganesh Acharya collaborated with Anil Kapoor for the first time on a qawwali for India Ke Top 1%.
- The song "Baat Khatki Toh Jeet Pakki" has gone viral, praised by Acharya as culturally rooted with a lasting hook.
- Acharya says he visualised the on-screen energy the moment he heard the track.
- This marked Anil Kapoor's first-ever qawwali performance on screen.
- India Ke Top 1% is the Indian adaptation of the globally successful format The 1% Club, airing on Star Plus and JioHotstar since September 5.
A First-Time Collaboration Turns Viral
Choreographer Ganesh Acharya has spoken about his experience directing and choreographing a qawwali performance for actor Anil Kapoor, marking the first time the two have worked together, for the reality show "India Ke Top 1%." The song, "Baat Khatki Toh Jeet Pakki," has since gone viral, drawing widespread appreciation for both its composition and Kapoor's energetic performance.
What Acharya Said About the Song's Appeal
Acharya described the song as culturally rooted, noting that it carries a hook that stays with audiences long after they've heard it. He revealed that his creative vision for the track came together instantly. "The moment I heard it, I could visualise the energy and celebration we could create on screen," he said, pointing to a fairly immediate creative instinct that shaped the final on-screen execution.
Why This Pairing Stands Out
Qawwali as a musical form carries its own performance grammar, rhythmic hand gestures, call-and-response energy, and a build toward collective euphoria, that doesn't always translate easily to a performer's established screen persona. Acharya's comments suggest the challenge here was less about teaching Kapoor a new form and more about adapting that form around Kapoor's already well-known "jhakaas" energy, a term inseparable from his decades-long screen identity. That approach, rather than asking Kapoor to conform entirely to traditional qawwali performance style, appears to be what allowed the collaboration to read as authentic rather than forced.
Acharya on Finally Working With Kapoor
Acharya shared that working with Kapoor had been a long-standing ambition. "I had wanted to work with Anil sir for a long time, and I'm glad Star Plus brought us together for India Ke Top 1 percent," he said. He added that since this was Kapoor's first qawwali performance, the two worked to create something that complemented his established style rather than sitting apart from it. "His infectious energy elevated our vision and turned the song into a celebration," Acharya said.
The Show Behind the Song
The qawwali was created for "India Ke Top 1%," the Indian adaptation of the internationally successful reality format "The 1% Club," which has previously aired in countries including the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Greece, Australia, Israel, Turkey, Ukraine, Mexico and the United States. Speaking about the show's format on August 7, Kapoor had noted that its challenges test observation, logic, presence of mind and the ability to remain calm under pressure, rather than relying purely on factual knowledge.
A Format Designed for Every Living Room
Announcing the show's premiere, Kapoor had said he was thrilled to see "India Ke Top 1%" launch on September 5, describing the grand scale of its launch event as adding to the significance of the announcement. The format's core appeal, as previously outlined by its creators, lies in its accessibility: rather than testing how much a participant knows, it tests how they think, a design intended to let people of all ages play along from home and turn ordinary living rooms into shared family game nights.
Where to Watch
"India Ke Top 1%" airs on Star Plus and is also available for streaming on JioHotstar, giving audiences access to both the show's quiz-based format and its now-viral qawwali moment featuring Anil Kapoor.