Ganesh Acharya on Choreographing Anil Kapoor's Qawwali
Choreographer Ganesh Acharya opens up on directing Anil Kapoor's viral qawwali "Baat Khatki Toh Jeet Pakki" for India Ke Top 1%, calling it a celebration of his jhakaas style.
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.
