Celebrated choreographer Krunal Soni, known for creating energetic and memorable dance numbers like ‘Bol Mari Ambe Jay Jay Ambe’, ‘Veri Vichhudo’, and several other popular tracks, turns a year older today. Over the years, Krunal has carved a special place for himself in the entertainment industry with his unique choreography style, dedication, and passion for dance. From starting dance classes on the terrace of his flat to becoming a well-known name in the Gujarati entertainment industry, his journey has been filled with struggles, hard work, and determination.
On his special day, ETimes caught up with Krunal Soni for an exclusive conversation, where he opened up about his inspiring journey and much more.
Krunal Soni recalls his early struggles
When asked about his biggest struggles during the early days of his career, Krunal shared, “In the early days, my biggest struggle was starting a dance class back in 2000. At that time, most parents wanted their children to become doctors or engineers, so accepting dance as a profession or choreography as a career was very difficult for them.
“In my personal life too, things were challenging because I lost my mother at a very young age, and my father raised me. But thankfully, my father supported me completely. My friends also stood by me throughout the journey.
“Back then, even arranging basic things like a tape recorder for dance practice was difficult. My uncle supported me and gave me his tape recorder, which became a huge help. I eventually started my dance classes on the terrace of my flat, and my father, friends, and even the members of my society encouraged and supported me.”
Speaking about his creative process and what comes first for him — music, emotion, or movement — Krunal said, “For me, music comes first. Once the music connects with you, the movement and emotions naturally follow.”
‘Copy-paste choreography does not work for every song’
Revealing how important storytelling is in choreography today, Krunal explained, “Storytelling in choreography is as important as petrol is for a car. Without storytelling, choreography feels incomplete.”
The choreographer further opened up about the biggest challenges he faces while choreographing for films.
“The biggest challenge in film choreography is convincing producers and directors that copy-paste choreography does not work for every song. Some situations need time, proper planning, and a bigger vision.
“One of my biggest challenges was choreographing the song ‘Aai Jyo’ from the film Karsandas Pay & Use. We worked with more than 140 dancers and around 100 junior artists for the song. It was one of the biggest choreography projects of my career,” he said.
The legacy Krunal Soni wants to leave behind
Sharing the kind of legacy he hopes to leave behind, Krunal said, “I want to create work that inspires future generations. I want people to say, ‘I want to become a choreographer like Krunal Soni.’ That is the legacy I want to leave behind.”
